Athletes
Vinicius Oliveira | ‘Lokdog’ Unleashed
After Taking His First UFC Loss, ‘Lokdog’ Has Moved Up To Featherweight, And Says The Switch Has Unlocked His Full Potential.
Brazil’s Vinicius Oliveira is ready to start a new chapter in his UFC career, and it hasn’t come a moment too soon.
Oliveira burst onto the world stage via Dana White’s Contender Series, then registered a Knockout of the Year contender on his UFC debut, as the hype quickly built around the Brazilian.
But now, following defeat to Mario Bautista in his first UFC main event, “Lokdog” has made the decision to move up to featherweight and says he already feels like a different fighter.
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“I feel stronger than the last time,” he said. “I can do all my training at 100 percent. I don't need to suffer a lot like all my fights (so far) in UFC, so I feel better. As you can see, I'm in shape; look at my physique. I'm great, I'm better than ever, I'm gonna win for sure.”
Vinicius Oliveira Fight Week Interview | UFC Fight Night: Kape vs Horiguchi
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Vinicius Oliveira Fight Week Interview | UFC Fight Night: Kape vs Horiguchi
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It would be easy to look at Oliveira’s recent record – his loss to Bautista snapped a six-fight win streak at bantamweight, and he’s lost just two of his last 14 fights – and wonder if he’s been a little hasty in departing the 135-pound division. But as he explained, those performances and those victories all came with Oliveira significantly compromised by the weight cut.
“Yeah, because I usually suffer a lot at bantamweight,” he said. “But I had a plan from the beginning of my career to become a bantamweight world champion, and I was too close to get to this point (to stop). Some things in life change, and last time I passed out four times, and I think that was advice from God.”
Thankfully, Oliveira is feeling no such issues this time around as he enjoys the benefits of the extra 10 pounds afforded to him as a featherweight. The weight cut is still a factor, but it’s far more manageable at 145 compared to 135.
“Yeah, for sure. To lose 23-24 kilos to fight in two months is really tough, but now I don't need to lose too much like that,” he said.
“Of course, I need to lose some, but not too much, so I can eat more – healthy, of course (and) I can drink more water during the weight cut. Tomorrow I will be happy, like today. If I was at 61 (kilos, 135 pounds) at bantamweight, I wouldn’t want to be here, smiling, like now. But at featherweight, it’s easy for me.”
In addition to a less demanding weight cut, Oliveira said the additional weight has made a huge difference to his conditioning, which has been a constant issue for him through his five UFC appearances to date.
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“I can fight four, five, six, seven rounds and not get tired like (I was in) all my fights in UFC,” he said.
“As you can see, in all my fights in UFC, I got tired, and even when I won, I won because I put my heart inside the fight. But now, if I need to put my heart as well, it’s totally different, because my fuel is amazing, like 100 percent. I didn't suffer a lot (in camp), like last time, so this time will be totally different, and for sure I'm gonna win. And you're gonna see a new version of Lokdog.”
The new and improved Oliveira also knows he’s going to face a murderers’ row of world-class opposition at featherweight, which arguably offers the toughest, deepest weight class in the UFC. And, in typically bullish ‘Lokdog’ fashion, Oliveira is already setting his sights high.
Full Fight | Vinicius Oliveira vs Benardo Sopaj
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Full Fight | Vinicius Oliveira vs Benardo Sopaj
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“Everybody wants to fight for the belt, but I know that now is not my time,” he said. “I need to fight more fights – one, two, three – to get to this point to fight for the belt.
“There’s no one particular guy that I want to face, but maybe I will talk to my coach, to my team. Maybe I can call out Josh Emmett (or) Dan Ige. I don’t know if UFC will give me someone in the rankings for the next fight, but if I can take the guys that are in the rankings, let me see. I could say Volkanovski (laughs), it doesn’t matter. Anyone, anyone!”
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Oliveira explained that, despite his crowd-pleasing fighting style, he’s polarized opinion among the Brazilian fanbase, with some backing him, and others preferring to criticize him. It’s meant that, rather than trying to entertain the fans, he’s focusing on doing what he needs to do to impress his coaches, rather than his at-times fickle fanbase.
“The fans can expect nothing from me, because I'm doing it just for me and my team,” he said.
“To all my fans who love me, I love them as well. All the fans who hate me – because I have some fans who hate me – I don't really give a damn. I'm not here to put on a show for them or to prove anything to them, I just want to prove things to my team.
“Of course, I love the audience, I love my fans, I love everyone, but they don't make me strong anymore … When I win, I'm the best. When I lose, I'm a poor fighter, so f*** them, I just take care of me and my team.”
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Feeling bigger, stronger, and more powerful than ever, Oliveira is ready to unleash his new and improved arsenal on the UFC featherweight division, starting this weekend when he takes on Octagon vet Andre Fili. It’s a matchup that has all the ingredients for a Fight of the Night-type encounter, and the 30-year-old from Porto Alegre is ready to showcase his best self on fight night.
“You're gonna see the best version of ‘Lokdog,’” he said.
“I'm moving forward from the beginning, the first second of the round, and my expectation for this fight is to win by KO or submission, not by points. But if this fight goes to points, that would be good for me as well.
“I'm looking for the bonus, of course, because I'm a killer. I put a lot of damage on my opponents, and at the end of the fight, my hands will be up.”
UFC Fight Night: Kape vs Horiguchi took place live from Meta APEX in Las Vegas, Nevada on June 20, 2026. See the final Prelim & Main Card Results, Official Scorecards and Who Won Bonuses - and relive the action on UFC FIGHT PASS!