Channeling Mike Tyson, ‘Unhinged’ Charles Oliveira Reflects on Near-Purchase of Tiger Before UFC 317!

Ahead of his UFC 317 PPV title clash for vacant gold, Charles Oliveira was looking to channel his inner Mike Tyson.

Channeling Mike Tyson, ‘Unhinged’ Charles Oliveira Reflects on Near-Purchase of Tiger Before UFC 317!

Charles Oliveira details almost getting a tiger before UFC 317, like Mike Tyson (Source: X)

At UFC 317 in just a few weeks’ time, Charles Oliveira will have the chance to make history by becoming the first fighter to reclaim the UFC 155-pound gold once again. The undisputed gold had been sitting with a longtime reigning champ for a while now. Now, ‘Do Bronxs’ is up for the stiff challenge; he was, at least in fashion, ready to even channel Mike Tyson for it!

Ilia Topuria is the other half of the UFC 317 PPV headliner, who fights for the vacant gold. Ahead of the title showdown, the crisp boxer has been extremely vocal about his hard-hitting intentions. Many bill Topuria has a standup advantage over submission specialist Oliveira.

After the split with Club Climent, even veteran boxer Roy Jones Jr. offered to be a part of Topuria’s strike coaching camp. However, it’s ‘Do Bronxs’ who took cues from boxing legend Mike Tyson. Oliveira opened up his home for UFC 317 PPV pre-fight media sitdowns. Much like ‘Iron,’ he, too, has cages for bird enclosures; that is not where his fondness for animalia and link with Tyson stops, though.

You can’t have them here. Some time ago, …I had everything built in the farm to be able to have them [to have tigers], but man, they eat a lot…I made the stuff to be able to have them, but man, there’s no way you can have it. Like, I’m not around much, you know? I’d have to leave them to the responsibility of my parents, so I can’t…[But] Over there in the farm you have llamas, ostriches, horses, game, all kinds of animals.

Charles Oliveira to Full Violence ™ (@Full_Violence): Inside Charles Oliveira’s $1,000,000+ Mansion

Mike Tyson’s affinity for pigeons is one thing; his fondness for tigers, however, cost him to fork up $250,000 to compensate a reporter’s hand the carnivore had bitten off! The legend later got rid of the tiger he had had for about 16 years. So good thing Oliveira did not get that distraction. He has a stiff test ahead in a man who wants to be the promotion’s #1 Pound-for-pound name.

Topuria has been gearing up in full force for his second coming at 155 pounds and has been looking well hydrated and fitting for the bracket. Many peers have already seen how he carries a natural hydration and bone density of a UFC 170-pounder. Hence, he could be quite the power puncher; per DraftKings and FanDuel Sportsbooks, he has ballooned from -375 to -400 to beat Oliveira. However, some still believe Oliveira can get it done.

Charles Oliveira poses a significant threat when facing boxers, per UFC lightweight peer

Oliveira, with stout, veteran stats of 35-10 MMA and 23-10 UFC, faces Topuria in the June 28 PPV main event at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas. It’s a promise he has been waiting for long.

Charles Oliveira to have good odds in standup at UFC 317 PPV
Charles Oliveira to have good odds in standup at UFC 317 PPV (Source: X)

Per statleaders.ufc.com (AKA UFC Record Books), Oliveira has the #2 highest competition submission attempts [-46], most finishes in history [-20], the most submission wins he can tout [-16], as well as the most total fight night bonuses. While good in standup too, striking differentials, average knockdowns punctuated per minute, and the like are not what he is known for.

Topuria is the clear, better striker here. Given that ‘El Matador’ is yet undefeated and has KOed names like Alexander Volkanovski and Max Holloway of all people, many oddsmakers and pundits have counted Charles Oliveira out. However, Beneil Dariush thinks Oliveira is heavily underrated against boxers and may pose more problems than Topuria and analysts think.

I think it’s a lot closer than people think, …I think Charles is really tough. He’s got a good chin, he’s got good jiu-jitsu, he’s got great striking, and what’s going to be difficult for Ilia is Charles’ striking is, I think, really dangerous against good boxers…Because –  for example, a good boxer will dip low to fake or feint to get in on the inside, and that’s times where Charles will just raise his knee and mess with your timing or throw a kick – things like that.

Beneil Dariush to Denis Shkuratov for the ‘Submission Radio’ Show for SBNation Network (🎥: @SubmissionRadio on YT)

Dariush gets back on the same card as them and locks horns with Renato Moicano on the UFC 317 PPV main card. Oliveira is the UFC’s record-setting all-time lead in both finishes and submission wins. However, Dariush also presented Topuria’s silent ground game as an unheralded threat. Back before their split, Club Climent offered much the same tease, thus propelling Topuria for a skills test as a challenger for the vacant gold.

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