UFC Rio delivered fireworks. From brutal knockouts to slick submissions, the card turned into a full-on Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu celebration.

But the story of the night? Charles Oliveira’s return.

After suffering a devastating KO loss to Ilia Topuria in June and losing his belt, The Predator (his new nickname) came back with a statement — a rear-naked choke victory over Mateusz Gamrot that earned him the Performance of the Night bonus.

🇧🇷 Charles Oliveira Back in the Win Column

Mateusz Gamrot, known for his relentless wrestling and control, tried to do what he always does — grind his opponent down. But against a high-level BJJ practitioner like Charles Oliveira, that plan didn’t last long.

As many predicted, Oliveira gave him a grappling clinic in front of his home crowd in Rio. He broke Gamrot’s control, reversed positions with ease, and locked in his signature choke like it was routine.

Round-by-Round

Let’s not talk about striking this match, both of our men aren’t elite strikers.

Round 1: Gamrot shot early, secured the takedown, and tried to establish control. For about a minute, it looked like his plan was working — until Oliveira flipped the script. The Predator reversed, took the back, and nearly finished with a rear-naked choke before the bell saved Gamrot.

Round 2: They traded strikes for a couple of minutes, but the difference in confidence was clear. Oliveira level-changed, secured his own takedown, and this time didn’t let go. Gamrot tried to defend, but Oliveira slid his arm under the chin and finished the choke clean.

No damage, no drama — just textbook jiu-jitsu.

🔥 Standout Finishes Across the Card

UFC Rio was a finish fest. Some highlights:

• Deiveson Figueiredo edged Montel Jackson by split decision, using his smart grappling and control.
• Joel Álvarez upset Vicente Luque via unanimous decision (30-26 across) in his welterweight debut.
• Kaan Ofli submitted Ricardo Ramos via rear-naked choke in Round 1.
• In the prelims up top:
   • Michael Aswell TKO’d Lucas Almeida in R1 (1:42)
   • Jafel Filho locked in a kimura on Clayton Carpenter in R1
   • Vitor Petrino KO’d Thomas Petersen in Round 3 (0:26)
   • Bia Mesquita submitted Irina Alekseeva (RNC, Round 2)
   • Julia Polastri TKO’d Karolina Kowalkiewicz in Round 3 (2:56)
   • Luan Lacerda tapped Saimon Oliveira with a clean armbar in Round 2 (3:55) (after Saimon missed weight by eight pounds).

And finally — the night’s most emotional moment:
José Aldo made his official retirement announcement. The legend walked into the cage, laid his gloves down, and bowed to the Rio crowd — a symbolic goodbye to one of the greatest featherweights in MMA history. The arena went silent for a second, then exploded with “Aldo! Aldo!” chants. A perfect farewell in the city that made him a hero.

⏭ What It Next?

This win is more than just another “W.” It’s redemption. After losing his lightweight belt to Ilia Topuria in June, many thought Charles Oliveira would take a long break after that knockout. But tonight, he returned home, in front of his people, and proved you can’t count him out.

Still, let’s be honest — if his original opponent Rafael Fiziev hadn’t been injured, things might’ve been a lot tougher. Fiziev is a harder stylistic matchup than Gamrot, and that’s a fight we still need someday.

This card also marked the UFC’s return to Rio de Janeiro after the 2024 visit—and the first Fight Night event in the city since 2015.

As for Oliveira’s future, the options are wide open. He called out Max Holloway for a possible BMF matchup, and honestly, it makes perfect sense. Max is recovering from injury, but a showdown next year between The Predator and Blessed would be fireworks.

For Mateusz Gamrot, it’s not the end. Losses happen, but this one showed clear gaps in his grappling defense. A fight with Renato Moicano would make perfect sense next — two grapplers, guaranteed chaos on the ground.

💭 Final

UFC Rio 2025 did exactly what Brazilian fight nights are supposed to do — deliver fireworks. Oliveira’s comeback, hometown energy, stacked finishes — all of it.

Is this just the start of The Predator’s next run, or was it a one-night redemption? Can Max Holloway vs Oliveira for the BMF title be next?

👇 Drop your thoughts. Which finish surprised you most, and who’s your biggest sleeper from this Rio card?

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