Fully healed from neck injury, Charles Oliveira eager to make up for his 'loss'
ORLANDO -- The last time Charles Oliveira was getting ready to fight, he was the main event against Max Holloway up north in Saskatoon.
Since that time, everything has gone south. With an injury to his neck heading into his bout with Holloway, Oliveira was unable to continue just 90 seconds in when his body went numb after he hit his head. It was both a scary and anticlimactic moment for Oliveira. This Saturday night, the 26-year old "Da Bronx" will try and put his last fight behind him down in Florida, when he welcomes Myles Jury to the featherweight division. This time he won't be headlining the main card, but rather the Fox Sports 1 prelims.
The set-up isn't exactly the same, but the 26-year Brazilian says he's healthy and raring to go. And the loss he suffered should be considered a "loss," in quotes.
"It wasn't really a loss," Oliveira told MMA Fighting during Thursday's UFC on FOX 17 media. "What happened happened and they had to stop the fight. I don't consider it a loss. It's an injury I have that I'd already had, and I hit my head and I felt it again. Now it's fine."
The official record books list it as a loss, which abruptly ended a four-fight win streak in which the young Oliveira put on the best performances of his career. Before the fight with Holloway, Oliveira finished Andy Ogle, Hatsu Haoki and most recently, Nik Lentz at the Ultimate Fighter 20 Finale a year ago. In between he also scored a decision victory over Jeremy Stephens.
The road doesn't get much easier with Jury, who was 15-0 (6-0 in the UFC) before running into Donald Cerrone at UFC 182 in January. Jury lost that fight via unanimous decision.
"[Jury]'s a tough guy," Oliveira said. "I think his loss against Donald Cerrone made him drop down a weight. I think it's going to be a war."
This time not nearly as much in the spotlight, Oliveira isn't feeling the same pressure he felt to perform against Holloway. He also said he doesn't care what slot he takes on what will be the UFC's year-end card, so long as he's on it.
"What's important is to be fighting in the UFC," he said. "It doesn't matter if it's the first or last show."