Charles Oliveira shows off massive new back tattoo

Former UFC lightweight champion Charles Oliveira has taken to Instagram to show off a new tattoo that covers the entirety of his back.

Posting to his Instagram story, 'Do Bronx' showed off his new backpiece, which depicts the face of a lion. Each side of the lion's face is either side of the spine, with currently only one half of the tattoo completed. The Brazilian will likely return to finish the tattoo in the coming days.

Translated into English, the caption on Oliveira's story thanked the artist for his stunning work:

"Yes, Yes, is ready thank you brother @espositotattoo @wtstatoo, keep an eye out"

Charles Oliveira's Instagram story

Charles Oliveira is often described by fans as having the heart of a lion, which may have influenced his choice for the artwork. The 33-year-old will likely be hoping to demonstrate that fact as he prepares himself for another run at the lightweight title.

'Do Bronx' failed to regain the belt against Islam Makhachev at UFC 280 last year but has vowed to seek out another championship reign. The Brazilian recently teased fans on Twitter by suggesting he is close to signing his next bout in the octagon.

Whilst no opponent has been confirmed, the No.4-ranked Beneil Dariush appears to be the front-runner as he boasts an impressive eight-fight winning run. Should the bout be confirmed, the winner would firmly place themselves as contenders for the title.

---

Chael Sonnen weigns in on Charles Oliveira versus Beneil Dariush

Chael Sonnen recently stated that both Charles Oliveira and Beneil Dariush are only one win away from a deserved shot at the title.

Due to this, Sonnen believes Charles Oliveira versus Beneil Dariush is the fight to make. 'The American Gangster' even went as far as to say that a fight between them is so obvious, the only reason it hasn't been booked yet is because one of them may have backed out.

In a video uploaded to his YouTube channel, Sonnen explained that it's likely the UFC brass has been working to book Oliveira and Dariush, but one of the fighters may have "blinked":

"The mere fact that Oliveira and Dariush hasn't been announced yet, says somebody behind the scenes has blinked. There is no scenario where the second floor of the UFC located in Southern Nevada has not attempted to put Oliveira and Dariush together. So if that fight isn't gonna happen, somebody blinked...I have no insider information, I guarantee I am right."

Catch the full video here: