Champion Backs Charles Oliveira, Calls UFC’s Decision to Take Belt a ‘Disgrace’

Getty Charles Oliveira

Reigning UFC light heavyweight champion Glover Teixeira recently backed Charles Oliveira after the promotion forced the fighter to vacate his lightweight belt.

Teixeira was interviewed by Ariel Helwani during last Monday’s episode of “The MMA Hour.” And during the conversation, Teixeira launched his support for his fellow Brazilian.

Oliveira was scheduled for his second 155-pound title defense earlier this month at UFC 274, however he hit the scale at 155.5 pounds, one-half pound over the championship limit. Because of that, the lightweight title officially became vacant right when his contest with Justin Gaethje began on May 7.

Although “Do Bronx” put on arguably the best performance of his career, stopping Gaethje via rear-naked choke within the first round, he remains the division’s top contender.

The weight miss didn’t go without controversy either. Multiple fighters came out and said the scale that was used to pre-check weight had a calibration issue, leading to UFC 274 combatants weighing more than they thought.

Because of that, Teixeira sees it as a “disgrace” that the UFC took Oliveira’s hard-earned belt.

“Man, he’s still the champion for me, for everybody, (and) in his mind,” Teixeira said via MMA News. “It was a disgrace. It was ridiculous.

“If it was a couple pounds, I would say it’s unprofessional on his part, but he was a half-pound, and everybody knows about the scale problem. Yeah man, he’s the champion, he’s still the champion.”

The UFC Will Now Have Security at the Scale, President Dana White Announced

During the UFC 274 post-fight press conference, UFC president Dana White was asked about the scale controversy. He said that the scale’s inaccuracy was likely caused by fighters switching it from displaying pounds to kilograms, and back from kilograms to pounds.

Because of this, White said the promotion will now have security stationed at the scale.

“We have this issue where guys come out and they’ll start checking the scale the night before and all the Europeans and guys from other parts of the world do kilos, so they all start f****** with the scale to look at kilos and, who knows… ,” White said via MMA Fighting. “There’s so many moving parts to this beast of a machine that we run every week, and we’ve got to have a security guard in there where the scale is now. It’s something we’re going to have to do.”

Teixeira Will Make His First Title Defense Next Month Against Jiri Prochazka

Teixeira will enter the Octagon for the first time as champion when he looks to defend his 205-pound belt against Jiri Prochazka at UFC 275 on June 11. The 33-7 professional mixed martial artist became the light heavyweight king in October when he dethroned Jan Blachowicz at UFC 267.

Teixeira, who is riding a six-fight win streak, plans to get past Prochazka and then potentially fight again in November in New York City.

With his wild and unorthodox striking, Prochazka proves to be a sturdy test for the 42-year-old champion. “Denisa” (28-3-1) is 2-0 in the UFC and has earned 25 wins via KO/TKO as a professional. Both his wins in the promotion have come over former light heavyweight title challengers, knocking out both Dominick Reyes and Volkan Oezdemir within two rounds.