Former lightweight champion Charles Oliveira finally has a new dance partner for UFC Rio. After Rafael Fiziev withdrew due to injury, Oliveira announced Tuesday that he will now meet former KSW champion Mateusz Gamrot in the Oct. 11 main event.
Oliveira Confirms the Matchup
“Opponent: Mateusz Gamrot,” Oliveira wrote on social media. “This is the guy we’re going to battle in a great war. The rest just wanted the hype, just wanted to stall and talk but that’s part of it, that’s how it is. Mateusz Gamrot, thank you for accepting the fight. It’s going to be a big war! The lion is hungry. I’m full of willpower. We’ll meet on Oct. 11.”
Gamrot Steps Up
Gamrot (24-3, 1 NC) wasted little time volunteering when Fiziev fell out, and the UFC rewarded his persistence. The 33-year-old enters the fight on a 4-1 run in his past five bouts, with the only blemish a narrow split-decision loss to Dan Hooker. Wins over Rafael dos Anjos, Jalin Turner, Rafael Fiziev, and most recently Ludovit Klein have him knocking on the door of contention.
This fight marks the biggest opportunity of Gamrot’s UFC career, and one that could catapult him into the title picture.
Oliveira’s Pivotal Return
For Oliveira (34-11, 1 NC), the Rio headliner is about redemption. “Do Bronx” suffered a brutal knockout loss to Ilia Topuria in June’s vacant lightweight title fight. That setback dropped him to 3-3 in his last six, with his highs including wins over Michael Chandler and Beneil Dariush, and lows against Islam Makhachev and Arman Tsarukyan.
Competing in front of his home crowd, Oliveira knows the stakes. A win could stabilize his place in the top five; another loss could signal a fading run at gold.
What’s Next
With Oliveira vs. Gamrot now official, the UFC Rio card has its new headliner. The rest of the lineup remains to be finalized, but the main event is set to deliver a classic: a Brazilian legend desperate to bounce back versus a Polish contender eager for his breakthrough moment.
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Robert LaMar is a writer for Dice City Sports. You can follow him on X via @RobertLaMar26
