Did Charles Oliveira Retire?

Charles Oliveira da Silva is a Brazilian professional mixed martial artist born on October 17, 1989, in Guarujá, São Paulo. Rising from humble beginnings in a favela, Oliveira overcame childhood health issues including heart murmur and rheumatic fever to become one of the most accomplished fighters in UFC history. His journey began at age 12 when he started training Brazilian jiu-jitsu at a free gym for low-income people, with his family selling street snacks to fund his training. Remarkably, he became São Paulo champion just two months after starting. After a successful BJJ career, Oliveira transitioned to MMA in 2008, compiling an undefeated 12-0 record in Brazil before joining the UFC in 2010. Throughout his UFC career, Oliveira has set numerous records, including the most submission wins (16), most finishes (20), and most post-fight bonuses (20). After competing at both featherweight and lightweight, he found his greatest success at lightweight, culminating in winning the UFC Lightweight Championship in 2021 by defeating Michael Chandler. Though he was controversially stripped of the title in 2022 after missing weight by half a pound, Oliveira remains one of the elite fighters in the division. Known for his aggressive Muay Thai striking combined with elite Brazilian jiu-jitsu, he is recognized for his finishing ability and exciting fighting style. Outside the octagon, Oliveira runs the ICBronxs institute in his hometown, providing free education and jiu-jitsu training to underprivileged youth, work that earned him the 2025 UFC Forrest Griffin Community Award.