What was presupposed to be a homecoming celebration combat for Charles Oliveira all of a sudden feels prefer it has much more on the road.
“Do Bronx” was initially scheduled to combat Rafael Fiziev in Saturday’s UFC Rio most important occasion, and whereas Fiziev isn’t any pushover by any stretch, his alternative, Mateusz Gamrot, presents a special stylistic problem and appears much more desperate to play spoiler. Oliveira has by no means misplaced in Brazil and now, simply 4 months after being brutally knocked out by Ilia Topuria, could be an terrible time to see that pattern ruined.
It’s a dangerous combat for Gamrot, too, although a danger he needed to take. The sting of a streak-busting loss to Dan Hooker nonetheless lingers regardless of Gamrot having already gotten again on the profitable monitor, and he’s well-aware the chance to knock off a former UFC champion nonetheless occupying a high 5 rating doesn’t come alongside too usually. A loss seemingly relegates to the realm of the also-rans, however victory might transfer him inside vary of the title shot he’s been chasing for thus lengthy.
The co-main occasion encompasses a comparable storyline, with former flyweight champion Deiveson Figueiredo hanging on to his bantamweight title hopes regardless of two straight losses, and Montel Jackson lastly getting the chance so as to add an elite identify to his résumé.
In different most important card motion, Vicente Luque welcomes Joel Alvarez to the welterweight division, heavyweights Jhonata Diniz and Mario Pinto go knockout searching, and featherweights Ricardo Ramos and Kaan Ofli look to begin the present with a bang.
The place: Farmasi Area in Rio de Janeiro
When: Saturday, Oct. 11. The seven-fight preliminary card begins at 4 p.m. ET on ESPN+, adopted by a five-fight most important card at 10 p.m. ET additionally on ESPN+.
(Numbers in parentheses point out standing within the MMA Battleing International Rankings and Pound-for-Pound Rankings)
Charles Oliveira (4, P4P-19) vs. Mateusz Gamrot (9)
Did I point out Charles Oliveira has by no means misplaced in Brazil?
Sure, Oliveira turns 36 subsequent week, and in combat years it appears like he’s about to show 50 having grown up in entrance of our very eyes. Fifteen years in the past, Oliveira made his UFC debut as a 20-year-old featherweight with enormously excessive expectations and regardless of the rockiest of roads, he by some means met and arguably surpassed them. He stays some of the thrilling fighters within the historical past of a division filled with future Corridor of Famers.
Is the chin gone? One has to ask, was it ever actually there? Oliveira has been getting knocked down and made to get again up once more since his first stroll to the octagon. Bear in mind “Charles Oliveira can’t overcome adversity?” There’s a golden oldie. Ilia Topuria received’t be the final fighter to rock Oliveira. It might occur tonight.
Mateusz Gamrot is thought for his grappling, however he’s by no means shied away from putting and he has loads of energy in these fingers. The Oliveira that walked in to Topuria’s fists will fall simply the identical if he employs that technique towards Gamrot. And I see this as a standup combat, with the fighters neutralizing one another within the wrestling and submission sport. So throwing fingers it’s.
Even then, I like Oliveira’s probabilities. Yeah, he will get hit, however so does Gamrot, and Oliveira has put loads of opponents on their butts together with his aggressive putting model. Precedent goes to be set and it received’t be Oliveira struggling a Brazilian blemish, however quite Gamrot dropping inside the space for the primary time.
Make it 18-0 at dwelling for Oliveira.
Deiveson Figueiredo (7) vs. Montel Jackson
Now if you wish to rely out a Brazilian veteran, nicely, Montel Jackson over Deiveson Figueiredo is perhaps the best way to go.
As My Greatest Good friend Mike Heck so eloquently outlined on our preview present, primarily based on betting worth, Figueiredo is greater than a wise decide as a +260 underdog in line with FanDuel. This can be a former UFC champion whose solely losses since transferring to bantamweight are to Cory Sandhagen and Petr Yan. He’s confronted much better competitors than Jackson has and is, on paper, the hardest check but for Jackson.
