UFC lightweight champion, Charles Oliveira, is currently enjoying his time at the top of the mountain. The Brazilian captured the lightweight belt at UFC 262, earning a sensational finish over Michael Chandler. But the hustle hasn’t always been smooth for ‘Do Bronx’.
Oliveira has been fighting in the UFC for over a decade now. Since making his debut in 2010, it took ‘Do Bronx’ 28 fights before he could finally reach the pinnacle of the sport. He had a record of 10-8 in the promotion, before eventually starting the incredible winning streak that he is currently on today.
The Brazilian once considered retirement because of his rocky career in the promotion. In an interview with Super Lutas, Oliveira said, “I already thought about giving up, at the very beginning. Looking back, I see how much it was worth going through everything I went through to get here. Everything I have been through, sums up what I ask everyone today.”
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People say: ‘I want to be a fighter’. Are you willing to train? Today I ask: ‘Are you willing to pay the price?’. It is not a low price. It is a very high price. When you are ‘nobody’, you have to leave your family, friends, party, woman, everything, in search of a dream.” (h/t BJPenn.com).
Charles Oliveira says achieving greatness is a painful price
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Oliveira has gone on a 9-fight winning streak since his UFC 218 loss to Paul Felder. Wins over marquee names like Kevin Lee, Tony Ferguson, and more, helped him secure his shot at the undisputed UFC gold. He made the most of his opportunity and is currently the lightweight champion.
“The same way I want it, there are two, three million more who want it. When you start to shine, you bother. Unfortunately, this is the bad thing about human beings. When you bother, there are people who don’t want your good. It is a painful price,” said ‘Do Bronx’.
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There are countless fighters in the world who try to become UFC champions at some point in their life. Only a few manage to actually do it. After years of struggle, ‘Do Bronx‘ has finally managed to take his place in the elite company.