Parrumpinha praises Charles do Bronx's performance at UFC Rio, but criticizes the fight: 'Too early'

Charles of the Bronx He is a former UFC champion. Photo: Reproduction/Instagram

UFC confirmed Charles of the Bronx as the headliner of the UFC Rio card, scheduled for October 11th at Farmasi Arena in Rio de Janeiro. The former lightweight champion will face the Azerbaijani Raphael Fiziev in the main fight of the night, in a clash that marks his return to the octagon just over three months after being brutally knocked out by Ilia Topuria.

Among those who expressed concern is Marcos Parrumpinha, coach of 'American Top Team' (ATT) and commentator on the 'Overdogs Brasil' channel. In conversation with Renato Moicano, the coach praised the choice of Oliveira as the central name of the event, but highlighted that the interval between the knockout and the new fight can be dangerous, especially from a neurological point of view.

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"I really enjoyed being Charles. He saved UFC Rio. For the first time in a long time, the event will be noticed. Now, I didn't like the fight. Not that I don't trust his ability, but I think the time between the Topuria fight and this one with Fiziev won't be enough to rest his body, brain, and mind. That's very important for an athlete," said Parrumpinha.

The coach also acknowledged Fiziev's firepower, but believes the Azerbaijani is no longer in his best form. According to him, Fiziev's former opponent Justin gaethje showed vulnerabilities that can be exploited by Charles, as long as the Brazilian comes up with the right strategy.

"Fiziev has a heavy hand, but I don't believe he's the same as he was two or three years ago. His fight against Gaethje exposed some things that, if he does against Charles, he'll pay for. We know he doesn't have good ground skills. Now, if Charles comes in looking to trade blows because he thinks he's also heavy-handed, then only God can protect him," he added.

Charles returns from the Bronx to UFC Rio

Parrumpinha's caution reflects a broader concern that has also been raised by the likes of Daniel CormierThe former UFC champion and current commentator was one of the first to question the Brazilian's accelerated return after the knockout he suffered on June 28. The setback interrupted Charles' recovery and marked his first knockout loss since 2017.

On that occasion, the fight against Topuria lasted only one round. The Georgian landed a devastating combination that knocked out the Brazilian. The result not only shocked the MMA community but also gave Topuria the lightweight belt and the feat of becoming the tenth athlete in UFC history to hold titles in two different weight classes.