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Featherweight Charles Oliveira does not understand why he can’t get a step up in competition.
The man with the most submission wins in UFC history does not feel appreciated by the promotion. On a five-fight winning streak, all finishes, Charles Oliveira is now paired up to take on Jared Gordon, a non-ranked fighter, in a bout that offers little to no reward for the Brazilian who wants to climb the lightweight rankings and fight for a title at some point in the future.
In an interview with Ag Fight, Oliveira says he does not understand how UFC rankings work, or what he needs to do in order to warrant a fight against a ranked opponent. However, ‘Do Bronx’ intends to send another message to the division should he beat Gordon, preferably via another finish.
“This whole ranking matter, we don’t get it. I’m behind guys I have already beat. I really don’t know (what I have to do to fight a top guy). I’ve asked for ranked guys before, someone ahead of me. My manager always asks, but we remain the same. But I’ll win and I’ll ask again. I’m ready to fight anybody.”
In his current win streak, Charles Oliveira (27-8-1 NC) tapped out the likes of Clay Guida, Christos Giagos, Jim Miller and David Teymur, while in his last outing, back in May, Do Bronx scored his first ever TKO win in the Octagon. The 29-year-old’s last loss happened in December 2017, when he was TKO’d by Paul Felder.
Now, Charles Oliveira is expected to take on Jared Gordon at UFC Fight Night 164, in Sao Paulo, Brazil, on November 16. The card is scheduled to be headlined by a light heavyweight bout between former middleweight contender Ronaldo ‘Jacare’ Souza and Jan Blachowicz.