The UFC is returning to Rio on October 11th and we now know the new main event. Former lightweight champion Charles “Do Bronx” Oliveira (35-11) will be taking on eighth ranked lightweight contender Mateusz Gamrot (25-3).
Originally, Oliveira was supposed to face Rafael Fiziev in the main event. However, Fiziev had to pull out of the fight due to injury. Gamrot immediately said that he’d be available to step in and today, the promotion officially announced the new main event.
If you ask me, this is actually a much better fight for Do Bronx. Oliveira is coming off a knockout loss to UFC lightweight champion Ilia Topuria. It seemed like a tall task to face an elite striker like Fiziev right after a brutal loss like that. Now, he gets to face someone who is a dominant grappler where he’ll have the clear striking advantage.
Mateusz Gamrot is proving to the UFC that he’s willing to take on any challenge at any time. His last fight came back in May when he faced Ludovit Klein. Klein was unranked, but Gamrot just wanted to fight so he stepped in to face him. He won that fight by decision.
That was Gamrot’s first fight since his split decision loss to Dan Hooker in August 2024. Overall, Gamrot is 4-1 in his last five and 8-3 inside the octagon.
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