Charles Oliveira takes a huge risk at UFC Rio.
On June 28, the former UFC light weight champion was eliminated unconscious for the first time in his career when he met the powerful Ilia Topuria on UFC 317.
Only five weeks after the devastating Ko -loss, Oliveira has already booked his return to the UFC Rio main event against #10 Competitive and striker Rafael Fiziev on 11 October.
Oliveira has a change of 105 days and many fans are worried about how his chin will hold against a Muay Thai striker from Fiziev's caliber.
From personal experience, former two -division champion Daniel Cormier says that this is not the smartest idea of Oliveira.
Photo by Ian Maule/Getty images
Daniel Cormier wanted Charles Oliveira to take free after Ilia Topuria Ko -loss
Cormier shared his thoughts about Oliveira who returned earlier instead of later on his YouTube channel.
“Every time Bronx's fights, I get excited, the world gets excited,” Cormier said.
“But then you start to digest the idea that Charles Oliveira was poorly eliminated last month. Why so fast?” Cormier continued.
“That was my thought once I calmed the excitement of, oh, my God, Charles Oliveira fights again. For me that is scary when you are eliminated like that …
“You have to take a little time before you go back to the Octagon,” Cormier suggested.
Cormier added that he was in a similar position after his rematch with Jon Jones did not go his way on UFC 214.
“I remember in 2017. I fought against Jon Jones. I was eliminated in Anaheim. I received a fighting offer immediately afterwards, and I just said, no, I have to be healed. I have to be settled. After going out. It would not have gone well.
This was Cormier's first knockout loss of his career, one he bounced back six months later against Volkan Uzdemir at UFC 220.
“I respect Charles Oliveira enormously. I love him. Charles Oliveira fights in three months after that knockout, for me, just doesn't seem like the best decision.
“I hope – I don't have to look back on these three months from now on and go, oh, it happened to Charles. But it's very scary,” said Cormier about the rapid change of Oliveira.
Justin Gaethje waited almost a year to fight again after ko loss
Former BMF champion Justin Gaethje took his recovery very seriously after he had suffered a brutal knockout loss for Max Holloway on UFC 300 in April last year.
Instead of booking another fight such as Oliveira, Gaethje did not give contact training for six months to cure his brain.
Gaethje returned to the Octagon in March when he rematched Rafael Fiziev on UFC 313.
The dismissal of 11 months of Gaethje seemed to be bearing fruit when 'the highlight' raised his hand due to a unanimous decision, did not cause too much damage.