Two new match-ups were added to the upcoming UFC Fight Night 61 card in Porto Alegre, Brazil, on Feb. 22, including the return of top ranked bantamweight Iuri Alcantara.
Coming off three straight wins inside the Octagon, Alcantara is set to face Frankie Saenz. Combate first reported the bout.
“Marajo” (32-5, 1 no-contest) gets back in action after going 3-0 in 2014. Since dropping a decision to Urijah Faber in 2013, the Brazilian bantamweight scored decision wins over Wilson Reis and Russell Doane and dispatched Vaughan Lee in 25 seconds.
Saenz (8-2) made his UFC debut in August, defeating Nolan Ticman via unanimous decision. Before joining the UFC, Saenz went 7-2 in the regional circuit, winning and defending the King of the Cage championship.
The second bout added to the card features Tiago dos Santos making his featherweight debut against Mike de la Torre, according to a report by Portal do Vale Tudo.
dos Santos (20-4-1, 1 no-contest), a former Jungle Fight lightweight champion, will cut down to 145 pounds after defeating lightweight Akbarh Arreola in his UFC debut via unanimous decision. The Brazilian fighter enters the bout riding an 11-fight winning streak.
de la Torre (12-4, 1 no-contest) has his back against the wall after going winless in his first two UFC fights. “El Cucuy”, who suffered a split decision loss to Mark Bocek in April, was choked out by Brian Ortega in July, but the result was overturned to a no contest after Ortega tested positive for drostanolone.
Headlined by Rashad Evans vs. Glover Teixeira, UFC Fight Night 61 takes place at the Gigantinho Gymnasium on Feb. 22.
- Rashad Evans vs. Glover Teixeira
- Edson Barboza vs. Michael Johnson
- Cezar Ferreira vs. Sam Alvey
- Adriano Martins vs. Rustam Khabilov
- Iuri Alcantara vs. Frankie Saenz
- William Macario vs. Matt Dwyer
- Wendell de Oliveira vs. T.J. Waldburger
- Tiago dos Santos vs. Mike de la Torre
- Santiago Ponzinibbio vs. Sean Strickland
- Ivan Jorge vs. Josh Shockley