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Three years ago, ahead of his fight against Justin Gaethje, Charles Oliveira lost his lightweight title belt during the UFC 274 weigh-in when he weighed in at 155.5 lbs — just 0.5 lbs (227 grams) over the weight limit for a title fight. Now he has a chance to reclaim the belt at UFC 317 on June 28 against Ilija Topuria, but he still hasn't stopped thinking about what happened in 2022.
- Everyone knows they stole my belt. People think they'd let it go because of 200 grams. But the truth is, those 200 grams never existed. I weighed in (correctly) on Thursday night. I was ready, - Oliveira said in a recent interview with MMA Today.
Oliveira shares his opinion
"Do Bronx" has claimed for years that he weighed in the night before the weigh-in and that the whole situation was a big set-up. But this time he went a step further, accusing Justin Gaethje's team of being part of a conspiracy to strip him of his belt before the fight in Gaethje's home state of Arizona.
- Listen to this. His corner, his trainer, they were all around me, acting like they were from the commission. That doesn't happen anywhere else. Honestly, there was nothing I could do. I was fighting in his city, with his people, his commission.
- They just wanted to give him the belt, but they couldn't do it openly. So they were trying to play mind games with me. That's true. But it's not going to change my mentality.
- I swear to God I weighed in. I weighed in on Thursday. In reality, they just robbed me.
The Brazilian did beat Gaethje by submission in the first round, but he didn't get the belt back. He lost to Islam Makhachev in the next fight for the vacant title.
Oliveira's weight problems are often dramatic. Videos show him exhausted, while about twenty team members surround him and cheer him on.
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