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Potential Replacements Emerge After Rafael Fiziev Withdraws from UFC Rio Fight Against Charles Oliveira

Originally posted on NY Fights | By Kshitiz Kumar Singh | Last updated Sep 20, 2025 11:15 AM ET

UFC 317 turned into a nightmare for Charles Oliveira. He not only missed his chance to reclaim the lightweight title but was also knocked out by Ilia Topuria in less than three minutes. While Oliveira showed respect to Topuria, many fans believed he would take a long break to recover from the loss. Instead, he was booked to face #10-ranked Rafael Fiziev at UFC Rio, marking his first fight in Brazil in over five years. Unfortunately, that long-awaited homecoming has now come to a heartbreaking end as the Brazilian will now need a new scrapping partner on October 11 in Rio.

Mateusz Gamrot and Benoit Saint Denis Emerge as Top Contenders to Replace Rafael Fiziev Against Charles Oliveira at UFC Rio

Oliveira is left without an opponent for UFC Rio after Fiziev was forced off the card due to injury. The news was confirmed by MMA Fighting following an initial report from Ag Fight. Moreover, ‘Ataman’ took to his X account and dropped a sad face emoji to indicate that the news is indeed true.

— Rafael “Ataman” Fiziev (@RafaelFiziev) September 20, 2025

Meanwhile, Dana White has not yet announced whether Oliveira will remain on the Oct. 11 card in Rio de Janeiro with a new opponent. For the unversed, the #10-ranked 155-pounder was aiming for his second straight win after defeating Ignacio Bahamondes at UFC Baku by decision in June.

That win over Bahamondes had snapped a three-fight losing streak for Fiziev, which included back-to-back defeats to Justin Gaethje and another to Mateusz Gamrot. He had already been sidelined for more than a year after suffering a knee injury in the Gamrot fight, only making his return this past March at UFC 313.

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The Oliveira matchup was a crucial one for ‘Ataman,’ who believed a victory would move him one step closer to a title shot. But now, that chance has slipped away. As news of Fiziev’s withdrawal broke, potential replacements quickly began to surface.

Reacting to a social media post by Championship Rounds on X about the fight falling through, #8-ranked contender Gamrot threw his name into the mix, writing: “I’m ready and hungry to jump in!! Come on. @ufc.”

Meanwhile, Benoit Saint Denis has also emerged as a strong candidate. The Frenchman recently submitted Mauricio Ruffy in the co-main event of UFC Paris and had openly expressed interest in stepping into the UFC Rio main event right after his win. “I’m ready to step up. I’m even looking at Oliveira x Fiziev, if somebody gets injured.”

For Oliveira, the situation is especially tricky. He is currently 1-2 in his last three fights and was already taking on a quick turnaround, just 105 days after his last bout, to face a dangerous striker like Fiziev. Still, what mattered most to him wasn’t the opponent but the location.

Fighting at home has always fueled Oliveira, as he boasts a perfect 17-0 record in professional bouts on Brazilian soil. His last fight in Brazil came in 2020 against Kevin Lee, held behind closed doors due to COVID restrictions. At the time, ‘Do Bronx’ was riding a six-fight winning streak and proving himself as a legitimate lightweight contender, a run that eventually carried him to the world title.

This article first appeared on NY Fights and was syndicated with permission.

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