*Charles Oliveira finishes Beneil Dariush with hellacious ground and pound. Credit: Zuffa LLC.*

The UFC heads to the Farmasi Arena in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, with a top-notch Fight Night card. With a Brazilian fighter featured in every fight on the card, it has been packed full of local talent, exciting matchups, and world-class fighters all looking to earn a post-fight bonus this Saturday. In the co-main event, we’ll see former Flyweight champion Deiveson Figueiredo go toe-to-toe with red-hot knockout artist Montel Jackson. In the main event, two top-ten Lightweights collide when legendary submission artist Charles Oliveira takes on a dangerous wrestler in Mateusz Gamrot. First, we’ll take a look at the featured preliminary bout, then the fights on the main card.

Featured Prelim

Lucas Almeida vs. Michael Aswell

*Lucas Almeida cracks Michael Trizano with a stiff right hook. Credit: Ag. Fight.*

Featherweight Bout

Lucas Almeida: 15-4-0, 9 KO/TKO, 5 Sub.

Michael Aswell: 10-3-0, 5 KO/TKO 0 Sub.

Almeida has won two of his last five fights and has UFC victories over Michael Trizano (11-3-0) and Timmy Cuamba (9-3-0). A wild finisher who always hunts for a knockout, he throws everything in combination and with considerable power. He does a great job mixing kicks into his punch combinations and will constantly attack his opponent’s legs. Almeida is always willing to eat one to land one, regularly blitzing into the pocket to exchange. He has not landed a takedown in his promotional tenure, but he will land brutal ground and pound if he finds himself in top position. Training at MMA Sorocaba, he tends to load up, often throwing lunging hooks and straights with maximum power. Almeida’s striking gets wilder as the fight goes on, constantly taking risks and attempting flashy attacks.

*Michael Aswell charges at Bolaji Oki with a lunging right hand. Credit: Zuffa LLC.*

Aswell has won three of his last five bouts and is looking for his first UFC victory. He’s a gritty scrapper who’s always willing to come forward and exchange. He fights behind his jab and throws everything in combination, favoring volume to power and regularly stringing together four or five punches at a time. Aswell has solid footwork and is in perpetual motion, rarely spending much time at range before entering the pocket to let his hands go. He tends to headhunt, rarely throwing many kicks, but does a good job changing his angles when coming forward and varying the punches he throws. Training at 4oz. Fight Club, he won’t usually pursue grappling exchanges but has exhibited solid takedown defense and great getups, rarely spending much time on his back. Aswell always throws with impressive output, averaging 110 significant strikes landed between his appearances in the UFC and Contender Series.

Main Card

Ricardo Ramos vs. Kaan Ofli

*Ricardo Ramos looks to secure a choke after taking Josh Culibao’s back. Credit: MMA Junkie.*

Featherweight Bout

Ricardo Ramos: 17-7-0, 4 KO/TKO, 7 Sub.

Kaan Ofli:12-4-1, 2 KO/TKO, 6 Sub.

Ramos has won three of his last five outings and holds UFC victories over #9 ranked Bantamweight Aiemann Zahabi (13-2-0), Bill Algeo (18-9-0), and Josh Culibao (11-4-1). He is a well-rounded, wild fighter, preferring spinning and jumping attacks to orthodox striking. He favors power over volume, not always unleashing much in terms of output, but throwing every shot with knockout intentions. Ramos will come out guns blazing and has eight of his 11 finishes in round one, making him most dangerous early on. He averages nearly three takedowns landed per fifteen minutes and has excellent wrestling, especially in the clinch. Training with Team Alpha Male, he takes the back quickly and constantly pursues chokes, even in standing positions. Ramos is always dangerous and can produce a highlight-reel win at any time, as shown in his two victories via spinning back elbow in the UFC.

*Kaan Offli postures up and rains down heavy ground and pound onto Nathan Fletcher. Credit: Zuffa LLC.*

Ofli has won three of his last five fights and is looking for his first UFC victory. He’s a powerful grappler with excellent top control and solid power in his hands. He varies his attacks well on the feet, throwing to the head and body while constantly mixing leg kicks into combinations. Ofli is dangerous inside the pocket, regularly unloading vicious knees and elbows. He uses his striking to set up his grappling, often striking into the clinch or a takedown shot. Training at Australian Top Team, he’s capable of powerful slams, has heavy top pressure, and is always working on top, looking to posture up or secure submissions. Ofli is dangerous on top and off his back, capable of finding submissions from anywhere, especially chokes.

Jhonata Diniz vs. Mário Pinto

*Jhonata Diniz lands a vicious right hand on Alvin Hines. Credit: Ag. Fight.*

Heavyweight Bout

Jhonata Diniz: 9-1-0, 7 KO/TKO, 0 Sub.

Mário Pinto: 10-0-0, 6 KO/TKO, 1 Sub.

Diniz has won four of his last five bouts and has UFC victories over Alvin Hines (7-1-0), Austen Lane (13-7-0), and Karl Williams (10-4-0). He’s a former professional kickboxer with a record of 22-7 and fifteen knockout wins. He throws everything with power and can produce a knockout at any moment with a single clean shot. Diniz is constantly coming forward and cuts off the cage well before entering into the pocket to unload heavy shots. He remains technical throughout and varies his shots well, attacking the head, body, and legs with equal tenacity. Training with the Santa Fe Team, he regularly throws bombs but won’t telegraph them and does an excellent job of mixing kicks into his combinations. Diniz has six first-round knockouts but has shown he’s capable of pushing a heavy pace, landing 112 significant strikes in his last outing.

*Mário Pinto loads up a final shot after flooring Austen Lane with a right hand. Credit: FightTV.*

Pinto is undefeated and has a UFC victory over Austen Lane (13-7-0). He’s an accurate, powerful striker capable of producing a finish at any time. He has excellent distance management and often looks to counterstrike, not offering much in terms of offense before suddenly unloading heavy shots. Pinto remains accurate throughout and is quick for a Heavyweight, never telegraphing his attacks and slowly wearing down his opponent with precise, singular shots. Training at FightZone London, he won’t usually pursue takedowns but is a solid grappler, possessing solid reversals and devastating ground and pound. He remains technical throughout, never getting wild or desperate, and always fighting behind his jab. Pinto can produce quick finishes and has five first-round knockouts, but he has solid cardio and can carry his power comfortably across three rounds.

Vicente Luque vs. Joel Álvarez

*Vicente Luque chokes Themba Gorimbo unconscious with a tight anaconda choke. Credit: Ag. Fight.*

Welterweight Bout

Vicente Luque: 23-11-1, 11 KO/TKO, 9 Sub.

Joel Álvarez: 22-3-0, 5 KO/TKO, 17 Sub.

Luque has won two of his last five outings and has UFC victories over #1 ranked Welterweight Belal Muhammad (24-4-0), Themba Gorimbo (14-5-0), and Randy Brown (20-6-0). He’s a well-rounded scrapper with educated hands and lethal chokes. He fights behind his jab and throws everything with purpose, never telegraphing shots or wasting energy. Training at Kill Cliff FC, Luque has excellent low kicks and regularly adds them to the end of punch combinations. He has solid technical and counterstriking abilities but loves to brawl and is always willing to eat a shot to land one. He holds black belts in BJJ and Luta Livre and can find chokes with impressive speed when the fight hits the mat. Luque won’t typically pursue many takedowns, often finding chokes defensively or scoring knockdowns to reach top position.

*Joel Álvarez lands a stunning flying knee on the chin of Drakkar Klose. Credit: MMA Mania.*

Álvarez has won four of his last five fights, holding UFC victories over Elves Brener (16-6-0), Drakkar Klose (16-3-1), and Thiago Moisés (19-9-0). A well-rounded, lengthy fighter, he’s dangerous anywhere the fight goes. He throws everything with knockout intentions and can do damage at range or in the pocket, landing heavy kicks from distance and brutal knees on the inside. Training at Centro Deportivo Tibet, Álvarez has an excellent variety of attacks and will constantly add kicks to the end of his combinations. Despite his exceptional submission game, he rarely pursues takedowns and has not landed one in his promotional tenure. Instead, he tends to find his submissions via reversals or openings off his back. He has secured fifteen of his seventeen submissions via choke, and he can find submissions with blinding speed if he gets to his opponent’s neck.

#6 Deiveson Figueiredo vs. #15 Montel Jackson

*Deiveson Figureiredo secures a tight rear naked choke on Cody Garbrandt. Credit: Sports Illustrated.*

Bantamweight Bout

Deiveson Figueiredo: 24-5-1, 9 KO/TKO, 9 Sub.

Montel Jackson: 15-2-0, 8 KO/TKO, 1 Sub.

Figueiredo has won three of his last five bouts and has UFC victories over #2 ranked Flyweight Brandon Moreno (23-8-2), #7 ranked Bantamweight Marlon Vera (23-10-1), and #8 ranked Bantamweight Rob Font (22-9-0). He has devastating power in his hands, constantly unloading brutal combinations onto his opponents. He used this power to tear through the Flyweight division, holding the most knockdowns in Flyweight history with 11, and is tied for the most finishes at Flyweight, with 7. Training with Team Figueiredo, he is comfortable anywhere the fight goes, has a solid guard on the bottom, and is highly dangerous in top position. He moves impressively fast on the mat, regularly securing submissions with incredible speed. He quickly closes the distance on the feet and can land serious damage without much space, especially with his hands. Figueiredo constantly pursues a finish but has solid cardio and can comfortably go 25 minutes if needed.

*Montel Jackson unloads heavy ground and pound onto Rani Yahya. Credit: MMA Fighting.*

Jackson is on a six-fight win streak with UFC victories coming over Da’Mon Blackshear (17-7-1), Julio Arce (19-6-0), and Daniel Marcos (17-1-0). He’s a well-rounded fighter with one-punch knockout power and excellent wrestling skills. He won’t telegraph punches, throwing every shot with impressive speed and power while remaining technical and picking his shots. Jackson will regularly blitz forward to unload a quick combination of straights and hooks before returning to range unscathed. He’s landing, on average, over three takedowns per fifteen minutes in the UFC and will constantly look to posture up and land damage when in top position. He’s highly elusive and defensively sound, rarely absorbing much damage and typically staying out of the pocket where he can use his length. Jackson has outlanded all of his eleven UFC opponents and has scored at least one knockdown in seven of his last eight fights.

#4 Charles Oliveira vs. #8 Mateusz Gamrot

*Charles Oliveira tags Michael Chandler with a powerful left hook. Credit: Zuffa LLC.*

Lightweight Bout

Charles Oliveira: 35-11-0, 10 KO/TKO, 21 Sub.

Mateusz Gamrot: 25-3-0, 8 KO/TKO, 5 Sub.

Oliveira has won three of his last five outings and has UFC victories over #5 ranked Lightweight Justin Gaethje (26-5-0), #9 ranked Lightweight Beneil Dariush (23-6-1), and #12 ranked Lightweight Michael Chandler (23-10-0). He’s an exceptionally well-rounded fighter with bricks for hands and deadly submissions. He utilizes technical, crisp Muay Thai on the feet to piece up and damage his opponents. He has solid wrestling skills, outstanding BJJ, and is one of the most prolific submission artists in UFC history. Oliveira is averaging over two takedowns landed and nearly three submissions attempted per fifteen minutes, and is exceptionally dangerous on the mat. Training at Chute Boxe, he has proven his ability to stay calm in deep waters, regularly getting hurt in his fights, only to come back and find a way to win. Oliveira holds various UFC records, including the most finishes (20), submission wins (16), and post-fight bonuses (20).

*Mateusz Gamrot lands a stinging right hand on Dan Hooker. Credit: MMA Mania.*

Gamrot has won three of his last five fights, holding UFC victories over #2 ranked Lightweight Arman Tsarukyan (22-3-0), #11 ranked Lightweight Rafael Fiziev (13-4-0), and Rafael Dos Anjos (32-17-0). He is an exceptionally well-rounded fighter who is dangerous anywhere the fight goes. He’s in perpetual motion, staying technical and picking his shots before safely returning to range. Gamrot favors power to volume, throwing every shot with knockout intentions. He is a tenacious wrestler, refusing to give up on takedowns and never staying still on the ground, whether on top or bottom. Training at American Top Team, he’s landing, on average, over five takedowns per fifteen minutes and has successfully defended 90% of takedowns attempted on him in the UFC. A former KSW champion, Gamrot has excellent cardio and durability with plenty of five-round experience, and can comfortably push a consistent pace across fifteen minutes.

Best Bets

Ricardo Ramos Moneyline: This is an exciting matchup of two talented Bantamweights. Although both are dangerous, they have very different styles. Ramos is unorthodox in nearly every aspect of fighting, boasting a wild striking style marked by flashy attacks and a dangerous BJJ game. Ofli is a much more technical, wrestling-based fighter who employs tight boxing and constant forward pressure to secure victories. Although Ofli is two years Ramos’s senior, Ramos is the more experienced of the two, with this bout being his fourteenth UFC appearance and only Ofli’s third. Ramos also has more variety in his routes to victory, capable of finding finishes nearly anywhere inside the octagon, whereas Ofli will virtually always look to use his wrestling to defeat his opponent. Ramos has a significant reach advantage of six inches over Ofli, which will make it much harder for Ofli to close the distance to exchange in the pocket or pursue takedowns. I expect Ramos to deny the early grappling attempts of Ofli, force him to the outside of the cage, and wear him down with a constant onslaught of offense. I foresee Ramos constantly damaging Ofli from range, keeping him on the end of his punches and kicks, and controlling the distance en route to a solid victory on Saturday.

Jhonata Diniz Moneyline: An excellent matchup of two powerful Heavyweight strikers, there’s sure to be fireworks in this one. In a division starved for exciting stars, this could prove a critical matchup for both of these fighters. Diniz is a talented kickboxer with big-time power in his hands and kicks and an impressive chin. Pinto is a very measured, accurate striker, utilizing his power and counterstriking to batter his opponents. Although somewhat similar in style, Diniz is the more complete and well-rounded fighter. Pinto has solid leg kicks but mostly favors his hands, not offering much in terms of volume. In contrast, Diniz is fully capable and comfortable fighting at range, turning the match into a high-paced kickboxing bout rather than a slugfest in the pocket. Pinto also tends to allow his opponent to determine the pace of the fight, and hasn’t faced a fighter who can turn up the heat like Diniz. I expect Diniz to come out guns blazing, constantly coming forward and unloading heavy combinations as he forces Pinto onto his back foot. I anticipate Diniz forcing Pinto to engage him at a distance, moving in and out of the pocket, and using his kicking game to hinder the movement and counterstriking of Pinto. I’m confident that when the dust settles in this fight, Diniz will have his hand raised as the victor.

Charles Oliveira Moneyline: This is an outstanding matchup of two high-level Lightweights with significant implications for the division. Both are dangerous anywhere and have faced the best of the best in the Lightweight division. Oliveira is an outstanding submission artist with dangerous punching power, while Gamrot is an efficient wrestler who always pushes a high pace. Neither of these fighters needs much of an introduction, and both have been at the top of the weight class for a few years now. While both are incredibly talented, the public perception of Oliveira has definitely shifted a bit since his devastating loss to Ilia Topuria, which may explain the Pick ‘Em odds in this matchup. In my opinion, Charles hasn't slowed down or fallen off; he simply lost to the #1 pound-for-pound fighter in the UFC, regardless of how bad that loss may have been. Not to say Gamrot isn’t elite competition, but this is undoubtedly a step down for Oliveira compared to Topuria. I believe Oliveira has a speed and power advantage over Gamrot, and given Oliveira’s incredible skills off his back, the wrestling threat of Gamrot is significantly lessened compared to many of his matchups. I expect Oliveira to push a heavy pace early on and take control of the fight, dictating where the fight takes place and not allowing Gamrot to gain forward momentum to pursue takedowns. When he forces Gamrot to the outside of the cage, I expect Oliveira to unleash his hands and kicks, constantly lighting Gamrot up and forcing him to panic wrestle. As the fight goes on, I anticipate Oliveira pursuing his own grappling offense and putting Gamrot on his back, a spot he rarely finds himself in, and landing solid damage while pursuing submissions from top position. Gamrot is very tough and has an excellent chin, so a finish may be hard to come by for Oliveira, but I’m confident that he will put himself back in the win column this weekend in Rio de Janeiro.

UFC Fight Night: Oliveira vs. Gamrot Preview