MMA Knockout

Heavyweight star looks to extend absurd win streak with latest UFC Rio fight news

Can "The Clean Monster" keep his streak alive in Rio?
Drew Beaupre|
(Zuffa LLC)

The UFC’s return to Rio de Janeiro, Brazil for a UFC Fight Night event on October 11 is nearly at full capacity following a new batch of bout announcements.

Headlined by former UFC Lightweight Champion Charles Oliveira and top-ranked lightweight contender Rafael Fiziev, UFC Rio added a number of fights last week when the promotion confirmed Deiveson Figueiredo vs. Montel Jackson and three other matchups.

The UFC matchmakers have clearly been busy, as UFC Rio has officially gotten an additional four fights to give the October 11 event 13 total bouts.

Gabriel Bonfim vs. Randy Brown

In one of two newly-announced bouts to include a ranked fighter, Gabriel Bonfim will look to distance himself from a contentious win over two-time UFC title challenger Stephen “Wonderboy” Thompson when he takes on Randy Brown.

Stephen Thompson (red gloves) fights Gabriel Bonfim (blue gloves) in a welterweight bout during UFC Fight Night.
Stephen Thompson (red gloves) fights Gabriel Bonfim (blue gloves) in a welterweight bout during UFC Fight Night at Bridgestone Arena. | Steve Roberts-Imagn Images

“Rude Boy” is coming off a knockout-win over Nicholas Dalby that earned him a “Performance of the Night” bonus, and at UFC Rio he’ll have a chance to jump back into the welterweight Top 15 against the #14-ranked Bonfim.

READ MORE: Darren Till reveals two ex-UFC superstars were first in line for boxing return

Valter Walker vs. Mohammed Usman

Also sitting at #14 in the UFC heavyweight division, Valter Walker is currently on an incredible three-fight winning streak that has seen him finish all three opponents via heel hook in the first round.

Kennedy Nzechukwu (red gloves) fights Valter Walker (blue gloves) in a heavyweight bout during UFC Fight Night.
Kennedy Nzechukwu (red gloves) fights Valter Walker (blue gloves) in a heavyweight bout during UFC Fight Night at Bridgestone Arena. | Steve Roberts-Imagn Images

It only took “The Clean Monster” 54 seconds to dispatch Kennedy Nzechukwu in his last outing, but Mohammed Usman will also enter UFC Rio with a bit of confidence after he handed Hamdy Abdelwahab the first loss of his professional MMA career and snapped a two-fight skid in the process.

Other Additions To UFC Fight Night Rio

Although not quite as high-profile as Bonfim vs. Brown and Walker vs. Usman, UFC Rio also added a pair of intriguing featherweight and lightweight bouts to round out the card.

READ MORE: Sean Strickland reveals return plans despite ongoing UFC suspension

Longtime UFC veteran Ricardo Ramos could well be fighting for his job in Rio after going 1-3 in his last four outings, although his opponent Kaan Ofli has also had a tough go of things in the Octagon after reaching the finals of The Ultimate Fighter Season 32.

Ricardo Ramos (red gloves) fights Danny Chavez (blue gloves) during UFC Fight Night at Moody Center.
Ricardo Ramos (red gloves) fights Danny Chavez (blue gloves) during UFC Fight Night at Moody Center. | Scott Wachter-Imagn Images

Michael Aswell will attempt to secure his first UFC victory when he meets Lucas Almeida, who hopes to even out his promotional record after going 2-3 since his 2022 debut. With the addition of four new fights roughly a month and a half before the event, UFC Rio currently looks like this:

UFC Rio Confirmed Fights

• Main Event: Charles Oliveira vs. Rafael Fiziev

• Deiveson Figueiredo vs. Montel Jackson

• Vicente Luque vs. Santiago Ponzinibbio

• Jhonata Diniz vs. Mario Pinto

• Vitor Petrino vs. Thomas Petersen

• Jaefl Filho vs. Clayton Carpenter

• Lucas Rocha vs. Stewart Nicoll

• Julia Polastri vs. Karolina Kowalkiewicz

• Gabriel Bonfim vs. Randy Brown

• Valter Walker vs. Mohammed Usman

• Ricardo Ramos vs. Kaan Ofli

• Michael Aswell vs. Lucas Almeida

More MMA Knockout News

• Ex-UFC champion teases fight news with Magomed Ankalaev vs. Alex Pereira 2 looming

• Dricus du Plessis given harsh reality check on UFC rematch with Khamzat Chimaev

• Ex-UFC title challenger threatened with 4th-straight loss in latest fight booking

• UFC loses chance at elite heavyweight who could have shaken up the division

Stick with MMAKnockout for more FREE coverage of the UFC and MMA.

Follow MMAKnockout on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

Published
Drew Beaupre
DREW BEAUPRE

Drew is an MMA writer that regularly watches regional events in addition to major promotions such as the UFC, PFL, Bellator, and ONE Championship. He joined MMA Knockout when it was founded in 2023.

Home/News