Vinicius Oliveira: An Ultimate Family Man

Vinicius Oliveira’s ambition extends beyond the cage—he dreams of someday holding titles in multiple weight classes—and his place in the loaded Ultimate Fighting Championship bantamweight division. He wants to impact the lives of those closest to him.

“My plans are all financial,” Oliveira told Sherdog.com. “We live in a capitalist system. Everything requires money. I want to make my family comfortable. I want to allow my parents to retire; and my in-laws. I’ve been with them since I was 17 or 18. They helped raise me. I want to give a good life to my wife, my daughter, my coaches and whoever is by my side. My wish is to create an institution where I can take children off the streets, feed them, house them and give them hope. I don’t want to simply be someone who hits other people for a living.”

Oliveira has a long way to go to achieve those goals, and his journey continues in a UFC Fight Night 250 bantamweight feature opposite Said Nurmagomedov this Saturday at anb Arena in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. The 29-year-old enters the cage on the strength of a four-fight winning streak. A 2023 graduate of Dana White’s Contender Series, Oliveira introduced himself to a wider audience with a sensational flying knee finish of Bernardo Sopai in his March 2 promotional debut at UFC Fight Night 238. While he followed it with a unanimous decision over Ricky Simon some four months later, the Sopai knockout almost certainly provides him a permanent place on UFC highlight reels.

“It was one for the ages,” Oliveira said. “Whenever someone talks about flying knee knockouts, I’ll be in that conversation, for sure. My image will be part of the UFC [forever].”

Even though Oliveira has spent less than two years on the UFC roster, it has afforded him the kind of stability he has never experienced before.

“My life has changed since joining the UFC,” he said. “I’m more comfortable financially. I’m able to make my family comfortable. Every day when I open the refrigerator, there’s something to eat. My bills are paid. I can help those who are by my side. I feel like a king, even though I know I still have far to go.”

Nurmagomedov serves as his next test. The Fight Club Akhmat product has won seven of his nine bouts in the UFC, losing only to Raoni Barcelos and Jonathan Martinez—both by decision. Nurmagomedov has not fought since he put away Muin Gafurov with a guillotine choke 73 seconds into their UFC 294 pairing on Oct. 21, 2023. In 21 professional appearances, he has never been finished.

“He won’t be my most difficult opponent,” Oliveira said. “I’m always ready for this. I’ve always wanted to fight a Russian since I got started. The Brazilian fighters I knew back in the day were afraid to fight Russians. They spoke very well about their skills. They saw Russians as monsters, but I know I’m a monster. I’m dangerous. I’m a terror. I’m meaner. I’ll prove one more time to myself and to everyone else that we Brazilians can also do it.

“Someone like me, who came from the lowest of lows, can make it to the highest peak,” he added. “It’s another one of my dreams that’s coming true. I feel I’ll have to knock him out. If it goes to a decision, I believe the judges will pick him as the winner, as he’s Russian [and] the fight will be practically at their doorstep. I’m only interested in winning by knockout. It’s what I’ll do.”

Oliveira’s track record fuels his confidence, as he has delivered 16 of his 21 career victories by knockout or technical knockout. He operates out of the Sombra Team camp in Porto Alegre, Brazil, where he fine tunes his skills under longtime coach Rafael “Sombra” Ghilosso.

“My camp was insane,” Oliveira said. “It was hell. Every camp is difficult. Regular training and fighting are both easy. Camps are stressful due to dieting, to food deprivation. I’m already an irritable person. It’s important to maintain a professional attitude. We’ve done all the work to guarantee victory. Now it’s just a matter of time.”