"Don’t fall for the talk of these guys" - Charles Oliveira slams fighters who back out after saying “I’ll step up” ahead of UFC Rio

Charles Oliveira sounds off on lightweight contenders. [Image courtesy: Getty]
Charles Oliveira sounds off on lightweight contenders. [Image courtesy: Getty]

Charles Oliveira is not impressed with fighters who talk a big game but disappear when the UFC calls. The former UFC lightweight champion has been searching for a replacement opponent after Rafael Fiziev pulled out of UFC Rio on Oct. 11 due to injury.

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Oliveira expected volunteers from the division to step up, but many who publicly offered backed away when the promotion reached out. He said that some fighters have claimed to be injured or dealing with weight issues once officially approached.

Only a few, including Renato Moicano, Benoit Saint Denis, and Mateusz Gamrot, have confirmed interest in taking the fight. Oliveira made it clear that he values action over words. Lashing out at contenders in the division on Instagram stories, Oliveira said:

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“Everybody knows my UFC Rio fight is off. But don’t fall for the talk of these guys out there [saying] ‘I’m here, I’ll go,’ because the UFC is calling and they’re all saying, ‘Oh, there’s not enough time to make weight. Oh, I can’t.’ They’re posting this on the internet to get hype." [H/t: MMA Fighting]
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He added:

“Stop it, it’s not a good look. I saw one saying this, another saying that, but when the UFC calls, what do they say? ‘Oh, I can’t. I got belly ache. I broke a finger. I hurt my hand.’ Enough with that, it’s not a good look... I want to fight at UFC Rio, I asked for this fight,” Oliveira said. “My opponent got hurt, then 10 guys show up saying they would fight. So far, every time the UFC calls [asking] ‘Let’s fight?’ [they say] ‘I can’t.’ So stop with that because it’s not a good look."
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Check out Charles Oliveira's comments below:

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Alexandre Pantoja suggests Charles Oliveira should move to welterweight division

Alexandre Pantoja believes Charles Oliveira might be struggling with the lightweight cut and should consider moving up to welterweight. Pantoja said that Oliveira’s routine appears especially taxing with a large team surrounding him.

In contrast, Pantoja keeps his cuts simple, relying only on his coach and children. Speaking in a recent episode of the Overdogs Podcast, Pantoja said:

“The weight cut is maybe too much. When you cut too much weight, you need to understand, all your water goes out. If you dry yourself out too much, you make yourself vulnerable… Maybe Charles is too heavy for that division. [170 pounds] would make it easier for him. I like Charles... But all the time people [who] pray across to him. When I cut weight, it’s me, my coach and my two kids, that’s it. It’s a lot of tension, a lot of pressure [with Oliveira]. I don’t like that, man.”

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Edited by Abhishek Nambiar
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