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Prospect to Watch | Vinicius Oliveira
Brazil’s Vinicius Oliveira Quickly Established Himself As A Rising Fighter To Watch In The Bantamweight Division As He Heads Into UFC 318: Holloway vs Poirier 3
If there’s a division on the roster that isn’t in need of another fascinating talent in its shark tank, it’s bantamweight.
From champion Merab Dvalishvili to the growing crowd in and around the top 15, the 135-pounders regularly put on some of the finest displays of mixed martial arts on any given fight card. A man quickly ascending into that space is Vinicius “Lok Dog” Oliveira, whose three wins over Benardo Sopaj, Ricky Simon and Said Nurmagomedov in the span of a year put him on the radar in a real way ahead of his assignment against Kyler Phillips at UFC 318: Holloway vs Poirier 3.
Oliveira introduced himself via Dana White’s Contender Series in September 2023, where he scored a first-round knockout win over Victor Madrigal. The thumping left hook earned him a UFC contract, and he’d have to wait six months to make his first official walk to the Octagon.
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When he did, though, he made the most of his moment.
The Brazilian’s debut against Sopaj shaped up as one of the more entertaining fights in the first half of 2024 before Oliveira delivered one of the most explosive moments of the year’s campaign. He got started well, but Sopaj settled in and nearly finished his fellow debutant. Oliveira survived, and late in the third round, he threw himself into a flying knee knockout that left Sopaj slumped on the canvas. The bout earned both Fight and Performance of the Night bonuses — a nice extra $100k for his efforts.
In what appeared as a stroke of great confidence or an immediate tossing into the fire, Oliveira faced veteran Simon at UFC 313: Pereira vs Procházka 2. The International Fight Week stage is among the brightest annual spotlights on the promotion’s calendar, and Oliveira already carried lofty expectations after his stunning KO win three months prior.
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Instead of Simon exposing some flaws in Oliveira’s game as an experienced competitor is wont to do against an upstart, it was Oliveira shining in different and brighter ways in Las Vegas. Over the course of three rounds, Oliveira led the dance with his striking with style, grace and danger. While the flying knee knockout was all kinds of stunning, Oliveira’s performance against Simon was arguably more impressive as he took home a unanimous decision.
For his third offering, Oliveira faced the ever-dangerous Nurmagomedov, a man who, on paper, could go strike-for-strike in a creative manner. Over three rounds, that is essentially what happened as both men pushed themselves for 15 exhausting but entertaining minutes. Nurmagomedov attempted to impose his will right from the jump, closing the distance and landing powerful strikes. This forced Oliveira to mix things up and show some of his grappling and taking the sting out of his opponent’s blows.
It was a mature performance from a relatively young competitor in the Octagon, and the bout scored Oliveira his second Fight of the Night bonus, bringing his total up to three performance bonuses in three fights.
Oliveira now gets another tricky assignment in Phillips. The MMA Lab representative has floated in and out of the top 15 for the last couple years and possesses a deep bag of skills which led to wins over the likes of Song Yadong and Pedro Munhoz. A win over “The Matrix” could grant Oliveira a top 15 assignment later this year. Along the way, it should be an intriguing and fascinating viewing experience for fight fans.
UFC 318: Holloway vs Poirier 3 took place live from Smoothie King Center in New Orleans, Louisiana on July 19, 2025. See the final Prelim & Main Card Results, Official Scorecards and Who Won Bonuses - and relive the action on UFC FIGHT PASS!
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