Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson Recruits MMA Phenom Charles Oli…

When Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson adds a new face to his Project Rock lineup, it’s never just about talent in the spotlight. It’s about finding someone who embodies discipline, resilience, and the ability to thrive under pressure.

That’s why Johnson has tapped former UFC lightweight champion Charles Oliveira to headline the latest “Built Under Pressure” campaign, an Under Armour collaboration designed for athletes who work as hard outside the gym as they do inside it.

The Rock introduced Oliveira on Instagram, writing, “It’s not the chasing of the WIN that creates the greatness—it’s how you handle the PRESSURE TO WIN that ultimately matters most. Big love and respect to my brother & @UFC Former Lightweight Champion @CharlesDoBronxs, leading our new @ProjectRock campaign: BUILT UNDER PRESSURE.” He signed off with a phrase that connected across languages and backgrounds: “Charles is the man. Amor e respeito, irmão.” (“Love and respect, my brother.”)

For Oliveira, the partnership arrived through the UFC, but saying yes was immediate. “I’ve always admired The Rock, not only as an actor, but for what he represents: discipline, hard work, and the legacy he built,” Oliveira explained. “I felt all of that really connected with me. It was an invitation that came at the right time.”

Oliveira is no stranger to pressure. Born in Guarujá, Brazil, in 1989, he grew up in the favelas of Vicente de Carvalho. Doctors once told him he would never play sports after being diagnosed with a heart murmur and rheumatic fever at age seven.

His parents chose otherwise, and by 12, Oliveira was training in Brazilian jiu-jitsu at a local gym that offered free classes for kids in need. His family scraped together money by selling snacks and collecting cardboard so he could keep competing. Just two months into training, he became São Paulo champion.

That early perseverance set the tone for a career defined by defying odds. Oliveira broke into MMA in 2007 and signed with the UFC three years later. He quickly earned a reputation as one of the most dangerous submission artists in the sport, stacking records that remain untouched: the most submission wins in UFC history at 16, the most finishes at 20, and the most performance bonuses with 20. In 2021, he captured the lightweight belt with a second-round TKO over Michael Chandler, cementing his place among the elite.

Even with a title on his résumé, Oliveira is still chasing more. He recently announced plans to fight again in Rio de Janeiro this fall, telling fans that both inside and outside of the cage, he’s not done building his legacy. “I’ve already been a champion, but I still have a lot to achieve,” he said. “Inside the octagon, I want to chase the belt again. Outside of it, I want to leave my legacy and inspire those who are just starting out.”

That’s the message Project Rock wanted to capture with its latest campaign. The collection is built around the idea of being “built under pressure,” a philosophy Oliveira says mirrors his own daily routine. “Everything I show in the fight is a reflection of training,” he explained. “If I don’t have grit and discipline in my daily routine, it won’t show up in the cage. Training while tired, waking up early, staying focused when no one is watching—that’s what truly drives me.”

For Oliveira, working directly with Johnson and Seven Bucks Marketing brought more than just a product endorsement. “It was incredible,” he said. “The Rock is exactly what you see: energy, focus, motivation. Working with him and the Seven Bucks team showed me that no matter how high you get, the essence is the same: hard work, dedication, and no excuses.”

That connection matters because Oliveira’s profile has grown beyond the UFC. Once seen only as a top lightweight, he’s now a global ambassador for discipline and perseverance. He sees this Project Rock campaign as a way to reach people who may never have watched a fight. “It shows that Charles is not just a fighter,” he explained. “I represent discipline, perseverance, and dreams. Being in a campaign like this connects me with people who may have never watched an MMA fight. It shows that I broke through the MMA barrier to reach all kinds of audiences.”

Still, Oliveira wants fans—whether longtime UFC diehards or newcomers introduced through this campaign—to take one lesson from his story. “Everything is possible,” he said. “I came from the favela and reached the top of the world. It wasn’t easy, but with discipline, faith, and hard work, you can get there. So, it doesn’t matter if you’re just starting today or if you’re already on the path: don’t quit, trust the process.”