The UFC will return to Brazil with a UFC on Fuel TV 10 that features a matchup of two familiar heavyweights in Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira and Fabricio Werdum.
The two Brazilians should be familiar with each other. Not only did Nogueira score a unanimous decision victory against Werdum in the 2006 PRIDE Openweight Grand Prix, but the two coached against each other in the second season of The Ultimate Fighter: Brazil.
Both fighters have changed considerably since 2006. Nogueira is now out to prove that he still has something left in the tank after going just 3-3 in his last six fights.
Werdum will be looking to establish himself as a top contender for the title after wins over Roy Nelson and Mike Russow since coming back to the UFC after a stint in Strikeforce.
The heavyweight collision isn’t the only attraction on this card, though. Exciting fighters like Thiago Silva, Rafael Cavalcante and Erick Silva will also be making appearances as well as the TUF: Brazil 2 championship fight.
With plenty of exciting fights and the intense atmosphere of Brazil, this is an underrated card you won’t want to miss. Here’s a look at the fight card and how you can be sure to catch all the action.
When: Saturday, June 8, 2013, at 4:30 p.m. ET
Where: Ginasio Paulo Sarasate in Fortaleza, Brazil
TV: Fuel TV
Stream: Preliminaries on Facebook
Full Fight Card
Main Card (FUEL TV, 8 p.m. ET)
- Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira vs. Fabricio Werdum
- William Macario vs. Leo Santos “TUF: Brazil 2” tournament final
- Rafael Cavalcante vs. Thiago Silva
- Eddie Mendez vs. Daniel Sarafian
- Jason High vs. Erick Silva
- Rony Jason vs. Mike Wilkinson
Preliminary Card (Facebook, 4:30 p.m. ET)
- Raphael Assuncao vs. Vaughan Lee
- Derek Brunson vs. Ronny Markes
- Felipe Arantes vs. Godofredo Castro
- Ildemar Alcantara vs. Leandro Silva
- Rodrigo Damm vs. Mizuto Hirota
- Caio Magalhaes vs. Karlos Vemola
- Antonio Braga Neto vs. Anthony Smith
Predictions
*= More In-Depth Breakdown below table
| Winner | Loser | Method | Weight Class |
| Fabricio Werdum | Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira | Decision* | Heavyweight |
| William Macario | Leo Santos | 2nd-round TKO | Welterweight |
| Rafael Cavalcante | Thiago Silva | 3rd-round TKO* | Light Heavyweight |
| Daniel Sarafian | Eddie Mendez | Decision | Middleweight |
| Erick Silva | Jason High | 2nd-round TKO* | Welterweight |
| Rony Jason | Mike Wilkinson | 1st-round TKO | Featherweight |
| Raphael Assuncao | Vaughan Lee | 2nd-round Submission | Bantamweight |
| Ronny Markes | Derek Brunson | Decision | Middleweight |
| Felipe Arantes | Godofredo Castro | Decision | Featherweight |
| Ildemar Alcantara | Leandro Silva | 2nd-round TKO |
Welterweight |
| Rodrigo Damm | Mizuto Hirota | Decision | Featherweight |
| Caio Magalhaes | Karlos Vemola | 1st-round Submission | Middleweight |
| Antonio Braga Neto | Anthony Smith | 3rd-round Submission | Middleweight |
Werdum Exacts Revenge Against Nogueira
Big Nog may have bested Werdum back in 2006, but the fighters are on completely different trajectories right now. Werdum has become a legitimate contender in the heavyweight division and Big Nog is trying to stave off retirement.
Both men have world class jiu-jitsu and that means one thing—this fight will be decided on the feet. With both fighters’ ground games canceling each other out, striking could be the difference.
Given Werdum’s recent fights, he holds the advantage in that area. According to FightMetric, “Vai Cavalo” outlanded Russow 31-3 and Nelson 91-26. He’s been especially devastating in the clinch and should continue to show improvement in the striking game against Big Nog.
Rafael Cavalcante Impresses in UFC Debut
Ever since Strikeforce folded into the UFC, the fighters from Scott Coker’s organization have been making their presence felt. At UFC on Fuel TV 10, “Feijao” will become the latest to make a splash in the UFC.
Cavalcante is a former Strikeforce light heavyweight champion and actually has a two-fight win streak heading into the fight although his submission win against Mike Kyle was ruled a no-contest when he failed the post-fight drug test.
Cavalcante draws Thiago Silva in his debut and he really couldn’t have asked for a better matchup. Silva is a relatively well-known name, but he hasn’t technically won a fight since 2009. His only two wins in that time span were changed to no-contests after Silva also failed post-fight drug tests.
Silva has only lost to high-quality fighters (Alexander Gustafsson, Rashad Evans and Lyoto Machida), so this should be competitive. A win for Feijao would make him an intriguing contender at 205.
Erick Silva Gets Hype Train Restarted With Dominant Win
Erick Silva may have the most impressive 1-2 streak in the UFC. Yes, he’s lost two out of his last three fights, but the Brazilian has looked impressive in doing so.
The first loss came via questionable disqualification as he actually knocked out Carlo Prater 29 seconds into the first round but was DQ’d for shots to the back of the head that came after Silva had landed the knockout blows.
Silva then rebounded strong with a first-round submission victory over Charlie Brenneman. The win netted Silva a big step up in competition as he took on UFC veteran Jon Fitch.
Silva’s attempt to upset Fitch came up just short as he dropped a unanimous decision, but it earned him Fight of the Night honors and showed he can compete at a high level.
Now Silva gets Jason High, who will be making his return to the UFC and doesn’t possess the elite wrestling of Fitch. Expect Silva to get his hype train back on track with a spectacular finish.
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