After spending more than two months on ice for a knee injury, Charles Oliveira is finally back at training. The injury came while warming up just minutes before his fight with Cub Swanson at UFC 152, which he lost by knockout. The Brazilian opted not to go under the knife, and thus had to go through lengthy physiotherapy sessions until he was completely recovered.
“The doctor gave me two options: I either operated or went two and a half months without training, just doing physiotherapy. I got together with my family and coaches and decided on physiotherapy. I did sessions every day from 8 a.m. to 9 p.m., with lots of weightlifting, ice compresses and massage to get the ligaments to slowly move back into place. Thank God I’m now 100 percent and back to training full blast. My recovery went great and I’m getting back my rhythm,” he said in a press release from his sponsor, Integralmédica.
Oliveira dropped down to the UFC featherweight division this year and notched two submission wins, one over Eric Wisely and the other over Jonathan Brookins.
The former put him on the World MMA Awards short list for “Submission of the Year” honors. However, his loss to Swanson put a stop to his ascension up the divisional ranks.
“I entered the UFC to face the best and never picked an opponent,” added the São Paulo native, who holds a 16-3 record. “The world comes full circle, and I’m certain I’ll get a rematch with Cub Swanson. Everyone saw how I performed well below what I’m capable of. I had problems that fight. We will meet again in the UFC.”
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