The octagon returns to Brazil for the third time this year, with a fight card featuring the best of Brazilian talent taking on the rest of the world. Saturday marks the return of former light-heavyweight champion Lyoto Machida, after over two years out of action taking on Derek Brunson.
The event also features welterweight contender Demian Maia taking on Colby Covington in the co-main event, with Maia looking to bounce back from his championship snorefest loss to Tyron Woodley, whilst Covington looks to win five straight bouts in the octagon.
The card itself features twelve Brazilians, taking on no less than eight Americans, one Swede, an Ecuadorian, a Welshman and finally a Dane. Will Brazil come out on top on home soil?
Let’s break down the card and have a look at three fights that will spark interest in the early hours of Sunday morning!
Lyoto Machida vs. Derek Brunson
The main event will always take focus when a name like Lyoto Machida is announced, even more so when ‘The Dragon’ hasn’t competed for such a length of time due to an anti-doping violation. The Brazilian was suspended for eighteen months due to the use of 7-keto-DHEA, which is said to increase metabolism, assist weight loss and have anti-aging effects.
Machida has only won one of his last four bouts and at thirty-nine-years-old, may be approaching the tail end of his career. The Karate specialist has never lost three straight bouts and will look to avoid that in his home nation.
Derek Brunson has only won one of his last three, having lost consecutive bouts to Anderson Silva and Robert Whittaker respectively, before defeating Daniel Kelly in Auckland earlier this year. His last five wins have all come by way of first round knockout.
A win for Brunson would propel him into the top five in the middleweight division and possibly put him in line for a rematch with the likes of Yoel Romero or Jacare Souza. It will be interesting to see which Lyoto Machida enters the cage; a diverse striking master or someone entering the twilight of their career.
Demian Maia vs. Colby Covington
A chess match. That’s exactly how this fight will go down, unless Colby Covington stands and trades with Demian Maia. Covington is an NCAA Division I All-American wrestling champion whilst Maia is a jiu-jitsu specialist, holding a 4th degree black belt with nine submission victories inside the octagon.
Maia will not be able to outstrike Covington but will seemingly look for a single-leg takedown or take the back, as the Brazilian always looks to do. The problem for Maia is that Covington, despite not being the most popular or most exciting fighter, pushes a ridiculously high pace from the off. Will Covington look to exhaust Maia over three rounds and out grapple him?
Unlike a chess match however, this will only last a maximum of fifteen minutes! A win for Covington would elevate him into the top five and earn a huge scalp over the decorated veteran. A loss for Maia would possibly all but end his title ambitions.
Jack Marshman vs. Antonio Carlos Junior
The sole British representative on the fight card, Wales’ Jack “Hammer” Marshman will look to upset the odds as one of the biggest underdogs on the night. Antonio Carlos Junior stands in his way on his home territory in Brazil.
Marshman joined the UFC twelve months ago and has picked up a 2-1 record in the process, winning both fights in the UK, but sliding to a defeat in Canada to Thiago Santos. The Welshman had picked up both the BAMMA and Cage Warriors middleweight titles before putting together a six-fight win streak to earn his place in the octagon.
Speaking of jiu-jitsu specialists, Carlos Junior is black belt who won the Ultimate Fighter Brazil at heavyweight before dropping down to light heavyweight and now middleweight. He had previously was a double world champion at brown belt and appears to have transferred seamlessly into the octagon.
Whilst Carlos Junior doesn’t excite with his striking, landing no more than forty strikes in any bout since joining the promotion. Marshman will have to look to defend and utilise his boxing pedigree to avoid going to the mat with the submission specialist.
Will the Welsh flag fly high in Brazil?
The fights get underway from 11PM on UFC Fight Pass, before switching over to BT Sport at midnight, with the main card getting underway at a slightly earlier time of 2AM.
Full Fight Card
Main Card – 2AM on BT Sport
Middleweight: Lyoto Machida vs. Derek Brunson
Welterweight: Demian Maia vs. Colby Covington
Bantamweight: Rob Font vs. Pedro Munhoz
Lightweight: Jim Miller vs. Francisco Trinaldo
Middleweight: Thiago Santos vs. Jack Hermansson
Bantamweight: John Lineker vs. Marlon Vera
Prelims – 12AM on BT Sport
Welterweight: Niko Price vs. Vicente Luque
Middleweight: Antonio Carlos Junior vs. Jack Marshman
Lightweight: Hacran Dias vs. Jared Gordon
Welterweight: Max Griffin vs. Elizeu Zaleski
Early Prelims – 11PM on UFC Fight Pass
Flyweight: Jared Brooks vs. Deiveson Alcantra
Heavyweight: Christian Colombo vs. Marcelo Golm
