Andy Ogle wants to move past 'TUF' with upset of Oliveira at UFC Fight Night 36

When Andy Ogle dropped to 145 pounds, he had some expectations about what things would be like.

Turns out he was wrong.

“When I first went down to the featherweight division, I thought to myself, ‘I won’t be that small for this weight.’ But ha ha,” Ogle told MMAjunkie Radio.

Tonight, Ogle (9-3 MMA, 1-2 UFC) opens the main card of UFC Fight Night 36 in Brazil against Charles Oliveira (16-4 MMA, 4-4 UFC). And once again, he’ll be fighting a taller opponent with more reach.

UFC Fight Night 36 takes place at Arena Jaragua in Jaragua do Sul, Santa Catarina, Brazil. The event features seven prelims on UFC Fight Pass at 7:30 p.m. ET (4:30 p.m. PT), followed by five main-card fights on FOX Sports 1 (10:30 p.m. ET).

Ogle isn’t worried about Oliveira being a couple inches taller than his 5-foot-8 British stature. Cole Miller was 6-foot-1, and he gave him a battle. Josh Grispi was 5-11, and he beat him.

Besides, Ogle thinks he’s already had a tougher test against Miller than Oliveira, who has dropped back-to-back fights and has just two wins in his past seven fights.

“Cole was even taller and lankier with a better reach than Charles – and better standup, and a better all-around fighter,” Ogle said. “So I believe this is a bit of a step down because I don’t believe Charles is as well-rounded. He is very dangerous on the ground, yes.”

Oliveira is a Brazilian jiu-jitsu black belt with nine submission wins. But Miller is a black belt, as well, and Ogle kept from tapping against him in England in October.

An upset of Oliveira, who some online sportsbooks have made more than a 12-to-1 favorite, would certainly be the biggest win of Ogle’s career. That he would do it in Brazil after fighting the entirety of his career in the United Kingdom would be arguably one of the great upsets in UFC Brazil history.

And that’s the kind of thing Ogle is looking for after first coming on the scene on Season 15 of “The Ultimate Fighter.” He understands he’ll always be tied to the show, but he wants to make a name beyond that. He believes it starts against Oliveira.

“You’ve got to respect where you came from, but I don’t want to be known as that,” he said. “I came from there, so it’s no big deal if somebody says that’s what I am. I feel like it was part of my journey, but it won’t be the be-all and end-all of me. It won’t be the main thing in my career. It’s going to be the start.

“I’m very young. I remember that, and I’m here to stay. I’ve got bigger goals than that.”

For the latest on UFC Fight Night 36, check out the UFC Rumors section of the site.

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