Why Is Charles Oliveira Called Do Bronx? Nickname, Struggle Against Poverty, and More

Charles Oliveira is currently one of the finest lightweight fighters in the world. “Do Bronx” has shocked the world after his insane performances in the past few years. The 40 fight veteran (31-8-1) has beaten some of the top fighters to have ever graced the cage in the UFC.  

These big names include Tony Ferguson and Michael Chandler. Earlier this year at UFC 262, Oliveira earned himself the UFC lightweight championship, following his win over Michael Chandler. 

Charles Oliveira’s humble beginnings

Oliveira came from very humble beginnings. The fighter fought his way from rags to riches. He was born into a very poor family and struggled to earn a living. He was raised in the city of Sao Paulo, Brazil. To earn his daily bread, he used to assist his mother in selling cheese salads. Charles Oliveira struggled for quite some time. Hence, it is clear that he has built his way up to the top, all the way from the bottom.

How did Charles Oliveira get his nickname?

Oliveria grew up in one of the poorer areas, a neighborhood called Guaruja. Life wasn’t easy for him. He struggled to make ends meet on a daily basis.

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His mother sold food on the streets and worked as a cleaner. He was raised in the ghetto, a slum, they also called it a favela in Portuguese. This is where he got his nickname, “Do Bronx” from. After his success as a fighter, Oliveira has given back a lot to his city in the form of donations.

Charles Oliveira’s traumatic past

Charles and his brother Hermison, who is also a mixed martial artist, came across fighting through a couple of friends they knew in their neighborhood.

Their neighbor’s father, Paulo, played a very pivotal role in Oliveria’s life. He took the brothers to Jiu-Jitsu and introduced them to the sport of MMA. Even though Oliveria’s mother did not have the finances to support his training, Paulo worked out a scholarship deal with the trainer.

Charles Oliveira credits his entire career to Paulo. In an interview, he said, “He had become part of our family, for his heart, for the respect with my parents, for the affection he had for me and my brother.” (via ESPN)

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Unfortunately, Paulo wasn’t around to witness the success of Charles Oliveira as he passed away two years after introducing the future UFC lightweight champion to jiu-jitsu.