Cashin' In: Charles Oliveira Smashes UFC Record, Bags 19th Career Bonus

Charles Oliveira has earned $970,000 from UFC bonuses alone.

As finishers go, Charles Oliveira is as prolific as they come. In 34 career victories, "Do Bronx" has finished 31 of them. With his dominant knockout over Beneil Dariush at UFC 289, Oliveira raised the bar for UFC post-fight bonuses, earning his nineteenth bonus and stepping over the retired Donald Cerrone (18) for the most in UFC history. In total, Oliveira has earned $970,000 from bonuses alone.

In the bonus rankings, Oliveira stands tall, followed by Cerrone, retired Nate Diaz with 16 bonuses, semi-retired Joe Lauzon with 15, retired Anderson Silva with 14, and the aging but active Jim Miller with 14 bonuses. Oliveira, at just 33 years old, stands head and shoulders above the rest. It will be some time before Oliveira's position is challenged.

A Brief History of Charles Oliveira Post-Fight Bonuses

Submission of the night vs. Darren Elkins - Aug 2010

Oliveira bagged his first submission of the night bonus against Darren Elkins in his UFC debut at UFC: Jones vs. Matyushenko in August 2010. "Do Bronx" passed the test with flying colors, finishing Elkins with an armbar 40 seconds into the first round.

Submission of the night vs. Efrain Escudero - Sept 2010

Just one month later, Oliveira was already positioned as the co-main event of UFC Fight Night: Marquardt vs. Palhares. The Brazilian phenom secured his second UFC bonus by finishing Efrain Escudero with a rear-naked choke in round three.

Fight of the night vs. Nik Lentz 1 - June 2011

Oliveira lost to Jim Miller in his next fight, and earned his third $50,000 cheque afterwards against Nik Lentz in his fourth UFC appearance in June 2011. The fight was subsequently called a no-contest due to an illegal knee scored by Oliveira before the submission finish.

Charles Oliveira scored an illegal knee against Nik Lentz, photo: UFC Fight Pass

Submission of the night vs. Eric Wisely - Jan 2012

Oliveira capped off his three fight skid with a loss to Donald Cerrone, before making his featherweight debut against Eric Wisely at UFC on Fox: Evans vs. Davis in January 2021. Oliveira would stun fight fans by pulling off a calf-slicer submission, securing another submission of the night.

Charles Oliveira's only calf-slicer finish in the UFC / Mike Dinovo-USA TODAY Sports

Fight of the night vs. Frankie Edgar - July 2013

Oliveira bagged a fight of the night bonus in his decision loss to Frankie Edgar. This fight marked the fourth defeat in eight UFC appearances for Oliveira. He also missed weight in his prior bout against Cub Swanson. This fight marked one of only three times Oliveira would see the final bell in his UFC career.

Performance of the night vs. Andy Ogle - Feb 2014

Oliveira rebounded from his loss to Edgar with a stunning triangle choke finish of Andy Ogle at UFC Fight Night: Machida vs. Mousasi. It was a tough fight for Oliveira, who dropped Ogle in the third. The two traded momentum before Oliveira secured the triangle finish.

Performance of the night vs. Hatsu Hioki - June 2014

Back to back performance bonuses came as a result of Oliveira's anaconda choke finish over Hatsu Hioki at UFC Fight Night: Huna vs. Marquardt. Oliveira overcame an eye-poke in early round two, and reversed Hioki's top-control to secure the Anaconda choke finish.

Performance of the night & fight of the night vs. Nik Lentz 2 - May 2015

Oliveira bagged a $100,000 double bonus in his rematch with Nik Lentz. Oliveira endured a grueling mounted guillotine in round two, and secured his own in round three to earn his eight and ninth career bonuses simultaneously.

Charles Oliveira submits Nik Lentz with a mounted guillotine in their rematch, photo: UFC Fight Pass

Performance of the night vs. Will Brooks - April 2017

The Lentz victory would spell the end of Oliveira's prosperity at featherweight. He would drop three of his next four bouts, missing weight twice. Because of this, Oliveira returned to lightweight, and finished Will Brooks with a rear-naked choke to bag his first performance bonus in almost two years.

Performance of the night vs. Clay Guida - June 2018

Rebounding from a devastating loss to Paul Felder, Oliveira snatched Clay Guida's neck with a guillotine choke at UFC 225. The fight was exceptionally one-sided, and it marked the beginning of Oliveira's biggest UFC win-streak.

Performance of the night vs. Christos Giagos - Sept 2018

Oliveira broke the UFC record for most submission wins with 11 by submitting Christos Giagos with a rear-naked choke.

Performance of the night vs. Jim Miller - Dec 2018

Oliveira avenged his first UFC loss to Jim Miller by submitting the UFC veteran with a rear-naked choke just one minute into the very first round. Oliveira gave Miller no mercy, entering on a lazy low kick, taking his back and locking in the choke.

Performance of the night vs. David Teymur - Feb 2019

An unprecedented four bonuses in a row for Oliveira, who finished David Teymur with an anaconda choke at UFC Fight Night: Assuncao vs. Moraes 2. Oliveira sustained two brutal eye pokes in the first round, almost receiving a third just minutes later. Oliveira rocked Teymur with a step-in elbow in round two, and snatched the anaconda finish just moments later.

Charles Oliveira finishes David Terymur with an anaconda choke / Jason Silva-USA TODAY Sports

Performance of the night vs. Jared Gordon - Nov 2019

After shutting out Lentz for a third time in their trilogy bout, Oliveira took out Jared Gordon with a spectacular knockout at UFC Fight Night: Blachowicz vs. Jacaré. "Do Bronx" showed promising skills on the feet acquired from his time at 'Chute Boxe'.

Performance of the night vs. Kevin Lee - March 2020

Oliveira headlined the first COVID-influenced Apex UFC event against Kevin Lee. It was also the debut of 'blonde Oliveira', and he didn't take his foot off the gas throughout the whole fight, securing a guillotine choke in the third round.

Performance of the night vs. Michael Chandler - May 2021

After dominating Tony Ferguson to win his first UFC decision, Oliveira took on Michael Chandler for the absent UFC lightweight title. After being dropped in the first round, Oliveira recovered enough to land one of the cleanest jab cross, left hook combos in UFC history, dropping Chandler, leading to the TKO finish. With this bout, Oliveira broke the UFC record for most finishes at the time (17) and became the undisputed lightweight champion.

Performance of the night vs. Dustin Poirier - Dec 2021

Oliveira made his first title defense against Dustin Poirier. The fight was incredibly high-paced and competitive. Poirier managed to drop Oliveira, but Oliveira's mauling clinch game and top control was too much for Poirier, who succumbed to a rear-naked choke in the third round.

Charles Oliveira with grueling top control vs. Dustin Poirier / Stephen R. Sylvanie-USA TODAY Sports

After this, Oliveira defended again against Justin Gaethje, but was stripped of his title due to missing weight on the scales. He ended up submitting Gaethje, extending his submission record to 16. Oliveira subsequently lost the opportunity to regain the title when his 12 fight win-streak was snapped by Islam Makhachev.

Performance of the night vs. Beneil Dariush - June 2023

Oliveira was met with heavy fanfare in his returning bout at UFC 289. He rebounded with a dominant finish over Beneil Dariush, who was touted to be one of the biggest threats to Makhachev's title reign. With this fight, Oliveira bagged his 19th career bonus, and extended his UFC finishing record to 20.

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