Charles Oliveiria’s shot at retaliation at UFC 294 against Islam Makhachev turned into a setback as he suffered a last-minute injury that forced him to pull out of the bout. “Do Bronx” suffered a huge cut on his head during a training session just days before the clash that required stitches. The injury not only shattered his hopes of recapturing the lightweight title, but it also resulted in a financial loss for him.
Dana White was upset with Oliveira
According to a report, Oliveira’s pre-fight injury cost him $2 million. This news saw UFC CEO Dana White getting upset as well, which was seen in a clip from the Inside UFC program. White expressed disappointment at Oliveira for being careless at the training. “He is going the night before, sparring with no f***ing headgear,” said White.
Oliveira’s last-minute injury hugely impacted UFC 294, which left the promotion in stress to find a new replacement opponent for the lightweight champion Oliveira. Ultimately, the bout remained on the cards, with Alexander Volkanovski stepping up on short notice.
Makhachev offered Oliveira to train together
Former champion Charles Oliveira was once offered to train together in Dagestan by Islam Makhachev. However, the 34-year-old politely declined the offer. Makhachev expressed his admiration for Oliveira’s skills at UFC 302 media day and believed that his camp could help him enhance his wrestling.
Oliveira expressed his gratitude for the invitation by Makhachev by also emphasizing his commitment to the current working environment. He also praised the current lightweight champion for his stunning performance at UFC 302.
“I’m grateful for Islam’s kindness in inviting me to train, but I am only part of Chute Boxe. I have no intention of training anywhere else. I’m happy with everything he said. He had a great fight at UFC 302 and demonstrated that he is the champion,” said Oliveira.
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