Charles Oliveira booked for UFC Rio return against dangerous striker

Charles Oliveira won’t be waiting long for his next outing.

The official X account of the UFC has announced that Oliveira has been booked to face Rafael Fiziev in the main event of UFC Rio on Oct. 11. It’s clear that “do Bronx” didn’t want to hold off on his return to the Octagon, as the date of his next fight would be just shy of four full months since his knockout loss to Ilia Topuria. It was a rough defeat for Oliveira, and some are already wondering if “do Bronx” is allowing himself to recover.

Fiziev is a credible threat on the feet, having nabbed a “Fight of the Night” bonus in each of his fights against Justin Gaethje. While Fiziev lost both fights, many believe his striking skills could pose problems for Oliviera if the Brazilian icon is returning too soon.

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Charles Oliveira will be hoping to put on a show in front of his fans in Rio. He’ll also be fighting to maintain his spot in the UFC lightweight rankings. The former 155-pound titleholder has managed to stay at the top of the heap, but a loss to Fiziev could lead to a rapid slide down the ladder.

Back in late 2022, Oliveira and Fiziev were linked through rumors of a fight booking. Ultimately, “do Bronx” shut that claim down, as he was more focused on resting his body at the time. Fast forward to 2025, and Oliveira appears eager to get an opportunity to perform in front of his fellow countrymen. This will be Oliveira’s first fight in Brazil since March 2020, and there were no fans in attendance due to COVID-19 measures.

Fiziev snapped a three-fight losing streak in his last outing. After two losses to Gaethje and a TKO defeat via injury against Mateusz Gamrot, “Ataman” halted the momentum of rising star Ignacio Bahamondes via unanimous decision.