After Nearly 3 Years: UFC Announces First Return to Rio de Janeiro in January
When thinking of a popular sport amongst the Brazilian community, football and mixed martial arts (MMA) are typically two of those that will immediately spring to mind.
Both sports are hugely popular with fans, with many actually enjoying a number of wagering options that have since been made available because of the popularity of each event. Nowadays, punters head to UFC betting sites, where they are able to get the best odds on the action taking place in the Octagon, enhancing their overall experiences.
Indeed, it has been a while since fans in the country have been able to witness the combat action that the UFC is able to continue to provide on a regular basis from some of the sport’s biggest fighters. However, that is all about to change.
The promotion has since announced that its UFC 283 event will take place in Rio de Janeiro on January 21, at the Jeunesse Arena. It will mark an end to a nearly three-year hiatus, with the last event from the organziation to have been held in March 2020 in Brasilia. This event took place just before the world was forced to go on lockdown, but fans were unable to attend.
As mentioned, MMA is an incredibly popular sport within the South American country, with Brazil having a huge affinity for the UFC. The corporation has held 37 events in total across the nation, with 10 of those having been held in Rio thus far. UFC 283 will be the 11th time they have visited the iconic city.
As a result, it would not be a surprise if we were to see a stacked card on the night, as the opportunity has clearly presented itself. Dana White – UFC president – has not revealed who will be on the card as of yet, but he has admitted that it is one that “you do not want to miss”.
What happened the last time UFC was in Brazil?
As highlighted previously, the last time the UFC held an event in Brazil was back in March 2020 when they took over the capital Brasilia and put on UFC Fight Night 170 – otherwise known as UFC Fight Night: Lee vs. Oliveira.
The main event was the headliner between Kevin Lee and Charles Oliveira as they battled for the UFC Lightweight Championship, with the latter winning the contest via submission (guillotine choke).
Elsewhere on the card, legendary Demain Maia was defeated by Gilbert Burns via TKO (punches) in the first round, while Renato Moicano beat Damir Hadžović via submission (rear-naked choke) in round one.
Interestingly, almost every other contest on the UFC Fight Night 170 card ended up being decided by decision, with one contest also ending as a draw.
Plenty of excitement to look forward to
Of course, while the card is yet to be confirmed, there is no doubt that Brazilian UFC fight fans will be excited at the prospect of being able to end the nearly three-year wait to watch the promotion live in the flesh in the country once again!