Charles Oliveira suffered a crushing first-round knockout defeat at the hands of Ilia Topuria in the main event of UFC 317. For ‘Do Bronxs’, the loss was especially emotional. As it came in front of his family, who were there hoping to see him reclaim the lightweight title. Ever since that devastating night, the burning question has been: How would Oliveira bounce back? Well, now we finally have an answer.

The former UFC lightweight champ told AG Fight shortly after International Fight Week and revealed he was aiming for a return in November or December, possibly against Max Holloway, who had just secured a massive win at UFC 318. But in a surprising twist, ‘Do Bronxs’ has decided not to wait that long. Instead, he’s making a fairly quick turnaround following the biggest loss of his career.

According to popular MMA page MMA Orbit, Charles Oliveira is officially set to return to his home soil for the first time in five years. He’ll headline UFC Rio on October 11th, taking on Rafael Fiziev in a five-round lightweight main event. The announcement came with a fiery caption: UFC RIO MAIN EVENT🚨🔥 Charles Oliveira will take on Rafael Fiziev at #UFCRio on October 11th. 5 rounds. Lightweight main event. Well, it didn’t take long for Rafael Fiziev to react to what might be the biggest fight of his life.

After suffering through a three-fight skid, the Azerbaijani fighter got back in the win column with a serious victory over Ignacio Bahamondes at UFC Fight Night Baku’s co-main event. Riding on that momentum, Fiziev fired back through his Instagram Story with a chilling message aimed at the former champ: “Time to be cold.” Short, sharp, and bone-chilling. 

Oliveira vs. Fiziev is locked in. Now, all eyes are on these two warriors as they prepare to steal the spotlight in Rio, with the hometown crowd sure to rally behind their returning legend. But what about the rest of the card? Is there excitement all the way through? Let’s dive in.

UFC Rio: Charles Oliveira vs Rafael Fiziev — what’s on the card?

The UFC Fight Night card currently has only six fights announced. Three on the main card and three on the prelims. So, surely there will be more exciting matchups added soon. Vitor Petrino vs. Thomas Petersen’s heavyweight bout is currently set as the next best fight. But who knows? Renato Moicano might just make his entrance on the card! 

However, all eyes should be on 24-year-old Brazilian prospect Lucas Rocha. Although his UFC debut against Clayton Carpenter didn’t go his way and he lost via rear-naked choke last year, he still holds a solid 17-2-0 record, showing that he could become a real threat after a couple more bouts. He’ll be facing Australia’s Stewart Nicoll, who lost his undefeated record against Jesus Aguilar at UFC 305. So both men will be looking to bounce back in style, especially Lucas, who’ll be fighting in front of a home crowd.

Then you’ve got Julia Polastri vs. Karolina Kowalkiewicz, which deserves some attention too. The fight carries serious stakes, as the Polish former title challenger is chasing another strong win after beating Diana Belbita in 2023. For the Brazilian rising star, this is a golden opportunity to get back on track with a win over a very big name, especially after her last loss to Lupita Godinez at UFC Fight Night: Mexico.

So, with that being said, what do you think about Charles Oliveira’s return and his fight against Rafael Fiziev in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil? And which fighters would you love to see featured on the card, since there are still plenty of slots left? Comment down below!