"Our life was supposed to go wrong" - Charles Oliveira on how his parents supported his sports dream by working two jobs

Charles Oliveira (Left), Oliveira's parents (Right top and bottom) [Image credits: @charlesdobronx and via Instagram and XcellentMMA via YouTube]

Being the champion of the UFC's hottest division at the moment, Charles Oliveira presumably leads a comfortable and lavish lifestyle. Rising from the Brazilian favelas of Vicente de Carvalho in Guaruja, Charles Oliveira's journey to this point has been as inspirational as they come.

Told that he may never walk again.

Diagnosed with a heart murmur at an early age.

Suffered a career threatening injury in his fight against Max Holloway.

Had to wait 10 years and 28 fights before becoming a UFC champion.

Charles Oliveira is the ultimate inspiration.

#UFC269 https://t.co/0U0yodaOMl

'Do Bronx' still remembers his humble beginnings. When it comes to having gratitude for his parents' contributions towards his success, Oliveira remembers how they worked two jobs and then more to make ends meet.

The UFC lightweight champion opened up about it in a recent interview with Brazilian media outlet Olhar da Luta. The interview was translated by MMA Clips Brazil.

When asked how it feels for him to finally be able to live his dream, Charles Oliveira said:

"Wonderful. Don't take it as a complaint. We used to live at my grandma's house. A bedroom, a living room, a kitchen and a bathroom... six people in just one house... We stayed there for many years. I can't say I starved during my childhood. But many times I wanted to eat more and had nothing to eat... It was complicated. We got clothes from donations, my mother had two jobs, my father too."

Take a look inside Oliveira's early home:

Oliveira went on to reveal that despite not being able to read and write, his parents made sure they paved the way for him and his siblings to fulfill their dreams. If not for their sacrifices, he would have been living a very different life now:

"My mother cannot read and write. My father cannot read either. They dedicated their whole lives. They picked cans off the floor, cardboard to sell in addition to the two jobs to dedicate themselves to their children, to put me to fight. My father and mother did many things for me. I had a heart murmur and a problem with my bones. When I was little, a doctor told me that I would never even play football. So my life was supposed to go wrong. Our life was supposed to go wrong. My mother and father pushed me forward. If I told my father that I wanted to be a hockey player, he would make me become one. They believed 100% in our dreams."

Watch the video below:

Charles Oliveira lost his first jiu-jitsu mentor to gun violence

Charles Oliveira is one of the most-feared submission artists on the current UFC roster. With 15 of them under his belt across two divisions, he holds the record for most submissions in UFC history.

Charles Oliveira keeps rewriting the record books 📝 #UFC269

😤 Most finishes in UFC history (18)
💪 Most submissions in UFC history (15)
💰 Most finishes as the betting underdog at 155-pounds or lighter (5) https://t.co/pl2lRvIeWq

Unfortunately, the man to thank for that is no longer around.

In a 2021 ESPN interview, Oliveira talked about how he and his brother befriended a few kids and their father, Paulo, introduced them to jiu-jitsu. Paulo became a close friend of the Oliveira family.

However, just two years later, he was shot to death in a crossfire. Oliveira wishes Paulo was here to see his success, but hopes that he is seeing everything from 'up there', he said in the interview.

Charles Oliveira is set to face Justin Gaethje in his second title defense at UFC 274.