After buying mom house with bonus, Alex Oliveira wants to know who's best 'Cowboy'

PITTSBURGH – Many fighters talk about the life-changing power of a “Performance of the Night” bonus, but Alex Oliveira is living proof.

The Brazilian UFC veteran, who on Sunday steps up a division to share a welterweight fight against onetime lightweight title challenger Donald Cerrone, took the $50,000 from a knockout victory over Piotr Hallman this past November and bought his mom a house.

It was a promise he’d previously made to her, and he was able to fulfill it. And she wasn’t the only beneficiary.

“I managed to give a better life not only to my mom, but my kids, too,” Oliveira said. “So I’m very happy.”

Alex Oliveira

Of course, the work merely continues for Oliveira (14-2-1 MMA, 3-1 UFC), who shares the nickname “Cowboy” with Cerrone (28-7 MMA, 15-4 UFC), who hopes to rebound from a quick stoppage loss to champ Rafael dos Anjos this past December. The two meet in the FOX Sports 1-televised main event of UFC Fight Night 83, which takes place at Pittsburgh’s Consol Energy Center.

Thankfully, Oliveira’s efforts have been paying off in the form of a three-fight win streak. But his bout against Cerrone represents his biggest career opportunity to date.

“When the opportunity to fight Cerrone showed up, I couldn’t let it pass,” he said. “I’m very happy at how fast it happened and where I’m at right now.”

Unlike Cerrone, he said, he’s already fought at 170 pounds, so he thinks he can give his opponent a rude awakening in the heavier division.

“We’re going to see who the best ‘Cowboy’ is,” Oliveira said.

And for more on UFC Fight Night 83, check out the UFC Rumors section of the site.