UFC Rio was a major success Saturday, full of masterful displays of martial arts, entertainment and the returns of several fan-favorite fighters. Similar to the Noche UFC event that took place last month, many fighters of Brazilian origin were featured on this card. As it turns out, a fundamental element of mixed martial arts originated in Brazil — jiu-jitsu. Therefore, it was expected that there would be plenty of grappling throughout the night.
The main event, Charles “Do Bronx” Oliveira vs. Mateusz Gamrot, showcased Brazilian jiu-jitsu at its finest and provided an entertaining fight while it lasted. UFC Rio carried the momentum from last weekend’s UFC 320 perfectly, delivering an exciting event full of great fights and even better moments.
Before diving into the main card’s most thrilling bouts, it’s important to acknowledge the retirement of a UFC legend. José Aldo, former featherweight champion and Brazilian native, made a surprise walkout to his home crowd in Rio de Janeiro. After taking in the thunderous applause, he made his way to the center of the Octagon and laid down his gloves, symbolizing his official retirement from the UFC.
Before losing to Conor McGregor at UFC 194, Aldo was on a decade-long, 18-fight win streak. He built a Hall of Fame résumé throughout his extensive career, with victories over Frankie Edgar, Chad Mendes, Urijah Faber and Marlon Vera, just to name a few. He’s one of the greatest fighters of all time — not only in his division, but in all of the UFC. It was an emotional moment and a perfect sendoff for a legend of the sport.
To kick off the main card, Kaan Ofli submitted Ricardo Ramos in the first round. Ofli seemingly grabbed victory from the jaws of defeat, nearly getting submitted himself by some brutal leg locks. He was able to secure the win after taking Ramos’ back and forcing him to tap out via a standing rear-naked choke. Fans were not happy with the result, as Ramos was the home favorite. After Ofli was announced the winner, fans began to boo around the arena. While the ending was unexpected, it was a win nonetheless for Ofli.
After a dominant first round, Mario Pinto finished Jhonata Diniz by TKO. Pinto controlled the fight from start to finish, showcasing his wrestling skills and threatening with multiple submission attempts. Ironically, Diniz had done plenty of trash-talking before the fight, saying, “If all goes right — and it will — and I come out with the win this weekend, we’ll be landing on the beaches of Rio de Janeiro on Sunday. I’ll be thrown off a plane to celebrate this victory.” But the only things “landing” were the vicious elbows and punches from Mario Pinto that ended the fight in the second round. Pinto extended his undefeated record to 11-0 in the heavyweight division. This fight proved the old saying true: if you’re going to talk the talk, you have to walk the walk.
In the main event, “The Predator” Charles Oliveira made his long-awaited return to his home country of Brazil in a bout against Mateusz Gamrot. Originally, Oliveira was scheduled to face Rafael Fiziev, but that fight was canceled, leaving Gamrot to step in as a replacement.
Oliveira entered the fight coming off a brutal knockout loss to former featherweight champion and current lightweight champion Ilia Topuria at UFC 317 in July. However, Oliveira has faced adversity his entire life. He grew up in the favelas — Brazil’s poverty-stricken neighborhoods plagued by crime — and as a child, was diagnosed with rheumatic fever and a heart murmur. Doctors told him he might never walk again, let alone compete in sports.
But Oliveira defied the odds, rising from those conditions to become one of the most beloved fighters in UFC history. On Saturday, he did it again — securing a choke in the second round for a victory of redemption. The Brazilian crowd erupted as their hero triumphed once more. Fans around the world celebrated seeing “Do Bronx” raise his hand in victory, capping off an unforgettable night at UFC Rio.
