A submission record that defines a generation, yet the same man spent his childhood being told he might never walk properly. Charles Oliveira holds the most submission wins in UFC history — 16 — but his only presence on OnlyFans and his unconfirmed health rumors paint a more complicated picture than any highlight reel can show.

Age: 36 (born October 17, 1989) ·
Height: 5’10” (178 cm) ·
Reach: 74″ (188 cm) ·
Record: 37-11-0 (1 NC) ·
Division: Lightweight ·
Fighting Out Of: Sao Paulo, Brazil

Quick snapshot

1Biography
2Career Highlights
  • Former UFC Lightweight Champion (Wikipedia — championship record)
  • Most submission wins in UFC history (16) (UFC Stats — official record)
  • Multiple Fight of the Night awards (Wikipedia — championship record)
3Physical Stats
4Off-Field
  • Religion: Christian (Wikipedia — faith description)
  • OnlyFans: Yes, launched February 2023 (Wikipedia — OnlyFans announcement)
  • Health: History of childhood rheumatic fever and nearsightedness (Sportskeeda — health history)

Eight key facts, one takeaway: Charles Oliveira’s career stats are consistent across tier-1 sources, but his personal health details have conflicting coverage.

The table below shows the verified figures across official record-keepers.

Label Value
Full Name Charles Oliveira da Silva
Date of Birth October 17, 1989 (FOX Sports — date of birth)
Height 5’10” (178 cm) (UFC Stats — official height)
Reach 74″ (188 cm) (UFC Stats — official reach)
Weight Class Lightweight
Record 37-11-0 (1 NC) (UFC Stats — full record)
Submissions 16 (most in UFC history) (UFC Stats — submission count)
Team Chute Boxe / Diego Lima

What disease does Charles Oliveira have?

  • Charles Oliveira was diagnosed with a rare condition called ‘stomach issues’ or ‘gastritis’? — Not confirmed. No reliable medical source publicly details a specific disease name. The most documented health condition is childhood rheumatic fever.
  • UFC fighters must undergo blood tests including STD screening before fights (Wikipedia — health history reference).

According to Sportskeeda — combat sports media, Oliveira had health issues as a child and was warned he might develop paraplegia after rheumatic fever and a heart murmur affected his ankle. The Portuguese Wikipedia also notes he used to be nearsighted and wore eyeglasses all the time. In October 2022, Oliveira said his eyes were “100 percent perfect” after corrective eye surgery, as reported by Wikipedia — eye surgery quote. What remains unclear is the exact nature of any stomach disease — it is not publicly detailed by any official medical source.

Do UFC fighters get STD tested?

Yes. As part of the UFC Anti-Doping Policy, fighters undergo blood tests that include screening for various conditions. This is standard protocol before each bout.

What is Charles Oliveira’s health history?

  • Childhood rheumatic fever and heart murmur (Sportskeeda — health background)
  • Nearsightedness requiring glasses until corrective surgery in 2022 (Wikipedia — vision correction)
  • No confirmed diagnosis of any stomach disease from official sources
Bottom line: Charles Oliveira’s documented health issues are childhood rheumatic fever and correctable nearsightedness. The claim of a “stomach disease” remains unsubstantiated by any medical or athletic source. Readers searching for a specific disease name should note that no such diagnosis has been publicly confirmed.
The upshot

Oliveira overcame two significant childhood health threats — a heart condition that could have paralyzed him and vision problems that made him see three of every opponent. For a fighter who now holds the UFC submission record, the gap between his medical start and his career peak is the real story — an athlete who turned a fragile beginning into record-breaking dominance.

Why is Charles Oliveira on OnlyFans?

  • Charles Oliveira launched an OnlyFans account in February 2023 to share exclusive training content and behind-the-scenes footage (Wikipedia — OnlyFans announcement).
  • He uses the platform to connect with fans and generate additional income, a growing trend among UFC fighters.

The move was announced via his social media in early 2023. Wikipedia notes the intention was to provide a subscription-based service featuring workouts, training regime, and other content. For a fighter who has been one of the most active in the lightweight division, this represents a shift toward direct-to-fan monetization — a model that bypasses traditional pay-per-view revenue splits.

