Former UFC lightweight champion Charles Oliveira has a new opponent for the promotion’s upcoming return to Rio de Janeiro.
Charles Oliveira will make a relatively quick turnaround to fight at UFC Rio next month. Oliveira’s return to the cage comes just months after a brutal knockout loss to Ilia Topuria at UFC 317.
Despite Daniel Cormier and others’ significant concerns for Oliveira’s health, the former UFC lightweight champion doesn’t want to waste time getting back into the lightweight title mix. Before falling to Topuria, Oliveira earned recent victories over Michael Chandler and Beneil Dariush.
Oliveira was originally supposed to face Rafael Fiziev in the UFC Rio headliner on October 11th. But Fiziev recently suffered an injury, leading the UFC matchmakers to pursue other options.
Charles Oliveira gets a new opponent for UFC Rio after Rafael Fiziev’s withdrawal
Oliveira publicly roasted some of the top UFC lightweights for allegedly turning down a spot opposite him at UFC Rio. But hours after Oliveira’s fiery rhetoric, and after dismissing a fight with one particular contender, it appears that Oliveira’s pleas have been answered.
As first reported by MMA journalist Marcel Dorff, Oliveira will fight Mateusz Gamrot in the new UFC Rio main event. Gamrot has repeatedly called out Oliveira in recent years, including earlier this week when Oliveira appeared to scoff at the idea of Gamrot getting the fight.
Gamrot most recently defeated Ludovit Klein in May at the UFC Apex. He’s won four of his last five fights overall, with the lone blemish coming in a split decision defeat to Dan Hooker at UFC 305.
Oliveira vs. Gamrot comes at a time when the matchmaking for the next lightweight title fight is uncertain. Topuria has repeatedly dismissed fighting top contender Arman Tsarukyan for his first title defense after facing off with Paddy Pimblett in the cage at UFC 317.
Oliveira could potentially earn another No. 1 contender fight with an impressive performance at UFC Rio. For Gamrot, who has been on the hunt for a title shot for years, a victory would catapult him into the title discussion.