Oliveira Set to Face Gamrot in UFC Rio After Fiziev Injury

RIO DE JANEIRO, Brazil — Former UFC lightweight champion Charles Oliveira will face Mateusz Gamrot in the main event at UFC Rio on October 11. This match was confirmed by officials on Tuesday, marking Oliveira’s first fight in Brazil since March 2020.

Originally, Oliveira was scheduled to compete against Rafael Fiziev, but Fiziev had to withdraw due to an injury. The UFC sought several potential replacements for Oliveira, and Gamrot stepped up to take the fight.

“Opponent: Mateusz Gamrot,” Oliveira stated. “This is the guy we’re going to battle in a great war. The lion is hungry. I’m full of willpower. We’ll meet on Oct. 11.”

Gamrot has been successful recently, holding a 4-1 record in his last five fights, with notable victories over fighters like Rafael dos Anjos and Jalin Turner. He expressed eagerness to accept the short-notice fight, which he sees as an opportunity to advance in the rankings.

Oliveira is coming off a knockout loss to Ilia Topuria in a vacant title fight in June. He has a mixed record of 3-3 in his last six outings, featuring wins over Michael Chandler and Beneil Dariush, along with tough losses to Arman Tsarukyan and Islam Makhachev.

This highly anticipated event takes place at Farmasi Arena, although the full fight card lineup is still being finalized.