Edinaldo Oliveira is a Team Nogueira heavyweight well known for his time spent on the Brazilian scene. The close training partner to Junior dos Santos and Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira is an aggressive finisher who has earned notable wins against Edson Franca, Geronimo dos Santos, Joaquim Ferreira and Edson Vieira early on.

A 6’7” heavyweight, Oliveira is noted for his long, lean physique and tremendous reach. He does a good job of using his jab to keep opponents on the outside where he’s recognized for being extremely heavy handed. Oliveira utilizes an array of hooks and overhand punches, but his most dangerous weapon is a powerful straight thrown right down the middle (not surprising given his reach). He does possess significant one-punch KO ability, and is not averse to standing in the pocket and trading punches. Though his punching power is certainly admirable, Oliveira is not necessarily a head hunter. He will look to counter strike over the top and does work the body with his punching. On occasion however, Oliveira’s chin does begin to come up and his punches get long. Furthermore, speed has never been an asset of his and Oliveira will need to improve his footwork.

Although recognized for his standup, Oliveira’s far from passive on the mat. He’s made steady progress in his ground skills and possesses a capable, if not overwhelming BJJ skill set. A good defensive guard, strong submissions awareness, and competent passing skills are all staples of Oliveira’s grappling arsenal. Armed with his long limbs, Oliveira is potentially dangerous off his back where he works particularly well for armbars and triangle chokes. He shows good posture and aggressive striking as well, with his long arms aiding in his landing accurate punches from the top. As a Brazilian fighter wrestling could be an issue against his North American counterparts, although early in his career Oliveira’s demonstrated he can use his reach and sprawl to thwart opposition takedown attempts. While striking is considered his forte, Oliveira is developing complimentary skills on the ground at an encouraging rate.