NITEROI, Brazil — Gabriel Oliveira scored one of the best knockouts of 2017, and expects that to affect the mind of his next opponent at the Rizin bantamweight grand prix.
The undefeated prospect made his Rizin debut in October, taking on 49-fight veteran Tatsuya Kawajiri at the Saitama Super Arena. A member of the Parana Vale Tudo team in Niteroi, Brazil, Oliveira stopped Kawajiri with a brutal knee to the head when the Japanese fighter shot for a takedown.
"It’s a dream come true,” Oliveira told MMA Fighting of his recent debut in Japan. "I’ve always dreamed about fighting in big promotions for years.