A record man with little press: Charles Oliveira, the UFC's top finisher, goes for the title left by Khabib Nurmagomedov

Fabricio Soza

05/15/2021 7:00 AM

• Clarín.com

• sports

• sports Center

Updated 05/15/2021 7:00 AM

Brazilian MMA (mixed martial arts) fighter 

Charles Oliveira

 is perhaps the

UFC

record man

with the least press and recognition.

With very few flashes on his side until very recently, he is the highest finisher in company history with 14 submissions and will now have his shot at the lightweight title, a belt vacated by none other than Khabib Nurmagomedov upon his retirement.

On

Saturday

night at

UFC 262

, he will face 

Michael Chandler

, who came from Bellator to further shake up the division, beating

Dan Hooker

by knockout

on his debut.

"

Do Bronx,

" as Oliveira is called, has a record of 30 won fights, eight losses and one no decision.

But the most relevant data to understand his present is that he

reaches the clash with eight consecutive victories, 

and in his last performance in December he shone against Tony Ferguson, as no one had ever been able to dominate him before.

In addition, he is among those who received the

most awards and bonuses from the UFC

with

3 fights of the night, 3 submissions of the evening and 8 performances of the night.

In a brief dialogue with

Clarín

, the Brazilian assured that he is in "a unique moment."

Charles "Do Bronx" Oliveira, UFC record fighter: he is the one who most times finished his opponent by submission.

Photo Instagram / Twitter.

-How are you facing the chance to fight for the title?

-I have fought a lot to get here, so I want to enjoy everything with my team and my family.

Being at the top of this sport is a great responsibility.

I want to be the same old Charles.

I want to continue showing that those who come from below can win in life

.

I come to fight without disrespecting anyone, without speaking ill of anyone, just to give a show inside the Octagon.

That is what I want to be.

I want to build my legacy that way.

-What do you have to take care of Chandler?

-He has to find some way to try to destabilize me, but I am 100% mentally, physically and spiritually.

You can say what you want

.

I worry about going out to fight and getting what I want.

I respect him like all fighters, he is a very tough guy.

He is an athlete who advances all the time.

I am also very aggressive, so I think it will be that way from start to finish.

Charles "Do Bronx" Oliveira, UFC record fighter: he is the one who most times finished his opponent by submission.

Photo Instagram / Twitter.

-What will be the strategy of your fight?

-I would very much like to get a knockout in the first round, but the most important thing is to win.

I am prepared to fight one, two, three, four or five rounds.

I am focused, I am happy and I am

sure

I'll give a great show

.

-Do you think Khabib could come back from retirement when he sees the fight?

-I have all the respect in the world for Khabib.

If you ask me if I wanted that fight, of course I did.

Everyone would like the opportunity to face an athlete like him.

First of all, I respect everything he did and his history in sport.

But he withdrew.

I'm not going to provoke him or run after him

.

If I have to say something to you, it is simply to thank you for everything you did for the sport.

Charles "Do Bronx" Oliveira, UFC record fighter: he is the one who most times finished his opponent by submission.

Photo Instagram / Twitter.

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