Charles Oliveira’s eyesight so bad he sees ‘three opponents’ in UFC fights

The lightweight champion usually wears glasses when he is not competing

Alex Pattle
Combat Sports Correspondent
Friday 07 January 2022 10:35 GMT
Comments
Dana White responds to Jake Paul's UFC contract proposal

Your support helps us to tell the story

From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.

At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.

The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.

Your support makes all the difference.

Charles Oliveira has revealed just how bad his eyesight is, joking that he sees three opponents across from him whenever he fights.

The UFC lightweight champion, who usually wears glasses when he is not training or competing, last fought in December, submitting Dustin Poirier to retain his title.

The victory saw Oliveira go 2-0 in 2021, with the Brazilian having knocked out Michael Chandler in May to claim the lightweight belt – which had been vacated by the retiring Khabib Nurmagomedov in late 2020.

Speaking on the Brazilian MMA Legends podcast, Oliveira joked: “So I see three [opponents]. Three guys for me is perfect.

“If I’m hitting the middle one, it’s alright. I think: ‘Keep this same technique.’

“I’ll tell you the truth: I’m a guy who has a lot of faith in God. and it’s no joke. If I take off my glasses, I can only see [at about] 50 per cent, but it never hindered me in a fight.”

Oliveira, 32, holds the records for most finishes (18) and most submission wins (15) in UFC history.

Of his 32 wins in professional mixed martial arts, a remarkable 29 have come via finishes.

Charles Oliveira celebrates after retaining the UFC lightweight titlee
Charles Oliveira celebrates after retaining the UFC lightweight titlee (Getty Images)

“Sometimes I like to walk in with the glasses to look harmless and more nerdy than I already am,” Oliveira continued.

“And when I take off my glasses, it’s normal. I can see the opponent on the other side. God blesses me so much that I can see normal.

“But on the street, if I take them off, I’m blind.”

As a child, Oliveira was diagnosed with a heart murmur as well as a condition that made it incredibly difficult for him to walk.

His dreams of becoming a professional footballer were dashed, but Oliveira ultimately began training in jiu-jitsu, before kickstarting his MMA career.

Join our commenting forum

Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies

Comments

Thank you for registering

Please refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged inPlease refresh your browser to be logged in