Former lightweight champion Charles Oliveira has released a statement addressing his quick return at UFC Rio de Janeiro.
Just weeks removed from his horrific lightweight title loss to Ilia Topuria, former divisional gold holder Charles Oliveira is set to fight on home soil for the first time in five years.
And taking headlining honors, the decorated finisher will meet striking sensation Rafael Fiziev in a pivotal clash of lightweight elites.
However, reacting to fans’ concern over the short-notice nature of his turnaround in Brazil, Oliveira has released a quite candid response.
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Charles Oliveira hits back at fans who ‘speak bad’ about him
Forced back to the drawing board after his second loss in his three most recent walks to the cage, Oliveira will fight for the second time this year when he returns in Brazil.
And to the point, the Sao Paulo star will compete again just 105 days after his hellacious knockout loss to the unbeaten Topuria.
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Beaten via brutal knockout for the first time in his lengthy and decorated career, Oliveira claimed many have spoken “badly” about his decision to fight on his hometown card so quickly.
“There are people making comments [about the return], but they’re making the comments out of the goodness of their hearts,” Oliveira told Ariel Helwani through a translator. “There are other people making the comments, meaning bad by it.
“Things that happened in the past have already passed. I’m not gonna be bringing them up again. This is a new fight, a new place.
“I’m just really grateful to have this opportunity and keep doing what I’m supposed to do, regardless of those who want to speak badly about me,” Oliveira explained.
And while Oliveira will return to action 105 days after his thunderous stoppage loss, the ex-champion does not come close to beating the record for the quickest turnaround in UFC history.
The quickest return in UFC history
Setting a new record five years ago, the unbeaten current middleweight champion Khamzat Chimaev made a stunning comeback to the Octagon after his debut in the promotion.
Landing with a D’arce choke win over John Philips on Fight Island, Chechen star Chimaev fought again just 10 days later to defeat the debuting Rhys McKee.
And seeing his new record stand for just over a year, Chimaev was beaten out in the history books by strawweight staple Loopy Godinez, who fought Luana Carolina in a loss just a week after her win over Silvana Gomez Juarez in a near-residency in Las Vegas.