Manvel Gamburyan
A couple of matches were identified for this May’s upcoming UFC on FX 8 event with featherweight Manny ‘The Pitbull’ Gamburyan (12-7) squaring off with Hacran ‘Barnabe’ Dias (21-1-1) and bantamweights Yuri ‘Marajó’ Alcantara (27-4) vs. Marcos ‘Vina’ Viniciuss (20-4-1) also expected to meet.
Brazilian news agency SportTV.com identified the Gamburyan vs. Dias and the Alcantara vs. Vinicius matches earlier today.
UFC on FX: Belfort vs. Rockhold (aka UFC on FX 8) is expected to take place on May 18, 2013 at the Arena Jaraguá in Jaraguá do Sul, Brazil. Former UFC champ Vitor Belfort is set to welcome former Strikeforce title holder Luke Rockhold to the Octagon.
Both matches have yet to be confirmed by UFC officials.
Gamburyan will look to make it two-in-a-row since moving back to the UFC following the WEC merger. ‘The Pitbull’ won a unanimous decision over Michihiro Omigawa last August, ending a three fight losing skid for the Armenian fighter. Gamburyan had been linked to a bout versus Chad Mendes last February at UFC 157 but was forced out due to injury.
Dias debuted with the UFC last June at UFC 147, picking up a decision over Yuri Alcantara extending his win streak to nine straight fights. The Brazilian has earned six stoppages versus those nine opponents with four submission and two TKO wins. Dias had been scheduled to fight Mendes at UFC on FX 6 but was forced out with a shoulder injury.
Alcantara debuted at bantamweight in his last match in January at UFC on FX 7 against Pedro Nobre. The match would end in a “No Contest” after it was ruled that Alcantara finished his opponent with illegal strikes to the back of the head. Prior to that Alcantara lost a decision to Dias and won a decision against Omigawa at UFC 142.
Vinicius was a cast member of the first TUF Brazil and was eliminated in the semi-finals. He would go on to debut at UFC 147, earning the “Knockout of the Night” bonus for finishing Wagner Campos by third round KO. Vinicius then went on to appear at the TUF 16 Finale where he was knocked out himself by Johnny Beford last December.