Charles Oliveira, an accomplished mixed martial artist, was set to face Beneil Dariush in a matchup that could potentially determine the number one contender at UFC 288. Unfortunately, an undisclosed injury has rendered him unable to participate in the fight, removing him from the May 6 card. In response, Dariush stated that the fight might still happen on June 10 at UFC 289 in Canada.

However, Oliveira has yet to return to training for the upcoming match. In an effort to clarify and explain his absence, Oliveira took to his Instagram stories to confirm that he was unable to properly train for the New Jersey card due to an injury he sustained while wrestling. Despite attempting to train and do what he could to prepare, he made the decision to withdraw from the fight, citing his inability to compete at his best.

When asked about potentially fighting on the same night as his teammates, Daniel Santos and Rolando Bedoya, he expressed that it would have been an ideal situation, but ultimately deferred to a higher power and remained focused on continuing to improve.

Oliveira, a former UFC lightweight champion, had his impressive winning streak come to a halt last October when he faced off against Islam Makhachev in Abu Dhabi. Winning the fight against Dariush would have been a crucial step towards setting up a rematch with Makhachev later in the year. However, Oliveira did not provide a timeline for his return to training or if UFC 289 could be a feasible option for him.

He emphasized his commitment to taking the necessary time off to recuperate before returning to training to avoid risking further injury. Oliveira also recognized that he made the mistake of fighting while injured in the past and did not want to repeat that mistake. Instead, he saw this as an opportunity to step back so that he could take a few foundational steps forward in the future.