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.
Order UFC 318: Holloway vs Poirier 3
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.
