Charles Oliveira (36-11) recalled fearing that he may have become paralysed in his first fight with Max Holloway in 2015.
Oliveira’s comments were made ahead of the rematch with the BMF Champion Holloway at UFC 326 on March 7. Both fighters are coming off wins heading into this bout. Oliveira submitted Mateusz Gamrot last October, while Holloway retained his BMF title with a unanimous decision victory over Dustin Poirier last July. The first fight ended after just 99 seconds as Oliveira suffered a severe neck injury (micro-tear in the esophagus) during a scramble at the fence, giving Holloway the win. The former lightweight champion has opened up about the terrifying 2015 injury that left him fearing permanent disability.
“I lost movement on my left side in the fight. People didn’t know how to explain what it was so they talked about the esophagus and all of that. The reality of it, it was an injury to my neck. There were talks that I could have been paralyzed because of that. I lost movement on my left side. It was no joke. In the ambulance, the guys were trying to put an IV in my arm, and I wouldn’t even feel it because I couldn’t feel my left side, so I was scared my career was over in that moment,” Oliveira said