Renowned MMA journalist The Schmo would never bet against former UFC lightweight champ Charles Oliveira.
On October 21, ‘Do Bronx’ will attempt to once again claim the 155-pound title as he challenges reigning champion Islam Makhachev in the main event of UFC 294, emanating from Etihad Arena in Abu Dhabi. Their highly anticipated title rematch will come almost exactly one year removed from their first meeting. On that night, Oliveira suffered a disastrous second-round submission loss to the ‘Dagestani Destroyer’ but has since bounced back with a convincing first-round TKO against top-10 contender Beneil Dariush.
Speaking with Mike Owens in a LowKick MMA exclusive interview, Dave Schmulenson, better known by MMA fans as The Schmo, spoke about Charles Oliveira’s impressive ability to come back from a devastating defeat, something that ‘Do Bronx’ has been doing throughout his entire career.
“If you look at Charles Oliveira, he’s the epitome of why combat sports are the greatest sports on the planet,” Schmulenson said. “He’s what makes the UFC brilliant. It’s that anyone can win on any given night and so many people… Look at all the dog fights. Look at the [Dustin] Poirier fight. Look at the [Justin] Gaethje fight. Look at the Michael Chandler fight. Everybody was writing off Charles Oliveira and he had moments in all those fights where you thought he’d get beat.
“For him to come, do what he does, finish fights, and do it in spectacular fashion. He’s got this aura about it. There’s something so special about him and even as I’ve interviewed him as The Schmo and we don’t speak the same language and there’s translators communicating, I’ve always felt an aura with him. A sense of confidence and this greater human achieving greater things and that’s why I say I would not doubt Charles Oliveira. I would not bet against Charles Oliveira because there’s just something so special about him.
“I’m very interested to see how this fight goes and I do know that Islam Makhachev is truly the real deal.”
The blue corner has won the last three UFC PPV main events
Charles Oliveira can make that four straight next month at UFC 294 against Islam Makhachev. pic.twitter.com/EIieAWPvw1
— ESPN MMA (@espnmma) September 19, 2023
Can Charles Oliveira Make Another Big Come Back at UFC 294?
Considered by many as the greatest lightweight in the history of the division, Charles Oliveira has seen his fair share of setbacks inside the Octagon. ‘Do Bronx’ has been finished eight times in his UFC career, but after dropping four out of six between 2015 and 2017, Oliveira saw a massive career resurgence, scoring 11 straight wins with only one of those victories coming by way of a decision.
During that run, Oliveira claimed the vacant lightweight title with a big win over Michael Chandler but tragically lost the belt on the scale after weighing in heavy for his UFC 274 scrap with Justin Gaethje. ‘Do Bronx’ went on to win the fight against Gaethje, but would come up short in his bid to reclaim the 155-pound crown against Makhachev at UFC 280.
Will Charles Oliveira solve the puzzle his second time around, or will the ‘Dagestani Destroyer’ continue his reign of terror over the lightweight division?