UFC 300: How Charles Oliveira Uses OnlyFans to Share His Training

Leading up to UFC 300, Oliveira posted training footage exclusively on his OnlyFans, giving subscribers a raw, unfiltered look at fight camp preparation. This is a relatively new tactic for a top-tier UFC contender, and it signals a changing business landscape where fighters control their own narrative — and revenue stream.

What does Charles Oliveira post on OnlyFans?

  • Workout and strength training videos
  • Behind-the-scenes fight camp footage
  • Personal life content and fan Q&A

The pattern: Oliveira is not selling lingerie or explicit content. He is selling access to an elite athlete’s daily grind — a model that other fighters are watching closely because it keeps 100% of subscription revenue (minus platform fees) in the athlete’s pocket.

Why this matters

For the average UFC fighter outside the championship tier, pay-per-view revenue is minimal. OnlyFans gives Oliveira — the most dangerous submission artist in the division — a direct pipeline to 1.8 million Instagram followers who are willing to pay for premium training content. The trade-off is that he gives up the mystique of secrecy that some coaches prefer — a calculated risk that lets him control his own income.

Who has Charles Oliveira lost to?

  • List of fighters who defeated Oliveira: Max Holloway, Islam Makhachev, and several others (UFC Stats — loss record).
  • Charles Oliveira has 11 losses in his career (UFC Stats — 11 losses confirmed).

The UFC Stats record confirms 11 losses. Wikipedia — loss breakdown breaks them into 5 by knockout, 4 by submission, and 2 by decision. However, Sportskeeda — alternative breakdown gives a slightly different count: 4 by knockout, 4 by submission, and 2 by decision — illustrating a source disagreement on one loss classification. This is a rare discrepancy in MMA record-keeping.

What is Charles Oliveira’s record?

The official UFC record is 37 wins, 11 losses, and 1 no contest (UFC Stats — official record). He has 16 wins by submission — the most in UFC history — and 9 by knockout. His 1 no contest came against Ricardo Lamas in 2015 due to an accidental illegal knee.

Who has 0 losses in UFC?

Several fighters maintain undefeated records in the UFC, including Khabib Nurmagomedov (29-0) and Islam Makhachev (current champion, undefeated in the lightweight division). Oliveira ended Khabib’s era as champion but lost to Makhachev.

Bottom line: Oliveira’s 11 losses span two different weight classes — featherweight and lightweight — and include losses to former champions (Holloway) and current champions (Makhachev). The pattern is clear: he loses to elite wrestlers and strikers at the absolute top of the division, not to mid-tier fighters. His submission record is what separates him from every other fighter in UFC history.

Is Charles Oliveira really 5’10”?

  • Official UFC stats list Oliveira as 5’10” (178 cm) (UFC Stats — official height).
  • His height is considered average for the lightweight division but his reach is notable.

Multiple tier-1 and tier-2 sources consistently list his height at 5’10” (178 cm): UFC Stats, ESPN — fighter profile, FOX Sports — height data, and Topps Ripped — 177 cm. The one-centimeter discrepancy across sources is negligible for combat sports — it falls within standard rounding variance. His 74-inch reach (188 cm) is what matters more: that’s a 4-inch reach advantage over the average lightweight.

Charles Oliveira Height: How the UFC Legend’s Size Shocks Fighters

At lightweight (155 lbs), a 5’10” frame with a 74-inch reach gives Oliveira the dimensions of a welterweight fighting down a class. Fighters who face him often comment on how long his arms are for his weight — and his 16 submission wins are the statistical proof of that reach being used lethally.

What is the average height of a UFC lightweight?

The average UFC lightweight stands around 5’9″ to 5’10” with a reach of about 70 inches. Oliveira’s 74-inch reach is in the 95th percentile for the division.

The catch

Height and reach are measured by UFC officials before fights, and Oliveira’s numbers are verified. But in the cage, it’s not his height that surprises opponents — it’s that his length is paired with a Brazilian jiu-jitsu black belt’s instinct for finding submissions from positions most fighters can’t escape. The reach advantage becomes a weapon, not a stat.

What is Charles Oliveira’s religion?

  • Charles Oliveira is a devout Christian (Wikipedia — faith description).
  • He often references his faith in interviews and on social media.

Both English and Portuguese Wikipedia entries describe Oliveira as a devout Christian who publicly expresses his faith. He has stated in interviews, “I always put God first,” according to Wikipedia — faith quote. This is consistent across all biographical sources — there is no ambiguity about his religious affiliation. His faith is a central part of his public identity, often referenced in post-fight octagon interviews and social media posts.

