Charles Oliveira: ‘Take the belt, it’s not for me’

Charles Oliveira has declared that he does not care about holding the UFC's "Baddest Motherf*****" title as he prepares to defend it against Diego Lopes. Oliveira's title win in March, which came after a controversial match against Max Holloway, has drawn criticism. He had outgrappled Holloway for nearly 25 minutes before winning on points, a performance some fans felt did not honor the title's legacy. Notable moments in the title’s history include Jorge Masvidal's inaugural reign and Justin Gaethje's stunning knockout of Dustin Poirier. In response to the backlash, Oliveira stated during an interview with MMA Fighting: "Brother, let me tell you something: God himself couldn’t please everyone, so imagine me." He acknowledged that fighters often face criticism regardless of their strategy. Oliveira pointed out that while some fans may prefer a more aggressive fight, his approach is about winning, not entertaining. "If I go out there and trade punches and get knocked out, I’m ‘stupid’ because I could have used jiu-jitsu. If I go out there and use jiu-jitsu, then it ‘sucks’,” he said. Oliveira, a former lightweight champion, highlighted that his performance against Holloway was unmatched, asserting that no other fighter in the division had done what he did to Holloway. Despite Holloway's loss, he secured a fight against Conor McGregor, indicating that had Oliveira performed differently, he may have had similar opportunities. Moving forward, Oliveira will defend his title against Lopes in the main event of UFC 335 on 12 December. Lopes, a past two-time title challenger at featherweight, will enter the octagon at 155 pounds to face Oliveira.