Charles Oliveira’s miracle: Told he’d never walk again — he became a UFC champion

For many athletes, a career in elite-level sport can seem predetermined. There are countless examples of child prodigies who have gone on to global acclaim, but that’s not the case for all.

Legendary Brazilian MMA star Charles Oliveira is one such case. He was born in the Vicente de Carvalho favela in São Paulo, Brazil in 1989. As a seven-year-old he was diagnosed with rheumatic fever, which caused him frequent bouts of intense pain. At times he was unable to walk and was warned by a doctor that he could become paraplegic and should avoid playing any sport.

But his parents believed that sport could be his escape and allowed a young Charles to play. His condition improved as he grew older and at the age of 12 he was invited by a neighbor to a local Brazilian jiu-jitsu gym, one offered free classes to low-income children.

“With my illness, I never thought I wouldn’t be able to achieve my dreams,” Oliveira told The Independent. “I always believed and had a lot of faith that any dream I had, I could achieve it. Of course, as with any kid at the time, I just wanted to play [soccer] and have a future in that.”

He continued: “But sports in general in Brazil are complicated; there aren’t many opportunities for everyone, so I knew it would be hard. But I just kept my faith and believed everything would happen the way I wanted.”

As a typical Brazilian, he was obsessed with soccer but soon realized that his real talent was in jiu-jitsu. As a teenager he began competing as state, national and eventually world level, becoming two-time CBJJE World Champion as a blue belt.

In 2007 he embarked on a career in MMA powering to a 12-0 record in his native Brazil before turning professional. Oliveira had to make serious changes for the switch to MMA but there was one principle that stayed with him.

He explained: “A fighter can’t only know how to hit; he needs to know how to take a hit and stay calm and get over it. I was in trouble at some points in those fights, but I kept my head in the game, kept composed and knew that I couldn’t waste any opportunity that I had.”

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