UFC Rio’s one must-watch prospect to keep your eyes on this weekend
Keep your eyes on this Bantamweight …
Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) is heading to the “Marvelous City” this weekend (Sat., Oct. 11, 2025) for UFC Rio. In the main event, former Lightweight champion Charles Oliveira collides with No. 8-rankedMateusz Gamrot in what could be a grappler’s delight
Check out UFC Rio’s entire card here.
There are several up-and-coming fighters featured throughout the card this weekend (see them here), but let’s give you one to really keep your eyes on.
Without further ado …
Two weeks ago, I spotlighted UFC newcomerMichelle Montague as a fighter to watch in the struggling Bantamweight division — and she went on to dominate her debut. Now, it’s time to highlight another Bantamweight prospect, and she just so happens to be Montague’s teammate: Bia Mesquita.
Mesquita (5-0) is widely regarded as the greatest women’s Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu (BJJ) grappler of all time, even calling herself the “BJJ GWOAT.” Her resume backs it up — 10 IBJJF Gi world titles (a Guinness World Record), five No-Gi world championships, and an ADCC gold medal.
Simply put: she’s a savage on the ground.
And since transitioning to mixed martial arts (MMA), Mesquita has collected five wins — three submissions, one knockout, and one disqualification victory. Her grappling is elite enough to trouble anyone in the division — think Mackenzie Dern, but bigger and stronger.
Of course, pure grapplers can struggle when they can’t dictate where the fight takes place, but so far, Mesquita has imposed her will more often than not. While Mesquita is improving her standup game, she is incredibly raw, and if she doesn’t get her opponents to the ground, it goes sideways; however, that doesn’t happen very often.
At 34, Mesquita may be older than most prospects, but her skills could fast-track her up the rankings if she delivers another dominant performance. She’s the biggest betting favorite on the card (-650), and it’s deserved — her opponent, Irina Alekseeva, has looked rough in recent outings.
If Mesquita smashes her way through again in Rio, expect the hype train to pick up speed fast.
LIVE! Stream UFC Rio On ESPN+
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Remember that MMAmania.com will deliver LIVE round-by-round, blow-by-blow coverage of the entire UFC Rio fight card, starting with the ESPN+ “Prelims” matches online, which are scheduled to begin at 4 p.m. ET, before the main card start time at 7 p.m. ET (also on ESPN+).
To checkout the latest and greatest UFC Rio: “Oliveira vs. Gamrot” news and notes be sure to hit up our comprehensive event archive right here.
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