Charles Oliveira Faces Weight Cut Concerns Ahead UFC 317 Lightweight Title Fight

Charles Oliveira is facing significant health concerns due to his intense weight cut ahead of his UFC 317 clash against Ilia Topuria for the vacant lightweight title. Oliveira, who has a history of missing weight including a costly miss in 2022 that stripped him of his title, was seen in a troubling video and photos sweating heavily and appearing gaunt, raising alarm among fans and fellow fighters. UFC featherweight champion Alexander Volkanovski expressed worry that Oliveira is dehydrating himself too early and should be rehydrating, emphasizing the risks of prolonged dehydration before the fight. Despite Oliveira's past struggles with weight, including multiple misses at featherweight and lightweight, he remains determined to reclaim the lightweight championship. The fight will test Oliveira's ability to balance making weight with maintaining peak physical condition, a challenge compounded by his brutal weight-cutting process. Observers will closely watch how Oliveira’s condition impacts his performance against the unbeaten Topuria, who has moved up in weight to pursue a second UFC title.