UFC to Announce Return to Brazil Dec. 15
Mike Whitman Dec 14, 2010
Ultimate Fighting Championship president Dana White and CEO Lorenzo
Fertitta will make an announcement tomorrow on UFC.com from City
Hall in Rio De Janeiro, Brazil.
The announcement is likely to contain information about the promotion's imminent return to Brazil in 2011. Sherdog reported last month that the UFC might return to Brazil for the first time in more than a decade as soon as August. The rumored venue for the to-be-announced event is the HSBC Arena in Rio De Janeiro. Tomorrow's gathering will air live on UFC.com at 11 a.m. ET/8 a.m. PT.
White and Fertitta first visited Brazil in October to begin negotiations for the event, holding two reported meetings during their stay. The first meeting was with Mayor Eduardo Paes; the second was with an assistant of Eike Batista, whom Forbes Magazine ranked the eighth-richest man in the world.
White and Fertitta have brought with them several special guests for tomorrow's announcement, including Brazilian UFC champions Anderson Silva, Jose Aldo and Mauricio "Shogun" Rua. Former light heavyweight titleholder Vitor Belfort will also be present, as will UFC hall of famer Royce Gracie. Mayor Paes will also make an appearance.
The UFC's last Brazilian event was UFC 17.5 in 1998, which was highlighted by Belfort's thrilling, 44-second knockout of Wanderlei Silva.
The announcement is likely to contain information about the promotion's imminent return to Brazil in 2011. Sherdog reported last month that the UFC might return to Brazil for the first time in more than a decade as soon as August. The rumored venue for the to-be-announced event is the HSBC Arena in Rio De Janeiro. Tomorrow's gathering will air live on UFC.com at 11 a.m. ET/8 a.m. PT.
White and Fertitta first visited Brazil in October to begin negotiations for the event, holding two reported meetings during their stay. The first meeting was with Mayor Eduardo Paes; the second was with an assistant of Eike Batista, whom Forbes Magazine ranked the eighth-richest man in the world.
White and Fertitta have brought with them several special guests for tomorrow's announcement, including Brazilian UFC champions Anderson Silva, Jose Aldo and Mauricio "Shogun" Rua. Former light heavyweight titleholder Vitor Belfort will also be present, as will UFC hall of famer Royce Gracie. Mayor Paes will also make an appearance.
The UFC's last Brazilian event was UFC 17.5 in 1998, which was highlighted by Belfort's thrilling, 44-second knockout of Wanderlei Silva.
