HSBC Arena, stage for UFC 142 / Publicity photo
Besides confirming José Aldo (featherweight champion), Vitor Belfort (middleweight), Thiago Tavares and Edson Barboza (lightweight), the Ultimate Fighting Championship confirmed Brazil’s Erick Silva will be on the card for UFC 142, in Rio de Janeiro’s HSBC Arena. The 27-year-old fighter, coming off a first-round knockout of compatriot Luis Beição at the promotion’s last show in Rio, will take on Afghanistan’s Siyar Bahadurzada, also 27, a Shooto champion making his UFC debut.
UFC 142 will mark the first time the most popular channel in Brazil, Rede Globo, broadcasts a UFC event held in Brazil. Tickets are expected to go on sale in December.
“I was overjoyed by the news I’ll get to fight here in Rio again, this time on the main card. I’m going to intensify my training from here on out. I have nine weeks till the event and I need this time if I want to be ready,” said the welterweight Silva (13-1).
“I don’t know much about [Siyar Bahadurzada]. Wallid [his manager] just told me the news today. I’ve seen some of his fights but wasn’t looking at him as an opponent. Now I’ll watch everything and put together a strategy,” said Erick in closing.
Check out the new UFC star back when he was fighting at Jungle Fight, last year.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8VEIhewc-FE
Check out the official card:
UFC Rio 142
Rio de Janeiro, RJ
Saturday, January 14, 2012
José Aldo vs Chad Mendes
Vitor Belfort vs Anthony Johnson
Terry Etim vs Edson Junior
Erick Silva vs Siyar Bahadurzada
Sam Stout vs Thiago Tavares
