More Brazilian talents are heading to Titan Fighting Championship.
Titan FC has signed a pair of Brazilian Top Team fighters for its next show on Feb. 28, which will be its first televised event on CBS Sports Network. BTT leader Murilo Bustamante told MMAFighting.com that the promotion has signed Gleristone Santos and Pedro Nobre. Tatame first reported the signing.
“It’s not a new organization, but it has new owners and a good deal with CBS Sports Network. It’s going to be excellent to have them fighting in a big promotion outside of Brazil,” Bustamante told MMAFighting.com. “Of course every fighter wants to be in the UFC, but this is going to be great for them to get more experience and be ready when the time comes.”
Santos (25-4), also known as “Toninho Furia”, is one of Brazil’s top prospects. The featherweight has won 14 of his last 15 fights with nine stoppages, and makes his first appearance outside of Brazil. Titan FC officials told MMAFighting.com that “Toninho Furia” takes on Bellator veteran Kalvin Hackney (12-3) in his promotional debut.
“’Toninho’ is ready to fight in the UFC, he’s on the same level of many fighters that are fighting there, but I believe that fighting at Titan FC will be great for him,” he said. “He’s only 24 and has 29 fights on his record, so he will get more experience fighting an American inside the United States.”
Nobre (15-1-2, 1 no-contest) will have his first chance in a non-Brazilian promotion since a controversial no-contest in his UFC debut in 2013 against Iuri Alcantara. He has no opponent yet, but Bustamante is confident that the flyweight will prove people wrong at Titan FC.
“We know who Pedro Nobre is,” he said. “What happened (in the UFC) was unfair, and now he has a chance to be back. He spent some time training in Thailand, working on his muay thai, and won the Web Fight title in Brazil in his last fight, so he’s ready.”
Titan Fighting Championship 27 will be headlined by Mike Ricci vs. Jorge Gurgel. Kevin Croom vs. Bryan Goldsby and Kurt Holobaugh vs. Eric Marriott will also take place on the card.