Vinicius Oliveira explains how he triumphed through adversity in featherweight debut

Marcelo Alonso Jun 24, 2026 Vinicius Oliveira authored a memorable comeback in his featherweight debut at UFC Fight Night 279.

After Andre Fili hurt him with body kicks early in their bout this past Saturday, “LokDog” rallied for a second-round technical knockout victory, earning a $100,000 “Fight of the Night” bonus in the process.

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Vinicius Oliveira gets the finish

Featherweight Lokdog is nasty #UFCVegas119 https://t.co/3OvbH5d3u3

— Spinnin Backfist (@SpinninBackfist) June 21, 2026

“The tactic against Fili was to use kicks to take away his base. It was working until I felt his foot when I kicked his shin. Then I felt my ribs when he hit me with two kicks,” Oliveira told Sherdog.com.

Oliveira revealed that his corner motivated him to persevere through adversity.

“They were yelling, ‘Go forward, keep attacking, you’re tough.’ At that moment, a movie played in my head,” Oliveira recalled. “In my second-to-last fight, I had a loss, and since the UFC has been firing fighters with winning records, I thought about my daughter Maitê and everything I had been through in life, and there, I decided I wasn’t going to lose. So, even in pain, breathless, I was going to keep attacking,” explained the emotional Brazilian while kissing his daughter in his lap.

“It’s something inexplicable. Only a father can understand. Everything I do today is for her well-being, to bring her more security and comfort. Today she is my greatest motivator, without saying anything, just by existing.”

Ready for Lightweight

Oliveira revealed that his body reacted surprisingly well to the new division.

“After those four fainting spells in the last fight, I really couldn't continue at bantamweight anymore. The curious thing is that when I weighed [135 pounds] my body felt it a lot and in the gaining process I fought at [170 pounds] on fight day. In this new category, my weight went up less, I weighed [163 pounds] on fight day,” revealed the Brazilian, who hopes to face a ranked opponent in his second fight at featherweight.

“At bantamweight I was Top 12, I think I deserve at least a Top 12 at featherweight too.”

Despite being focused on reaching the belt in the new division, Oliveira made it clear that he will have no problem fighting at lightweight in emergency cases.

When Rafael Fiziev was injured three weeks before the last UFC event in Rio de Janeiro, “LokDog” offered to face Charles Oliveira in the main event before Mateusz Gamrot stepped in.

“For over 10 years I haven’t gone two days without training,” he said. “I train from Monday to Saturday and sometimes even on Sunday, but for the first time I’m going to give my body a week’s rest. But if the UFC needs me, I’ll be available to fight in the lightweight division, against anyone. The harder, the better.”

Targeting Silva

Asked about how he sees a confrontation with the current featherweight champion, Alexander Volkanovski, “LokDog” believes he won’t face the Australian.

“Volk has already built his history and has nothing left to prove,” Oliveira said. When I reach the top, I believe he won’t be the champion anymore. I think he’ll beat Evloev, but I don’t see him beating Jean Silva, for example.”

Oliveira predicts that a matchup with the Fighting Nerds representative would be a war.

“For this fight to happen and make sense, it would have to be for the BMF featherweight belt … or if Jean had the featherweight belt when my turn came,” Oliveira said. “Jean is a tough, aggressive guy who talks a lot, just like me. There would be provocation from all sides, provocation all the time. Inside the cage, the smartest one would win, because we're both willing to exchange punches until the end.”

Explaining Beethoven

Unlike most fighters who seek faster and more motivating rhythms in their Octagon entrances, the Brazilian always enters his fights with "Für Elise" by Beethoven.

"If I could, I would enter without any music, because my best thoughts and skills come from nothing, which is where I came from,” Oliveira said. “So the less noise there is, just the sound of my heart and my breathing, the more motivated I become. The quieter, the better. That's one of the reasons I chose "Für Elise" by Beethoven."

Oliveira doesn’t expect do be sidelined for too long before he is ready to return to action.

“…I want to have the exams done on both feet and my knee tomorrow. I went into this fight with a suspected meniscus injury, but it shouldn't be anything serious,” he said. “The fact is MMA fighters have an expiration date. I’m 30 years old, I want to fight as much as I can and achieve everything by the time I'm 35. First, I want to finally get into the UFC game, I can't wait to play with my avatar, then I want to break all the UFC records, win the belt and retire at 35 as the greatest of all time.”

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Badenoch blasts 'moaning' female Labour MPs over Burnham jobs 'quota'

Kemi Badenoch has told Labour women to earn a job in Andy Burnham's Cabinet instead of demanding they are handed jobs because of their gender.

The Tory leader lashed out today amid reports that female MPs are demanding the de-facto new prime minister introduce a 50:50 gender split 'quota' in his government.

Amid reports that former foreign secretary David Miliband is being lined up to return to the role, possibly with his brother Ed as Chancellor, one female minister also complained that Burnham could not have 'more Milibands than women' in the top posts.

But in a scathing article in the Times today Mrs Badenoch told them to 'stop moaning' and get chosen on merit instead of retreating into 'more of the failed identity politics that is holding back our country'.

'There are many, many reasons why you shouldn't have any Milibands in the cabinet,' she said.

'But complaining that the boys haven't given them the right jobs or that the boys are taking all the jobs, just shows that Labour's women still don't get it.'

The idea of quotas was also attacked by Baroness Jacqui Smith, Labour's Skills Minister.

Asked by Times Radio if Mr Burnham should reserve jobs for women, she said: 'No, I think what Andy Burnham should be doing is building the very best team around him to change this country.'

