Charles Oliveira Lambastes Dan Hooker and Fellow Lightweights Ahead of UFC Fight Night 261 Return

Charles Oliveira’s dream of reclaiming the lightweight title came to a crushing end at UFC 317, when Ilia Topuria separated him from his consciousness in the very first round. The brutal finish crowned the Spaniard as the first-ever undefeated two-division champion in UFC history. Now, the former champ is set for a long-awaited homecoming, returning to compete in Brazil for the first time in five years. 

For the unversed, ‘Do Bronx’ will headline UFC Fight Night 261 against Rafael Fiziev on October 11 at Farmasi Arena in Rio de Janeiro. For Oliveira, this bout is more than just a fight. It is an opportunity to start a final stretch to rise back to the top of the division. The Brazilian last competed in his home country in March 2020, and ahead of this high-stakes clash, Oliveira shared his mindset following his recent knockout loss. Moreover, he even targeted the rest of the lightweight division.

Charles Oliveira Calls Out Dan Hooker, Accuses Him of Dodging a Fight

In a recent interview with Ag. Fight, the former 155lbs champion, aimed at Dan Hooker and the rest of the UFC’s top lightweights. “I’m not a guy who goes around playing games. But I was offered names, and they didn’t even want it. So today, when you release this, these guys will tweet ‘Coward! I wanted it, he didn’t want it! But it’s a lie, my whole life it’s been like this,” Oliveira said.

Charles Oliveira goes off on the lightweights, saying none of them wanted to fight him in Brazil, and the only one who accepted was Rafael Fiziev 🔥

“They offered me names, but those guys didn’t even want the fight. They talk trash from afar, but when I say, ‘Come on, I’m here,’… pic.twitter.com/dNFHvnbFs3

— MMA Pros Pick (@MMA_PROS_PICK_) August 9, 2025

“They poke around, talk shit from the other side. When I say ‘Come on, I’m here,’ they take it and run the other way.” Oliveira then singled out Hooker, claiming he has been avoiding a fight for years.

“This guy [Dan Hooker] is also just talking for a long time. This soap opera has been going on for years. He talked, and talked, and talked, and it never happened. So really, it’s all talk. That’s the reality. He talked a lot of nonsense, a guy who speaks a lot of nonsense on the internet, but when he’s called, he doesn’t go.”

Hooker was recently booked to face Justin Gaethje at UFC 313 but withdrew due to a broken hand. More recently, he expressed frustration at the company for cancelling his UFC 317 tickets, demanding more respect, and insisting on fighting on his own terms. As of now, Hooker hasn’t responded to Oliveira’s comments. 

He hasn’t fought since defeating Mateusz Gamrot at UFC 305 last year, a win that briefly moved him into the Top 5 before his prolonged absence dropped him from the rankings. However, a fellow Brazilian has expressed his fear regarding Oliveira returning to competition so soon. 

Renato Moicano Brands Charles Oliveira’s Upcoming Fight as Potential Career Suicide

Renato Moicano thinks that Oliveira made a major mistake in career management by accepting the UFC Fight Night 261 main event against Fiziev. This becomes a case for worry as it hasn’t even been 3 months since being knocked out by Topuria during International Fight Week. Although Oliveira said he specifically requested to fight on the card to compete on home soil in Brazil, Moicano warned that coming back so soon after being put out cold carries significant risk.

“The UFC just surprised everyone again,” Moicano said in Portuguese on his YouTube channel. “Who expected that Charles Oliveira would come back so quickly, and against a knockout artist in Rio de Janeiro? I personally think this fight makes no sense for Charles. It makes perfect sense for Rafael Fiziev. UFC just saved UFC Rio.”

Moicano views Fiziev as a dangerous opponent, eager to score a career-defining win, while Oliveira’s motivations are harder to identify. “In my opinion, this is the worst fight in the rankings for Charles Oliveira… Why did he accept this fight? Why did his team accept this fight?” he added. 

 

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With three wins and three losses in his past six outings, the 35-year-old is arguably at a crossroads. The Brazilian hasn’t lost back-to-back fights in over nine years, but Moicano says if it happens at UFC Fight Night 261, people will question whether the quick turnaround for this specific matchup was worth it or not. 

Main photo credit: IMAGO / PxImages