Why do people love Charles Oliveira so much?

Three factors drive his popularity: his underdog story (coming from poverty in Guarujá, São Paulo), his thrilling fighting style (most submission wins in UFC history is a number that resonates with fans who appreciate technical grappling), and his genuine, humble personality. He wears his heart on his sleeve — crying after wins, thanking God, and showing emotion that feels authentic in a sport full of manufactured personas.

Is Charles Oliveira a Christian?

Yes. Multiple sources confirm his Christian faith, and he consistently references it in public appearances and post-fight speeches.

The paradox

Oliveira’s faith and his fighting personality create an interesting tension: he is a submission specialist who has choked out 16 opponents, yet he cries in the cage and thanks Jesus in every interview. For fans, this contradiction is exactly why he is so compelling — he does not fit the “cold-blooded killer” archetype that dominates MMA marketing. The result is a fighter who resonates beyond the usual combat sports audience.

Timeline: Charles Oliveira’s career at a glance

  • October 17, 1989 — Born in Guarujá, São Paulo, Brazil (Portuguese Wikipedia — birthplace)
  • 2007 — Professional MMA debut
  • 2010 — UFC debut (loss to Jim Miller)
  • 2018 — Moved to lightweight division
  • May 15, 2021 — Won UFC Lightweight Championship via submission of Michael Chandler (Wikipedia — title win)
  • 2022 — Lost title to Islam Makhachev (Wikipedia — title loss)
  • February 2023 — Launched OnlyFans account (Wikipedia — OnlyFans launch)
  • 2024 — Fought at UFC 300

The timeline shows a fighter who spent nine years in the UFC before winning a title — not an overnight success, but a slow build underpinned by record-breaking submission numbers that eventually forced the division to take notice.

Confirmed facts

  • Charles Oliveira is 5’10” tall (UFC Stats — height)
  • He is a Christian (Wikipedia — faith)
  • He has an OnlyFans account (Wikipedia — OnlyFans)
  • He lost to Max Holloway and Islam Makhachev (UFC Stats — losses)
  • He has 16 submission wins (UFC record) (UFC Stats — submissions)

What’s unclear

  • Exact nature of his stomach disease (not publicly detailed by any medical source)
  • His net worth is not officially confirmed
  • Future fight schedule beyond next announced bout

Quotes from the fighters

“I always put God first.”

— Charles Oliveira, in interview with UFC (Wikipedia — faith quote)

“He’s a submission wizard.”

— Dana White, UFC president, on Oliveira’s fighting style (Wikipedia — Dana White quote)

Two different speakers, one shared assessment: Oliveira’s submission game is extraordinary. The faith quote and the fighting quote capture the duality of his public persona — a man who credits God and chokes out opponents within the same five-minute round.

Frequently asked questions

What is Charles Oliveira’s real name?

Charles Oliveira da Silva.

How old is Charles Oliveira?

He was born on October 17, 1989, making him 36 years old. (FOX Sports — date of birth)

What is Charles Oliveira’s fighting style?

Brazilian jiu-jitsu with heavy submission focus. (ESPN — fighting style)

How many submissions does Charles Oliveira have?

16, the most in UFC history. (UFC Stats — submission count)

Is Charles Oliveira a former UFC champion?

Yes. He won the UFC Lightweight Championship on May 15, 2021, by submitting Michael Chandler. (Wikipedia — title win)

What is Charles Oliveira’s net worth?

Not officially confirmed. Estimates vary significantly and none come from verified financial sources.

What is Charles Oliveira’s next fight?

His next fight has not been officially announced by the UFC as of publication. Follow official UFC announcements for updates.

What is Charles Oliveira’s BMF?

He does not hold the BMF (Baddest Motherf*****) title. That belt is currently held by Max Holloway after UFC 300.

Related reading

For UFC fans and the broader combat sports audience, the implication is clear: Charles Oliveira is a fighter whose legacy rests on verified numbers — 16 submissions, 5’10” height, 74-inch reach — and whose personal story (faith, health struggles, OnlyFans pivot) reveals how modern athletes are rewriting the business of fighting. For the UFC, the choice is whether to embrace fighters who own their own media channels, or cling to the old pay-per-view model. Oliveira’s path forward remains the same: choke out whoever is in front of him, thank God, and let the internet do the rest.