The Return of Do Bronxs

Charles Oliveira defeats Mateusz Gamrot at UFC Rio via msn.com

Last night, in Rio de Janeiro, Charles Oliveira reminded the world that a wounded lion is still a lion. Olveira emerged victorious after securing a victory over a formidable challenger, in 

Mateusz Gamrot. Without further ado, let’s break it down.

It’s June 28th, in Las Vegas, Nevada, where International Fight Week is taking place. In the main event of UFC 317 for the lightweight championship, Do Bronxs vowed to get his belt back, a belt he desperately coveted. On the other side stood pound-for-pound king, Ilia Topuria. The ref signals to the fighters, the bell rings, and the contest begins. The bout lasted all but two minutes before Oliveira lay unconscious on the canvas, simply another victim to Topuria’s dominance. Many fans knew this was potentially the former champion’s last shot at redemption, and with a snap of the finger, it vanished. Where could Do Bronxs go from here?

Fast forward to October 11th, and Charles Oliveira made a statement in his grand return to his homeland. After suffering such a vicious knockout loss four months prior, the MMA community was stunned when Oliveira’s quick return was announced. It was simply too brief a layoff, especially coming off a career-altering knockout. Oliveira’s original opponent was Rafael Fiziev, but due to injury, the young fighter had to pull out, with Gamrot stepping in as his replacement. 

This was a much safer fight for Charles. Gamrot’s skills lie predominantly in the grappling department, so for the former champion, the threat of being knocked out in consecutive fights diminished.

As the fight began, Oliveira immediately took the center of the octagon, stalking Gamrot like prey. His style remained identical to all previous matchups; backing his opponents down, securing underhooks to engage the grappling, and dominating fighters on the ground.

In the second round, Oliveira locked up a rear-naked choke to submit Gamrot, officially re-stating his claim as one of the top lightweights in the world. The Brazilian crowd exploded for their fighter, who has become the nation's hero.

In his post-fight interview, Oliveira called his shot: a rematch versus Max Holloway in June of 2026 on the historic UFC White House card. Holloway obliged, but stated his desire to return to the octagon earlier, insisting on a matchup in February. Regardless of date, this rematch will be a spectacle between two of the sport's most beloved athletes. Whoever emerges victorious will once again find themselves right back in the title picture, a spot neither athlete was expected to return to.