Former UFC lightweight champion Charles Oliveira has signed a long-term contract extension with the promotion, according to his coach.
Oliveira has signed an eight-year contract with the UFC that will likely take him until the age of 40, his head coach at Chute Boxe, Diego Lima, told AG Fight in a recent interview.
“We renewed the contract, we renewed it for eight more fights. So, we have fights until Charles is 40 years old . So, for those people who said he was going to retire, wait a little longer. It was a wonderful, wonderful contract. I have nothing bad to say. It was an incredible negotiation,” Lima said.
The coach also noted that the 36-year-old Oliveira hopes to fight two or three times per year with the UFC, so fight fans can expect to see him return to the Octagon in the coming months.
Charles Oliveira is a UFC Superstar
Oliveira is one of the best fighters in the UFC, currently sitting at No. 11 in the top-15 pound-for-pound rankings, plus No. 3 in the lightweight rankings. He is also one of the most popular fighters in the sport, as fans love him for an exciting style that has seen him rack up a UFC-record 21 post-fight bonuses. Not only is he arguably the most dangerous submission artist who has ever stepped into the Octagon, but in recent years, Oliveira has shown incredible evolution in his striking, as he’s become a feared standup fighter, too. Overall, he is one of the most well-rounded finishers in UFC history, and anytime he steps into the cage, Oliveira is must-watch television.
Who Does Charles Oliveira Fight Next?
Oliveira is coming off a dominant unanimous decision win over Max Holloway in his last fight to capture the BMF title. However, while most fans were hoping for a stand-up war between the two longtime rivals, Oliveira instead used his elite ground game to drown Holloway out on the mat and beat him that way. It was not the most exciting fight that Oliveira has had, but based on the body of work he’s put together in his career, you can give Oliveira a pass for one fight.
As for his next bout, it remains to be seen who Oliveira will face, or if he will even defend the BMF title, as the UFC may consider potentially retiring that belt after the way the last fight played out. Taking a look at the UFC lightweight division, one fight that could make sense is a rematch between Oliveira and Arman Tsarukyan. These two fought at UFC 300 in April 2024, with Tsarukyan winning a split decision in a very close fight that could have gone either way. A rematch, only this time for five rounds, could be interesting and help determine who should truly be in line for a title shot at 155 lbs.
Other potential options for Oliveira at 155 lbs include a fight against superstar Conor McGregor, a fresh fight that we’ve never seen before, or maybe he could fight the winner of the rumored bout between Paddy Pimblett and Benoit Saint Denis. Whatever the case is, given the fact that he just signed a long-term deal with the UFC, the promotion clearly has big plans for him, and it will be exciting to see who the Brazilian star fights next.
Charles Oliveira Signs Long-Term Contract Extension With UFC