The lights were supposed to shine brightest in Rio de Janeiro on October 11. Charles Oliveira, Brazil’s own superstar from the favelas, was finally set to return home to headline UFC Rio. His opponent? The dangerous striker, Rafael Fiziev, looking to rebuild his career and silence doubters.

But just weeks before fight night, the script has changed. Fiziev is reported to be out of the clash, sidelined once again by injury. And now, Oliveira’s long-awaited homecoming is left hanging in the balance. So, what really happened to Rafael Fiziev, and why does this story feel all too familiar?

Why is Rafael Fiziev not fighting at UFC Rio?

As per reports online, Rafael Fiziev was forced to withdraw from UFC Rio after suffering an injury during training camp. Reports from AG Fight, later confirmed by outlets like MMA Fighting, revealed the news just as the UFC had begun hyping the Oliveira showdown.

UFC matchmakers now face the unenviable task of finding a replacement. As one source put it, they’ll “make mountains move” to keep Oliveira in the main event. The Brazilian had been hoping to rebound from his brutal knockout loss to Ilia Topuria earlier this year, and his first fight in Brazil since 2020 had made the matchup even bigger.

But without Fiziev, the fight loses its spark. Fans had been promised a clash between Oliveira’s slick jiu-jitsu and Fiziev’s world-class striking. Instead, the UFC is scrambling, with names like Renato Moicano reportedly already being thrown into the mix. But as mentioned earlier, this isn’t the first time an injury has derailed ‘Ataman’s momentum.

Fiziev’s brutal injury history 

For Rafael Fiziev, this latest setback is part of a painful pattern. His career has been marked by injuries that always seem to strike at the worst possible time. The most devastating? Two ACL tears in the span of three years.

Back in September 2023, Fiziev faced Mateusz Gamrot in a fight that could have pushed him back into title contention. He had just gone toe-to-toe with Justin Gaethje in a razor-thin war, and momentum was on his side. But disaster struck in round two. As Fiziev threw a right body kick, his left knee buckled. He collapsed in agony, unable to continue, handing Gamrot a TKO victory.

Fiziev later revealed the severity of the injury, posting, “Just done surgery on my left acl. Same injury I had 3 years ago. I will come back even stronger. Recovery starts now. Thanks for the support.” That operation sidelined him for all of 2024.

He fought Justin Gaethje once more at UFC 313 in 2025, where he came up short via a unanimous decision, and in his last fight at UFC Baku, he edged out Ignacio Bahamondes in a hard-fought decision. It looked like the storm had passed. Yet here we are again, another injury, another withdrawal, and another chance at redemption slipping away.

So the question is, what happens now? Does the UFC wait on him once again? Or does the lightweight division simply move on, leaving him behind? Charles Oliveira may find a new dance partner at UFC Rio. But for Rafael Fiziev, the comeback clock resets once more.