The UFC Rio preliminary card concluded with an unexpected announcement that has created a buzz within the mixed martial arts community.
UFC Rio Event Overview
The event, held at the Farmasi Arena in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, featured a lineup of 12 fights. The main event saw former UFC Lightweight Champion Charles Oliveira competing in his home country against Mateusz Gamrot from Poland.
In a notable preliminary featherweight clash, Michael Aswell faced Lucas Almeida, who reportedly entered the fight with a pre-existing hand injury. Aswell secured a TKO victory over Almeida in less than two minutes. During his post-fight interview, Aswell inadvertently revealed details about an upcoming championship fight involving his training partner.
The Leaked Title Fight: Joshua Van vs. Alexandre Pantoja at UFC 323
Aswell, a Texas native, trains with Joshua Van, the top-ranked UFC flyweight contender, at 4oz. Fight Club in Houston. Van had previously had a face-off with the reigning champion, Alexandre Pantoja, following his latest win over Brandon Royval at UFC 317 in June, which strongly suggested a future title opportunity.
When asked about his desired return to the octagon after defeating Almeida, Aswell expressed his eagerness to compete on the undercard of UFC 323. This event is scheduled for December 5 in Las Vegas, and is particularly significant as it is expected to be the UFC`s final pay-per-view before their monumental $7.7 billion rights deal with Paramount officially commences.
“I just saw it got announced, Las Vegas, December 6. My best friend, Joshua Van, is fighting,” Aswell stated in his post-fight interview. “I would love to be on his card, man. He’s fighting Pantoja for the championship. If we can get on that card, I’d love it, man. I’m healthy. I’m ready. Let’s go, baby. 4oz. fight club in this thing. Houston, Texas, stand up!”
Official Status Update: As of this report, the Ultimate Fighting Championship has not yet made an official announcement confirming the Pantoja vs. Van championship bout for UFC 323.
Michael Aswell`s Reaction to Opponent`s Hand Injury
Michael Aswell also addressed the widespread discussions concerning Lucas Almeida`s suspected broken hand at the UFC Rio weigh-ins the day prior. When questioned about Almeida`s pre-fight injury, Aswell commented, “I could tell something was wrong,” referencing Almeida`s demeanor during their face-off.
He further acknowledged that the injury was widely known: “My DMs were flooded on Twitter and Instagram,” and “I definitely saw that picture…” Despite the talk surrounding his opponent`s condition, Aswell emphasized his singular focus, stating, “All I can do is care about what I’m doing.”