Cícero Pompeu de Toledo stadium, stage for next UFC in São Paulo / Photo: Publicity/SPFC
The UFC has held events in stadiums in the past, as it has in open-air arena’s, and it has also put on a show in São Paulo before. Next year’s show, however, is meant to make MMA history, and the promoters and the cities representatives are already busy at work to make it happen.
According to Máquina do Esporte website’s Guilherme Costa, the UFC in São Paulo will be held at Cícero Pompeu de Toledo, or Morumbi, stadium, with a 60,000-spectator capacity. The UFC’s record attendance to date was set by UFC 129, held at Rogers Centre in Toronto, Canada.
The stadium, home field to São Paulo Futebol Clube professional soccer club, will be decked with a temporary cover, and the movable seating will be added to the bottom part up until the field, making for a prime seating with access to the VIP boxes. Still according to the journalist, the UFC captaincy was at Morumbi field this week to iron out the final details regarding the event.
São Paulo hosted the UFC back in 1998. UFC 17.5 took place at Canindé gymnasium, when Vitor Belfort knocked out Wanderlei Silva in 44 seconds. The rematch is set to take place at Morumbi, as will Anderson Silva’s title defense against the winner between Chael Sonnen and Mark Muñoz.
