![]() ![]() Oliveira and his younger brother Hermison, who's also an MMA fighter, befriended a couple of kids whose family rented a house down the street, and their friendship would change the Oliveiras' lives. ![]() "I believed in the sport, I had faith in God, and he blessed me, as he has been blessing me until today."Ī random introduction to jiu-jitsu, and a tragedy ![]() "The doctors said that I couldn't play sports, but as I told my father and mother, I would rather die than stop doing the things I liked," Oliveira said, translated from Portuguese. Oliveira never needed a wheelchair, and with the help of treatment - including an injection of a medication every 15 days for several years - it wasn't long before he returned to his sporting passion: soccer. "And we said that we would not accept that." "The doctor said that he would not walk, that he would stay in a wheelchair," Ozana told ESPN Brazil, translated from her native Portuguese. Oliveira was diagnosed with bone rheumatism that attacked his ankles and a heart murmur at the age of 7, and Ozana said her son struggled with pain throughout his body and had difficulty moving. Purchase UFC 274 on ESPN+ PPV 'The doctors said that I couldn't play sports' ESPN Brazil caught up with Oliveira and his mother, Ozana Oliveira, and here's what you need to know about the man nicknamed "do Bronx." It's not that the veteran is new to the game, it's just that his humble nature isn't conducive to the type of renown afforded some of his louder peers.īut his story deserves to be recognized as one of extreme perseverance, skill and self-awareness. Oliveira is one of the least-known champions in recent memory, atop one of the most high-profile divisions. It will mark the continuation of a journey that began in the favelas of Vicente de Carvalho in Guaruja, Brazil, where Oliveira randomly was introduced to jiu-jitsu by a family friend who wouldn't live long enough to see the impact the sport made on his life. On Saturday night in Las Vegas, Oliveira will walk into the Octagon to face Justin Gaethje in his second title defense of the UFC lightweight championship. UFC 274 headliner Charles Oliveira has come a long way from being told by a doctor he would never walk again, and that he would require the use of a wheelchair because of illnesses he contracted at the age of 7. This story has been updated to reflect the new matchup against Justin Gaethje at UFC 274. He defeated Michael Chandler to win the UFC lightweight title. Editor's note: This story was originally published ahead of Charles Oliveira's title shot at UFC 262. ![]()
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