UFC 317 headliner Charles Oliveira completed a remarkable rise from journeyman to champion.
Oliveira entered 2018 with an almost even 10-8 record in the UFC, alongside one no contest, and he was coming off a TKO loss against Paul Felder. At that time, nobody would have predicted what was to come.
‘Do Bronx’ embarked on an incredible resurgence, winning his next 11 fights. That run included Oliveira’s title win over Michael Chandler, successful defense against Dustin Poirier, and first-round finish of Justin Gaethje.
The Brazilian’s streak and habit of proving those who claimed to see quit in him wrong left him in the conversation among the greatest lightweights of all time, the leader of whom is the undefeated Khabib Nurmagomedov.
Gilbert Burns called Charles Oliveira ‘unbeatable’ against everyone but Khabib Nurmagomedov
Among those in awe of Oliveira’s surge up the UFC pecking order was his fellow countryman, former welterweight title challenger Gilbert Burns.
During a 2022 interview with Helen Yee, ‘Durinho’ assessed how ‘Do Bronx’ would stack up against the great Nurmagomedov.
Burns described his compatriot as “unbeatable” against the lightweight roster, though he wasn’t as quick to put the retired Nurmagomedov under that same umbrella.
“Khabib is the guy who did the hardest thing…but he left. Like I said, Oliveira has been there since he was very super young – he put himself into the fire, fighting everybody.
“I think he’s 11-0 on this streak right now. And all finishes, how crazy is that? And finishing guys like Justin Gaethje in the first round, Dustin Poirier in the second round. If he don’t knock you out, he submits you.
“I am a fan of both of them, but right now, Oliveira is unbeatable,” Burns added. “I don’t know. If they make that fight, for sure Khabib is different.
“But I don’t know, Oliveira is on a different level right now.”
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Charles Oliveira has been on the path back to gold since losing to Khabib Nurmagomedov’s protégé
During the same interview, Burns backed Oliveira to get the job done against Nurmagomedov’s friend and teammate Islam Makhachev.
However, that prediction didn’t come to fruition, as Makhachev instead dominated Oliveira en route to a submission win in their October 2022 title fight.
The Brazilian lightweight has since been chasing another shot at regaining the title, and that will finally come on June 28.
After Oliveira’s one-sided victory over Michael Chandler last November, he’ll face Ilia Topuria for the vacant 155-pound belt in the main event of UFC 317.