"That was just the biggest difference" - Henry Cejudo explains what changed for Charles Oliveira and made him as good as he is today
Henry Cejudo recently got to the bottom of Charles Oliveira's brilliant run in the UFC of late.
Although the Brazilian has always been a very skilled fighter, his recent performances against the best competitors in the lightweight division are a testament to the fact that Oliveira is in his prime.
There has been an apparent change in Oliveira's demeanor and mindset. His tenacity and self-belief have manifested his dream of becoming the UFC lightweight champion. While he was stripped off the title for missing weight by 0.5 pounds at UFC 274, he continues to call himself the uncrowned lightweight king.
@CharlesDoBronxs. #UFC274"The champion has a name and it's Charles Oliveira."
The journey BACK to the gold starts tomorrow night for 🇧🇷 @CharlesDoBronxs. #UFC274 https://t.co/f1PFvwFDEH
Several MMA fighters, pundits, and fans have attempted to discern the spectacular rise of Charles Oliveira. During a recent Q&A session on his YouTube channel, Henry Cejudo offered his two cents on the subject.
'Triple C' specified the change in mentality as the pivotal reason that's allowed Oliveira to scale new heights:
"Oliveira has gotten so good because he takes risks. It took him some time to believe in himself. He's always been good, but when he really started to believe in himself, he just started putting people away. That was just the biggest difference for Charles 'Do Bronx'. It was a mind switch."
Watch the video below:
Henry Cejudo offers his prediction for the upcoming clash between Charles Oliveira and Islam Makhachev
Two of the longest active win streaks in the UFC will be put on the line when Charles Oliveira and Islam Makhachev lock horns in the main event of UFC 280 next weekend.
The clash between the record-holder for most submission victories in the UFC and an accomplished combat Sambo practitioner has captivated MMA fans worldwide.
The pre-fight hype surrounding the event is also picking up steam, with mental warfare to gain a psychological advantage over their opponent being set in motion on both sides.
During another recent Q&A session, Henry Cejudo picked Makhachev to emerge victorious over his Brazilian rival:
"I'm gonna have to go with Islam but you shouldn't count Charles out... I like them both but, I don't know man, it's hard to count out the champ [Charles Oliviera] too but I just know how good he [Islam Makhachev] is."
Watch Cejudo pick the winner of Charles Oliveira vs. Islam Makhachev below: