The UFC Rio lineup has reportedly undergone some adjustments.
The MMA promotion is slated to return to the "Cidade Maravilhosa" this year with a Fight Night event named UFC Rio, scheduled for October 11 at the Farmasi Arena in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
According to a recent report from an MMA journalist Alvaro Colmenero, the welterweight clash between seasoned contenders Vicente Luque and Santiago Ponzinibbio has fallen through after the “Argentine Dagger” was forced out of UFC Rio with an injury.
Luque, however, won’t be left without an opponent, as he is now reportedly set to face Joel Alvarez, who will be making his debut in the 170-pound division.
“The Silent Assassin” last competed at UFC 316 in June, where he was submitted by Kevin Holland in the second round. Luque’s recent run has been a tough one, with just two wins in his last six outings. The 33-year-old Brazilian holds a 16-7 UFC record, with 14 of those victories coming by way of finish.
Meanwhile, Alvarez has been out of action since December 2024, when he scored a first-round knockout over Drakkar Klose at UFC Tampa. Riding a three-fight win streak, “El Fenomeno” carries a flawless finishing rate across his 22-3 professional record and has gone 7-2 under the UFC banner.
What Other Bouts Are Lined Up For UFC Rio?
The UFC Rio card was originally set to be headlined by a lightweight clash between former champion Charles Oliveira and Rafael Fiziev. However, Fiziev had to step away from the fight due to injury, and the promotion is now working to secure a replacement opponent for “Do Bronx".
Meanwhile in the co-main event, former flyweight king Deiveson Figueiredo is slated to take on Montel Jackson in a bantamweight clash.
Take a look at the updated UFC Rio lineup below:
Main Card
- Lightweight bout: Charles Oliveira vs. TBA
- Bantamweight bout: Deiveson Figueiredo vs. Montel Jackson
- Welterweight bout: Gabriel Bonfim vs. Randy Brown
- Heavyweight bout: Jhonata Diniz vs. Mário Pinto
- Heavyweight bout: Valter Walker vs. Mohammed Usman
- Welterweight bout: Vicente Luque vs. Joel Alvarez
Preliminary Card
- Flyweight bout: Jafel Filho vs. Clayton Carpenter
- Featherweight bout: Lucas Almeida vs. Michael Aswell
- Heavyweight bout: Vitor Petrino vs. Thomas Petersen
- Featherweight bout: Ricardo Ramos vs. Kaan Ofli
- Flyweight bout: Lucas Rocha vs. Stewart Nicoll
- Strawweight bout: Julia Polastri vs. Karolina Kowalkiewicz
