In the aftermath of UFC 317, where he suffered a definitive knockout loss to Ilia Topuria in the main event on June 28, former lightweight champion Charles Oliveira has shared insights into the fight and its surprising, unprecedented impact on him.
For the first time across a professional mixed martial arts career spanning 47 contests, Oliveira was rendered unconscious by an opponent`s strike. This marked a stark contrast to his previous experiences, which included being knocked down and suffering technical knockouts, but never a complete loss of consciousness from impact.
“I didn’t know what had happened, it was something new for me,” Oliveira stated, describing the immediate post-fight confusion. This disorientation was significant and unlike anything he had encountered before. “I asked many times what had happened, where I was,” he recounted, detailing a level of cognitive blankness and repeated questioning that required his team and family to continually reassure him, urging him to relax and breathe.
He was quick to credit his opponent`s striking power as a major contributing factor to this outcome, placing Topuria`s impact above that of other formidable opponents he has faced. “He’s definitely the one who hit me the hardest,” Oliveira stated, drawing a comparison to the striking force of fighters like Justin Gaethje, Dustin Poirier, and Michael Chandler, all recognized for their significant power that had previously resulted in knockdowns.
Beyond the purely physical impact, Oliveira cited his inability to execute his predetermined strategic plan as a significant source of frustration. His corner`s instruction involved maintaining distance with various kicks – specifically front kicks, oblique kicks, and calf kicks – a tactical approach designed to neutralize Topuria’s dangerous close-range striking and prevent him from settling into his preferred striking rhythm.
Instead, for reasons he admits remain unclear in the heat of the moment, he found himself engaging within Topuria’s preferred striking zone, effectively falling into what he described as the opponent`s “traps.” “Everything I trained we didn’t do in the fight,” he lamented, highlighting the critical disconnect between meticulous preparation and fight-night execution. He found this failure to adhere to the plan particularly perplexing given his extensive experience.
Reflecting on the outcome, Oliveira acknowledged the inherent unpredictability of mixed martial arts, a sport where outcomes can turn on a single strike. While the loss, particularly the definitive manner of it, was upsetting – something that “sucks, but it’s part of the game,” as he put it – he accepted the reality of the competition: “He was happy there and did a better job and became champion.”
Despite the professional setback, Oliveira remains focused on his future trajectory within the sport. He plans to take a necessary period away from active competition, fulfilling prior commitments such as traveling for seminars. Looking ahead, he anticipates a return to competition in the fourth quarter of 2025, specifically targeting a fight date in November or early December. His objective remains clear: securing “one, two or three wins” against relevant opponents to re-enter the crowded and highly competitive lightweight title picture.
The loss to Topuria stands as a significant, albeit unprecedented, moment in Oliveira`s decorated career – the first instance where his consciousness was definitively separated from his physical form by an opponent`s strike. His path back to potentially challenging for the lightweight crown now begins with a period of physical and mental recovery, followed by strategic planning for his late 2025 return to the Octagon.
