Losing is a tough situation for any athlete to swallow. The taste is even more bitter when that same athlete is told that he or she looked “impressive” in defeat. For fighters, that is faint praise, because the fact is, they still did not get their hands raised at the end of the day, and defeats will follow them for the rest of their careers. Charles “Do Bronx” Oliveira faced such a response to his loss at the hands of Frankie Edgar at UFC 162; however impressive he was, he still added an L to his ledger. However, the UFC still has an opportunity to mold him into a star with a slow burn.
At 23 years of age, “Do Bronx” sits on a 16-4-1 record as a professional mixed martial artist. While some may be impressed with that mark, it is worth noting that he was 14-0 when he entered the Octagon back in 2010. Since then he’s put together a 4-4 record with 1 No Contest, which doesn’t jump off the page in any form. In fact, his record is similar to that of fighters who have been released in recent months. However, looking at Oliveira’s record more closely would reveal that those four defeats came to men who are or were top contenders in their respective weight classes. Edgar was the former lightweight champion, Donald Cerrone is a top ten lightweight, Jim Miller was a former top 10 lightweight who is now at or near the division’s top fifteen, and Cub Swanson, by virtue of his victory at UFC 162, is now viewed as a consensus top five featherweight. This is a group that Oliveira shouldn’t be ashamed of having losses to in his career. In fact, after his performance against Edgar, MMA fans and media members have increased their expectations for the young Brazilian fighter, and he remains on the cusp of reaching the next level of success at featherweight.
Going forward, the UFC should slowly build Oliveira back up by allowing him to develop winning momentum in his native country of Brazil against opponents of his current caliber. A number of fighters currently on the roster could serve as potential fodder for Oliveira during this development. Individuals such as Matt Grice, Max Holloway, and Robbie Peralta could be used to test him, and either build him into a fighter with a name at 145 pounds, or push him to the wayside like Josh Grispi during his UFC run. If he can reel off three or four straight wins, he’ll have a 5-2 or 6-2 record at featherweight, and be ready for top 10 opposition yet again.
The trend in mixed martial arts is to jump on a fighter’s bandwagon when he or she wins a bout during a major card. Charles Oliveira has experienced that situation, but he may have seen the exact opposite situation play out after his defeat to Frankie Edgar, as he was able to gain more fans than he had going into the fight. He held his own in the striking category and was bold enough to pull guard multiple times in the fight, even securing a tight guillotine choke at the end of the second round. He’s a Jiu Jitsu fighter that has the ability to keep the fans’ attention with his workrate on the mat, as well as the potential to be exciting on the feet.
The future for Charles Oliveira is very bright if he is pushed in the right fashion by the UFC brass. With the slow and steady approach, he can accumulate the wins necessary for him to become the contender he has convinced many that he can be. Hopefully, we will get the opportunity to watch his growth instead of a spectacular flameout.
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UFC 162: Silva vs. Weidman took place on July 6, 2013 at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada.
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