Oliveira dismisses BMF 'boring' critics ahead of UFC 335 title defence against Lopes

Charles Oliveira has rejected criticism that his grappling-heavy victory over Max Holloway to claim the BMF title was boring, and says he will fight exactly the same way when he defends the belt against Diego Lopes at UFC 335 on December 12 in Las Vegas.

“Do Bronx” has finished opponents in 21 of his 25 UFC victories since joining the promotion in 2010, holding records for most finishes, submissions and post-fight bonuses in the organisation’s history. Despite that résumé, the Brazilian faced a backlash after out-grappling and dominating Holloway across five rounds in March rather than engaging in a stand-up war.

Oliveira was blunt in his response. “Someone saying my fights are boring? Sorry, but you’d have to be pretty stupid to say something like that,” he told MMA Fighting. “People might want to see two guys stand in front of each other, throw bombs, and beat each other up. Sure, that could happen, and it would be cool. But I’m not here to please anyone. I’m here to go out there, fight, and win.”

The 35-year-old also addressed suggestions that a more aggressive performance against Holloway might have earned him the kind of high-profile rematch Holloway subsequently received against Conor McGregor. Oliveira was unconvinced. “Would Conor even have accepted a fight with me?” he said. “Anyone who’s a fighter or an athlete knows that nobody in the division has done to Max what I did to him. Nobody. I respect the hell out of Max, but anyone who watched the fight saw that I made Max look like nothing, both standing and on the ground.”

On the broader question of what the BMF belt represents, Oliveira was equally direct. “Let’s talk about the BMF belt. If it’s about rock ‘em sock ‘em robots, take it somewhere else,” he said, invoking the title of his own comments. “God Himself couldn’t please everyone, so imagine me. 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. What I want to know is what’s on Sherdog — a win or a loss. That’s all I want to know.”

Oliveira also framed his approach in pragmatic terms, noting that his record of victories is the foundation of his standing in the sport. “If I lost to Gamrot, Max, or whoever else, there’s absolutely no doubt that I wouldn’t be making the money I make, and I wouldn’t even be in the UFC,” he said. “The UFC is a place where you have to keep showing up and making history, doing great things in order to move forward.”

Lopes represents a significant test for the champion, with the December card in Las Vegas set to be Oliveira’s first title defence since capturing the BMF belt.