UFC to Return to Brazil in 2011With the ever increasing amount of talented Brazilian born fighters becoming top contenders and champions in the UFC, the return to Brazil has been less and less a question of if it will happen, but rather when will it happen. MMA fans now have their answer.
The Ultimate Fighting Championship last held an event in Brazil in 1998. Today, at a press conference in Rio De Janeiro, UFC president Dana White confirmed that the organization would be returning and putting on a "major show" on August 27th, 2011 at the 18,000-seat HSBC Arena.
Others in attendance today for this big announcement were UFC chairman and CEO Lorenzo Fertitta, Rio mayor Eduardo Paes, UFC Hall of Famer Royce Gracie, and current UFC mega stars Anderson Silva, Mauricio "Shogun" Rua, Jose Aldo and Vitor Belfort.
No details of what number UFC event this will be or who will be fighting on the card yet, but White says the lineup will be significant and some of Brazil's best fighters (some of the world's best fighters) will dominate the lineup. Currently three UFC titles are held by Brazilian fighters; Aldo, Silva, and Rua hold the Featherweight, Middleweight, and Light Heavyweight titles respectively.
UFC's last and only event held in Brazil, UFC Brazil: Ultimate Brazil, was a stacked card and exciting event. It featured the UFC debuts of MMA veterans Wanderlei Silva as he battled UFC 12 Heavyweight Tournament winner Vitor Belfort and also Pedro Rizzo's first UFC fight in a match against Tank Abbott. Also featured was the first ever Lightweight Title match between eventual winner Pat Melitech and Mikey Burnett. The event was headlined by Frank Shamrock successfully defending his Middleweight Title against John Lober.
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