Charles Oliveira, a headlining fighter at UFC 317, achieved a remarkable ascent from being considered an ordinary fighter to becoming a champion.
Entering 2018, Oliveira held a modest UFC record of 10 wins and 8 losses, along with one no contest, having recently suffered a TKO defeat to Paul Felder. At that point, few could have foreseen the incredible journey that lay ahead.
Known as `Do Bronx`, he commenced an extraordinary resurgence, winning his next 11 bouts consecutively. This impressive winning streak included Oliveira claiming the title by defeating Michael Chandler, successfully defending it against Dustin Poirier, and securing a first-round finish over Justin Gaethje.
The Brazilian`s string of victories and his consistent ability to defy those who questioned his resilience positioned him among the greatest lightweights of all time, a group widely acknowledged as being led by the undefeated Khabib Nurmagomedov.
Gilbert Burns Considered Charles Oliveira `Unbeatable` Against Everyone Except Khabib Nurmagomedov
Among those left in awe by Oliveira’s rapid climb within the UFC ranks was his compatriot, Gilbert Burns, a former title challenger in the welterweight division.
During an interview with Helen Yee in 2022, `Durinho` offered his assessment of how `Do Bronx` might compare against the legendary Nurmagomedov.
Burns stated that his fellow fighter was “unbeatable” when facing the rest of the lightweight roster, although he hesitated to place the retired Nurmagomedov in the same category.
“Khabib is the guy who did the hardest thing… but he left,” Burns commented. “As I mentioned, Oliveira has been competing since he was very young – he consistently took on challenging fights against everyone.”
“I believe he`s currently on an 11-0 run,” Burns continued. “And every single one is a finish – isn`t that insane? He`s finished fighters like Justin Gaethje in the first round and Dustin Poirier in the second. If he doesn`t knock you out, he`ll submit you.”
“I`m a fan of both, but right now, Oliveira is unbeatable,” Burns added. “I don’t know. If that fight were to happen, Khabib is certainly different.
“But I just don`t know, Oliveira seems to be on a different level currently.”
Charles Oliveira`s Path to Redemption After Losing to Khabib Nurmagomedov`s Protégé
In the same interview, Burns had predicted that Oliveira would be successful against Nurmagomedov`s friend and teammate, Islam Makhachev.
However, that forecast did not come to pass. Makhachev instead dominated Oliveira, securing a submission victory in their title encounter in October 2022.
Since that loss, the Brazilian lightweight has been determined to earn another opportunity to regain the championship belt, with that chance reportedly set for June 28 (Note: Information regarding opponent and belt status at UFC 317 may vary from current official schedules).
Following Oliveira`s victory over Michael Chandler last November (as stated in the source text), he was presented as facing Ilia Topuria for the vacant 155-pound belt in the main event of UFC 317.