However all issues even, I can’t decide towards “Quik.” I’ve been on the Jackson bandwagon for a very long time, preaching that if the 33-year-old might get his well being on monitor and e-book the suitable opponents, he’d be preventing for a title. It took longer than a whole lot of us anticipated, however right here he’s, with the possibility to say a high 10 spot seven years after being signed off of Dana White’s Contender Collection.
Jackson has so many bodily benefits on this one. He’s taller, bulkier, an has over seven inches in attain over Figueiredo. Regardless of Figueiredo preventing up a weight class, I’m not even positive he has a pace benefit over Jackson. That is Jackson’s combat to lose, particularly if it stays on the combat, the place he’ll cook dinner Figueiredo for 3 rounds or so long as it takes to knock out the two-time flyweight champ.
Vicente Luque vs. Joel Alvarez
Joel Alvarez, it’s time to satisfy your welterweight future.
As mesmerizing because it has been to look at the 6-foot-3 (!!!) Alvarez shamble to the size and sometimes make weight, then step into the octagon with a comical measurement benefit over his 155-pound opposition, this has at all times been the transfer for “El Fenomeno.” Is he a high 5 contender on this division? Who is aware of? However not less than the person can get pleasure from a number of extra sandwiches throughout combat week.
For Vicente Luque, Father Time lastly appears to be coming to gather his due. Yearly we go right into a Luque marketing campaign saying, “He’s solely 30” then “He’s solely 31” then “He’s solely 32” and so forth. He turns 34 this November and has saved a gentle schedule of fights for a decade. It’s clear to even the largest Luque supporter that the damage has began to tear this fan favourite down.
That’s a horrible thought when you think about he’s coping with an opponent who simply so occurs to have received all 22 of his fights by knockout or submission. Oh, and Luque’s final three losses? Additionally by knockout or submission. We are able to do the mathematics right here.
Jhonata Diniz vs. Mario Pinto
Time for some heavyweight optimism.
Jhonata Diniz and Mario Pinto are literally fairly good strikers so far as huge boys go. Diniz comes from a kickboxing background and whereas that hasn’t translated into essentially the most sleek performances in his MMA profession thus far, he’s nonetheless a piece in progress, and I select to imagine (there’s that optimism) that he’s grown with every octagon outing.
Talking of rising, at 26, Pinto is a relative child on the heavyweight roster. He’s nowhere close to a completed product, however he’s blessed with that one-punch energy the matchmakers love and if he can up his output to fill the area in between his home-run swings, the UFC might have one thing right here.
I do know I’m being method too protected with this decide, however I favor the strategy of expertise of Diniz to present him the sting right here. Let’s simply hope that Diniz’s protection doesn’t deter Pinto from taking dangers, in any other case this might flip right into a dreary three-round affair. Regardless, I’m choosing Diniz.
Ricardo Ramos vs. Kaan Ofli
As the extent of Ricardo Ramos’s competitors ramped up, his high-flying model has paid much less dividends, however the matchmakers have lined up simply the suitable opponent for him to get again to, as Dominick Cruz would put it, “reckless abandonment.”
That’s no disrespect to Ofli, who I really (incorrectly) picked to win a latest season of The Final Fighter. He’s a strong all-around fighter with some sneaky grappling in his again pocket, I’m simply not assured he has the wrestling to impose his will on Ramos. He’s a powerful 145er so he might make the most of some wall-and-stalling to frustrate Ramos, however I believe that technique can solely take him thus far.
The matchmakers need to begin off the principle card broadcast with hundreds of roaring Rio followers rallying behind a highlight-reel knockout and that’s precisely what Ramos will ship.
Michael Aswell def. Lucas Almeida
Jafel Filho def. Clayton Carpenter
Vitor Petrino def. Thomas Petersen
Bia Mesquita def. Irina Alekseeva
Stewart Nicoll def. Lucas Rocha
Julia Polastri def. Karolina Kowalkiewicz
Luan Lacerda def. Saimon Oliveira
