Does Charles Oliveira have bad eyesight? Looking at the former UFC lightweight champ's struggles with pre-surgery vision
Charles Oliveira is considered to be one of the most successful lightweight in the promotion. He has so far amassed an impressive fight record of 34 wins with only nine losses so far in his career. Despite boasting numerous records, the former lightweight champion battled blurry vision throughout his fighting journey until recently.
Charles Oliveira's nearsightedness was significant, forcing him to rely on glasses most of the time. Remarkably, he downplayed the impact on his fighting. Appearing in an interview with Flow Podcast, the Brazilian stated:
"I see three [faces]. If I hit the middle one, that's fine. I think keep this same technique. Three guys for me, is perfect. If I hit the one in the middle, it's good. I'll tell yout the truth, I'm a guy who has a lot of faith in God and its no joke. If I take my glasses off, I only see 50 percent but it never hindered me in a fight."
Check out Charles Oliveira discussing his eyesight in the video below:
Despite this challenge, Oliveira secured impressive victories, including a vacant title win against Michael Chandler and a subsequent defense against Dustin Poirier. He also holds a collection of UFC records, including most submission wins at 16 wins and most finishes at 20 in the promotion.
Looking ahead: Oliveira vs. Tsarukyan at UFC 300
Thankfully, Charles Oliveira's vision issues are now a thing of the past. Following corrective surgery in late 2022, he reports having perfect vision.
"I had the surgery, and my eyes are 100 percent perfect. I can see everything now"[H/t: Sports Illustrated]
Looking ahead, 'Do Bronx' is scheduled to fight Arman Tsarukyan at the highly anticipated UFC 300 event on April 13, 2024. Originally slated to challenge Islam Makhachev for the lightweight title last year, an injury in the training camp forced him to withdraw.