Charles Oliveira was unfazed and laughing at Ilia Topuria’s trash talk leading up to UFC 317, but that doesn’t stop him from making bold predictions either.
Oliveira gets his chance at becoming a two-time UFC lightweight champion when he faces the undefeated star in the main event of UFC’s International Fight Week pay-per-view in Las Vegas this Saturday night, and vows to become the first man to stop the former featherweight titleholder inside a MMA cage.
“In reality, everyone knows what’s gonna happen,” Oliveira said at Wednesday’s UFC 317 media day when asked about the match and Topuria’s predictions. “It’s another dude that’s talking that’s gonna fold in front of me.”
Oliveira holds multiple records under the UFC banner and feels that his 15-year career in the promotion gives him the edge. Topuria made his MMA debut in Spain when Oliveira had already fought 12 times inside the octagon. A decade later, the Brazilian has won more post-fight bonuses than Topuria has total wins in the sport.
“It’s the experience, it’s the growth, it’s the evolution. I’ve gotten better,” Oliveira said. “It’s having the thirst, it’s having the hunger, it’s continuing to dream and wanting this, and that has changed. It’s just gotten better and better and better. And for all those people that say this, continue to say it. It doesn’t matter. I’m not gonna stop.”
“You can say whatever you want to say,” he continued. “I’m gonna continue to have the hunger and I have the faith. I have faith that that’s gonna happen. If he thinks he’s got firepower, he hasn’t seen my firepower. If he thinks he’s got jiu-jitsu, he has not seen my jiu-jitsu. Let me tell you something, things are gonna happen. I’m gonna become a champion again.”
Oliveira’s wife Vitoria Brum revealed on the UFC Countdown show that the fighter has made a promise to win the belt for his son Dom, who was born after he lost the title to Islam Makhachev.
The Chute Boxe talent, however, won’t feel extra pressure to fulfill that promise Saturday.
“There’s no pressure. When there’s a promise, there’s no pressure,” Oliveira said. “When there’s faith, there’s no pressure on promises. You ain’t gonna see a guy that has more faith than I do. There’s no pressure whatsoever, and I know that the day is coming, that I’m going to be a champion. And the day is coming right now. Listen to what I’m saying, I’m going to become a champion again, and the day is about to come.”
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