Falcao Inks 3-Fight Deal with Canadian Org, Debuts in September
Chris Nelson May 29, 2011
Weeks after his unceremonious exit from the
UFC, Brazilian middleweight
Maiquel Falcao Goncalves has found a new place to hang his hat
in North America.
Pasqualino Santoro, head of Canadian promotion Colloseo Championship Fighting, on Saturday confirmed to Sherdog.com that Goncalves has signed a three-fight deal with the Alberta-based organization and is expected to compete at an as-yet-unannounced September event.
Goncalves, 30, was released by the UFC in early May following a
turbulent one-and-done run. The heavy-handed “Big Rig” made his
Octagon debut with a November decision win over Gerald
Harris at UFC
123, after which both fighters were criticized by UFC boss Dana
White for their lack of aggression and Harris was dropped from the
roster. Upon returning to his hometown of Pelotas, Rio Grande do
Sul, in December, Goncalves was taken into custody by local
authorities on charges stemming from a 2002 assault conviction.
Nonetheless, Goncalves wrote on Twitter in April that he would face American Tom Lawlor on Aug. 27 as part of UFC 134 in Rio de Janeiro. On May 11, however, the Brazilian’s management informed MMAJunkie.com that Goncalves had been handed his walking papers by the UFC.
Colloseo has promoted events in Alberta since 2007, but drew attention from the international MMA community in April when Santoro announced that the company’s July 23 event will make use of a rule set popularized by now-defunct Japanese promotion Pride Fighting Championships. Soccer kicks, stomps and knees to the head of a downed opponent will all be available for use by fighters on the card, scheduled to be headlined by a heavyweight tilt between Pride veteran Gilbert Yvel and former King of the Cage titleholder Tony Lopez.
Pasqualino Santoro, head of Canadian promotion Colloseo Championship Fighting, on Saturday confirmed to Sherdog.com that Goncalves has signed a three-fight deal with the Alberta-based organization and is expected to compete at an as-yet-unannounced September event.
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Nonetheless, Goncalves wrote on Twitter in April that he would face American Tom Lawlor on Aug. 27 as part of UFC 134 in Rio de Janeiro. On May 11, however, the Brazilian’s management informed MMAJunkie.com that Goncalves had been handed his walking papers by the UFC.
Colloseo has promoted events in Alberta since 2007, but drew attention from the international MMA community in April when Santoro announced that the company’s July 23 event will make use of a rule set popularized by now-defunct Japanese promotion Pride Fighting Championships. Soccer kicks, stomps and knees to the head of a downed opponent will all be available for use by fighters on the card, scheduled to be headlined by a heavyweight tilt between Pride veteran Gilbert Yvel and former King of the Cage titleholder Tony Lopez.
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