Two Former Champions Back in the Win Column: UFC Rio Delivers Big

Last night, we saw the return to form of two brilliant Brazilian champions. Charles Oliveira and Deiveson Figueiredo turned back the clock and stopped the rise of two younger opponents. Both fighters had been on the receiving end of losses coming by finish before entering the Octagon on Saturday night. As I wrote in my article earlier this week, these fights were by no means a tune-up. Mateusz Gamrot and Montel Jackson are both some of the best their respective divisions have to offer. With Figueiredo coming off a horrific knee injury and Oliveira coming off a brutal knockout loss to Ilia Topuria, everyone had reason to believe these two former champions' best days were behind them. Fortunately, greatness doesn’t have an expiration date.

Figueiredo entered this fight a huge underdog but quickly showed why oddsmakers don’t always have the best understanding of the sport. His takedowns were fluid and spontaneous, which led to Jackson being on the back foot nearly the entire fight. The striking displayed by the former flyweight champion was stupendous. Space was maintained and utilized to find openings for powerful combinations. The thudding leg kicks Figueiredo used to break down Jackson’s stance proved effective throughout the first round, which made the younger man slower and less eager to move forward. The fight ultimately ended in a decision victory for the time-tested veteran, proving once more that Figueiredo still has what it takes to hang with the top of the division.

In the final fight of the night, Oliveira quickly advanced and put Gamrot on the back foot. For a fighter known for his smothering grappling, Gamrot seemed completely devoid of answers to the incoming pressure. The first exchange was a quick jab, jab, straight combination sent from the Brazilian native that sent Gamrot reeling to the cage. The Polish wrestler quickly shot a takedown but was controlled and reversed by the brilliant jiujitsu of Oliveira. A rear-naked choke was almost actualized, but before the submission could be fully finished, the round ended. The second round started much the same as before, in a shocking turn of events, Oliveira chose to wrestle Gamrot and, in even more shocking fashion, completely out-grappled him. Gamrot seemed to have no answers to the snakelike maneuvers of Oliveira, but unlike the first round, when Charles arrived at Gamrot’s back, he had more than enough time to find his submission. He finished the younger fighter with a face crank, nearly crushing Gamrot’s jaw all before the bell rang at the end of the second round. Oliveira ended his night with a statement finish, adding to his record of most submissions in the UFC and a callout to Max Holloway. It seems the story of Charles Oliveira is not yet over, proving once more you should never count out “Do Bronx.”