Charles Oliveira nearly secured victory over Arman Tsarukyan at UFC 300, coming close to choking him out multiple times during their bout.
Despite Oliveira’s attempts, however, Tsarukyan managed to push through – and claim victory via split decision.
Reflecting on the fight in an interview with Canal Encarada, Oliveira mentioned that he thought Tsarukyan went out due to a D’Arce Choke in the third round:
30 seconds [left], it was tight, one of the submissions I like the most, D’Arce Choke.
I thought he went out, that’s why I had my tongue out, joking, you know?
But I don’t know, it’s part of the game.
He was also unable to finish Tsarukyan with a Guillotine Choke in the opening round:
Guillotine, I don’t lose this position. Arman was a super tough guy.
I connected some strikes, had bad and good moments. Three rounds, three submissions locked in, and time ran out.
It wasn’t meant to be.
Oliveira wondered about the judges’ scoring decisions:
It went to the judges, and it’s their call, there’s nothing we can do.
If you go back tot he first round, you’ll see I tried to finish him more and they scored it for me.
The second one was closer and I ended up with a triangle choke locked in, and they gave it to him.The third, he was on top, holding me there, but wasn’t doing Jiu-Jitsu or anything, and I finished with a choke locked in, and they still have it to him.
There’s not much we can do.