A letter written by the Women's Parliamentary Labour Party has called on Mr Burnham to ensure a 50:50 split between men and women in government jobs

Amid reports that former foreign secretary David Miliband (above, right, in 2010) is being lined up to return to the role, possibly with his brother Ed as Chancellor, one female minister complained that Burnham could not have 'more Milibands than women' in the top posts

But Mrs Badenoch told them to pipe down and get chosen on merit instead of retreating into 'more of the failed identity politics that is holding back our country'

A letter written by the Women's Parliamentary Labour Party and seen by the BBC has called on Mr Burnham to ensure a 50:50 split between men and women in government jobs after he succeeds Sir Keir Starmer.

'We are asking you to demonstrate this change from day one and address the toxicity and misogyny within our own party and government,' it said.

Labour has never had a female leader, while the Conservatives have had three, and Mrs Badenoch urged the government to follow its meritocratic example.

'If you run a meritocracy, then you do not have to worry about jobs for the boys,' she wrote.

'Every woman who is a Conservative MP, every woman who has ever won the leadership, has had to fight to get where she is.

'By contrast, Labour women are demanding guarantees from Burnham. But the truth is he doesn't have to give any guarantees.

'If none of Labour's women are prepared to get their hands dirty and challenge him for the leadership, their demands are toothless.'

'In fact, it's quite revealing that the women's parliamentary Labour Party has written to Burnham asking him to commit himself to at least 50 per cent female ministers.

'This has nothing to do with meritocracy. It is yet more of the failed identity politics that is holding back our country.'

Venezuela Fury and Noah Price subsidising their life by livestreaming

Venezuela Fury and her husband Noah Price look to be making their own way in the world by raking it in from their lucrative social media accounts.

The influencer daughter of Tyson and Paris Fury, 16, has become an internet sensation after tying the knot with her husband Noah, 19, earlier this year.

Since getting married and moving in together the couple have been earning thousands of pounds a month, livestreaming their life as newlyweds in their static caravan in the East Riding of Yorkshire.

And fans can't get enough of their regular life updates on TikTok and Kick, which have proved to be very profitable for the pair.

They look to be supporting themselves after Noah denied that he was given £5million by Venezuela's family as a wedding gift.

Despite his wife's huge family wealth, an estimated combined £160 million, Noah recently told his Kick followers that he 'pays for everything' for the couple.

Making light of the claims about Venezuela's millionaire financial status, Noah said: 'I actually pay for everything unfortunately. You'd expect the millionaire to pay for it wouldn't you.'

Venezuela Fury and Noah Price are earning thousands livestreaming their caravan life - after her new groom insisted he pays all the bills and denied he had £5m handout from her dad

The influencer daughter of Tyson and Paris Fury , 16, has become an internet sensation after tying the knot with her husband Noah, 19, earlier this year

Venezuela then asked their fans: 'Do you think I am a millionaire?'

Noah joked: 'She isn't a secret millionaire guys', before she broke into song and sang: 'But I live like a millionaire!'

But it seems according to estimated calculations from their social media work, Noah and Venezuela can more than afford to support themselves.

Noah has been livestreaming on platforms such as Kick and TikTok, where viewers can send paid gifts or donations.

He was previously encouraging viewers to send gifts on his honeymoon during livestreams, suggesting this is one revenue stream.

Both Noah and Venezuela have built substantial followings on Instagram and TikTok. They can potentially earn money through sponsored posts, brand collaborations, affiliate links and creator payouts.

Kick allows its creators to take home 95 per cent of the £4.99 subscription cost that fans pay.

Streamers keep 100 per cent of direct tips and donations, minus minor standard payment processing fees.

It is unclear how many subscribers Noah currently has because this information is hidden, but he does have 7,200 followers which is publicly viewable.

An industry insider has suggested Noah is making around £400 per video on TikTok, while Venezuela is likely to make £2,000 due to her following count of 1.3 million.

An industry insider has suggested Noah is making around £400 per video on TikTok, while Venezuela is likely to make £2,000 due to her following count of 1.3 million

In one video on their honeymoon, Noah asked his followers if they'd give them some more gifts now that they were married.

In a TikTok live viewed by 20,000 he said: 'Keep liking our videos people, keep sending gifts.'

After saying thank you to several of his followers he joked they should stick around on the livestream and 'watch Venezuela punch me in the mouth'.

The other half of the honeymooning couple said: 'I am, honestly!'

Noah previously confirmed that the pair don't share their finances after they were asked whether they have a shared bank account.

'She earns her money, I earn mine,' said Noah, as Venezuela joked: 'Yeah, what you gonna do about it.'

Noah went on to debunk the rumour that Tyson gave him £5million when he tied the knot with his daughter as he insisted: 'No Tyson did not give me £5million'.

Meanwhile Venezuela is being eyed up by executives for a fly on the wall TV series.

Noah went on to debunk the rumour that Tyson gave him £5million when he tied the knot with his daughter as he insisted: 'No Tyson did not give me £5million'

Boasting 1.3 million TikTok followers, Venezuela is already entertaining fans with her honest musings and candid moments, from cooking to kitting out her and Noah's static caravan home.

And following the success of the Netflix series At Home With The Furys, it is no wonder bosses are wanting to draw on the Fury popularity.

A TV insider said: 'The couple are not A-list celebrities but everyone has become obsessed with their love story.

'People are genuinely intrigued by them. Whether it’s the fact they have married so young, Venezuela’s famous family or their gypsy lifestyle, they have the ‘X factor'.

'Several TV executives think a proper fly-on-the-wall series following their lives as newlyweds in the gypsy community would be fascinating,' they told The Sun.

It is thought Netflix would be likely to produce the series due to their already established relationship with the Furys.

Venezuela's representatives told The Daily Mail: 'We have many offers on the table regarding Venezuela which we are discussing.'