UFC Rio returns to the Farmasi Arena with Charles “Do Bronx” Oliveira vs. Mateusz Gamrot headlining at lightweight (after Rafael Fiziev withdrew). Deiveson Figueiredo vs. Montel Jackson co-mains, and Vicente Luque vs. Joel Álvarez boosts the main card. Prelims 4:00 p.m. ET (5:00 p.m. BRT) and Main card 7:00 p.m. ET (8:00 p.m. BRT).
How to watch
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United States: ESPN+ — Prelims 4:00 p.m. ET, Main card 7:00 p.m. ET.
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Brazil & elsewhere: check regional listings (UFC Fight Pass/ESPN) the day before; the UFC event page updates broadcast info.
Weigh-ins & late note
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Main event set (non-title limit 156 lb): Oliveira (156), Gamrot (156).
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Co-main: Deiveson Figueiredo (136) vs. Montel Jackson (136).
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Saimon Oliveira missed weight by 8 lb; bout with Luan Lacerda proceeds at catchweight with a fine.
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Valter Walker vs. Mohammed Usman was canceled on weigh-in day.
Official fight card (announced order)
Main card — 7:00 p.m. ET (8:00 p.m. BRT)
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Charles Oliveira (156) vs. Mateusz Gamrot (156) — Lightweight (Main Event)
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Deiveson Figueiredo (136) vs. Montel Jackson (136) — Bantamweight
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Vicente Luque (170) vs. Joel Álvarez (171) — Welterweight
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Jhonata Diniz (257) vs. Mario Pinto (255) — Heavyweight
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Ricardo Ramos (146) vs. Kaan Ofli (145.5) — Featherweight
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Lucas Almeida (145.5) vs. Michael Aswell (145.5) — Featherweight
Prelims — 4:00 p.m. ET (5:00 p.m. BRT)
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Jafel Filho (126) vs. Clayton Carpenter (126) — Flyweight
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Vitor Petrino (250) vs. Thomas Petersen (246.5) — Heavyweight
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Bia Mesquita (136) vs. Irina Alekseeva (135.5) — Women’s Bantamweight
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Lucas Rocha (126) vs. Stewart Nicoll (126) — Flyweight
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Julia Polastri (116) vs. Karolina Kowalkiewicz (116) — Women’s Strawweight
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Luan Lacerda (136) vs. Saimon Oliveira (144) — Catchweight (ex-bantamweight)
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(Canceled: Valter Walker vs. Mohammed Usman)
Venue: Farmasi Arena (Rio de Janeiro, Brazil).
The three swing fights (why they matter)
1) Charles Oliveira vs. Mateusz Gamrot — Lightweight (5 rounds)
Storyline: Oliveira got a new dance partner after Fiziev’s injury; Gamrot walks into a raucous Rio aiming to climb the ladder.
Tactical keys:
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Oliveira: jab/teep to disrupt entries; low kicks to stall level changes; threaten front-headlock/guillotine on shots.
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Gamrot: chain-wrestling, mat returns, and fence pressure to bank minutes.
Telltale: more clean center exchanges → Oliveira’s pace; more wall time/positional control → Gamrot’s game.
2) Deiveson Figueiredo vs. Montel Jackson — Bantamweight (3 rounds)
Storyline: the ex-flyweight champ continues to settle at 135 against a tall, long opponent.
Tactical keys:
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Deiveson: explosive counters; guillotine threat if Jackson level-changes sloppy.
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Jackson: volume jab, check-hooks, and clinch rides to slow the fight.
3) Vicente Luque vs. Joel Álvarez — Welterweight
Storyline: pressure puncher vs. lanky technician with nasty knees and elbows.
Tactical keys:
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Luque: cut the cage, hack the lead leg to trim reach.
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Álvarez: knees on entries, tight elbows inside the clinch.
Brazil watch (one-glance list)
Oliveira, Deiveson, Vicente Luque, Jhonata Diniz, Ricardo Ramos, Lucas Almeida, Jafel Filho, Vitor Petrino, Bia Mesquita, Lucas Rocha, Julia Polastri, Luan Lacerda — a stacked local slate ready to ignite the crowd.
Timeline & context
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Opponent switch: Fiziev out (injury); Gamrot in on short notice, bringing a grinding style and recent momentum.
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Schedule recap: Prelims 4:00 p.m. ET / Main 7:00 p.m. ET on ESPN+. Ceremonial weigh-ins Friday afternoon; order can shuffle after face-offs.
What to watch in the first 90 seconds (Oliveira vs. Gamrot)
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Center line: if Oliveira claims center early, Gamrot must shoot from farther away.
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First takedown layer: a sprawl + neck threat can cool the chain.
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Base checks: if low kicks land clean, Gamrot’s timing drifts half a beat.
Quick FAQ
Exact Brazil times?
Reference conversion from ET: Prelims 5:00 p.m. BRT, Main 8:00 p.m. BRT. Confirm local listings on event day.
Why is Luan vs. Saimon catchweight?
Saimon Oliveira missed the bantam limit by 8 lb; bout proceeds with a purse fine.
Replacement for Walker vs. Usman?
None as of the latest update; the fight was canceled on weigh-in day.
UFC Rio is set to boil: Do Bronx vs. Gamrot will shape the lightweight conversation, Deiveson tests his bantamweight ceiling, and Luque brings that trademark pressure. With weights made at the top and a card full of Brazilian talent, expect volume, emotion, and a decibel meter in the red. Lock your times and enjoy the show.
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Comment: what’s the one adjustment Oliveira must nail—early low kicks or front-headlock threats on entries?
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