Charles Oliveira Has Personal Motivation To Bag Lightweight Gold at UFC 317

Charles Oliveira fully believes the champ will once again have a name and has big emotional drivers before UFC 317 PPV.

Charles Oliveira Has Personal Motivation To Bag Lightweight Gold at UFC 317

Charles Oliveira has his family cementing his will for UFC 317 pay-per-view event (Source: X)

Charles Oliveira is high on believing that the champ has a name and it rings “Do Bronx”. To that end, he said he knows he can dispatch the opponent during the UFC 317 PPV main event, live from T-Mobile Arena, Las Vegas. Punctuating a win means Oliveira will be back to reclaiming the division he once reigned over. However, the fighter has personal reasons for why he’s chasing gold and glory.

The promotion is back in town at “Sin City” (UFC 317: Topuria vs Oliveira), and with it are back the promotional video packages for this Fight Week. UFC 317 “Countdown” went live a while back and took a ‘lookie-loo’ at Oliveira and challenger Ilia Topuria.

UFC 317 ‘Embedded’: Vlog Series – Episode 1 was up next on the promotion’s YouTube Channel; UFC lightweight Charles Oliveira’s current wife, Vitoria Brum, revealed what more is driving Oliveira to win gold this time.

It’s a promise he made to Dom [his son] …As he’s already won a disputed belt for Thayla, …and now he’ll win another for Dominic. And that promise will be fulfilled.

Vitoria Brum during UFC 317 ‘Embedded’: Vlog Series – Episode 1

There’s no lack of motivation given that Charles Oliveira has had a promise for UFC 155-pound top contender treatment for a while now. Former 145-pound king Topuria has also been fanning the flames with his usual overt cockiness, billing he can defeat Do Bronx. However, right ahead of his UFC 309 PPV co-feature rematch against Michael Chandler, Oliveira and family welcomed their new son, Dominic. It’s been one hell of an emotional driver in the lead-up to this fight week.

Every moment I can be with him, with Thayla, with my woman, my wife, …[Dom] my prince, my family. My family is my base — Everything that I have, everything that I did is for them. Sometimes you eat, you train. Sometimes I don’t want to train, you train….[Eu vou limpar assim por eles] I clean up [after them] and get to it to train…

Charles Oliveira during UFC 317 ‘Embedded’: Vlog Series – Episode 1 (🎥: @ufc)

The undisputed gold was housed with former longtime reigning 155-pound kingpin Islam Makhachev, who won the belt from Oliveira. Hence, there was quite the pent-up angst to get back what was his, for the #2 lightweight on the roster. Now that he is contending for the vacant gold, he is cashing in all the motivation he has behind it.

Additionally, Topuria is a potent challenger and had a one-of-a-kind double KO title reign in 2024, before making his jump. He defeated top brand names like Alexander Volkanovski and Max Holloway in successive wins to warrant his top shot. He is crisp and full of tact, and yet undefeated. However, with veteran stats of 35-10 MMA and 23-10 UFC, Oliveira believes it’s all but “destino” (fate) that he’d get back his gold.

UFC 317 title win over Ilia Topuria is already slated for lightweight veteran Charles Oliveira

The vacant UFC 155-pound title bout between former featherweight Topuria (16-0) and ex-lightweight titleholder Charles Oliveira is the hot sauce in town. Once a “kid among lions,” it’s been more than a decade since ‘Do Bronx’ got started in the fight business, and now he is more than a beast of his own making. Hence, he has all but guaranteed he will win this one.

Charles Oliveira wants to win back gold at UFC 317
Charles Oliveira wants to win back gold at UFC 317 (Source: X)

Oliveira’s fight will mark a record third time for the vacant gold in his UFC tenure. Ahead of the UFC 317 PPV headliner, Charles Oliveira is a lion amongst men now. Per UFC Record Books, he has the most submission wins [-16] and fight night bonuses in competition history. He is a prolific finisher with an all-around skillset.

With shifting narratives portraying him as a losing underdog or a ‘quitter’, Oliveira is no longer keen to play it nice. Additionally, Topuria has been firing on all cyllinders with his pre-fight banter and teases, cockily promising a finish.

Oliveira described his one encounter with Topuria during the UFC 312: Du Plessis vs. Strickland 2 PPV card in Sydney as amiable and uneventful. They just shared a photo op. But, now, his rival has been daggered with some violent motives, calling him to ‘bring a pillow’ for his KO. Now, Oliveira does the same and says it’s ‘written’.

It’s a title fight in the end – it doesn’t matter if there’s a champion or there isn’t one, …It’s a title fight…especially the hype that he’s coming with. He’s undefeated. It’s something that makes it even more exciting [but]…He has definitely not treated me with the same respect, …I just want to win. It’s meant to be. It’s already written.

Charles Oliveira to MMAJunkie’s Mike Bohn

Per DraftKings Sportsbooks, early oddsmakers billed Topuria as a sizable -345 favorite to beat Charles Oliveira at UFC 317. The Chute Boxe Team – Diego Lima top crop sits as a modest +275 underdog, but come this weekend, Oliveira will look forward to proving the naysayers wrong.

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