There was a time that Oliveira was thinking of pulling out of the event, mainly due to a shoulder injury suffered a few weeks before.
“I had not known for 20 days whether I would be able to fight or not,” he said after the event (via Mike Sloan of Sherdog). “I had hurt my shoulder, but my team is different and said that I could get here and win. I never arrived as heavy as I arrived for this week, it was all a bit troubled. When I didn't make weight [three years ago], people said I was not a professional. People also said that about Kevin Lee this week, but I think he was a professional. We spent the whole week not knowing if this was going to happen or not.”
Oliveira wound up competing and he picked up a seventh straight victory under the UFC banner.
The victorious fighter says he wound up competing at the event to make some history with the UFC.
“I came to make history again, this time without anyone cheering,” he said. “But as my team likes to say, it was written. We came to get what is ours. Of course, I wanted everyone to be there, but I'm sure that an audience that didn't know me yet had the opportunity to meet me today.”
It is unknown yet as to when Oliveira will compete again, but that could defend on how injured the compromised shoulder is.
