Carlo Prater – (Photo by Josh Hedges/Zuffa LLC/Zuffa LLC via Getty Images)
UFC welterweight Mike Pierce (13-5) has apparently earned the ire of Brazilians for his recent Tweets (@MikePierce170) disparaging the ability and work ethic of the South American Fighters.
“Man I’m ready! Are there any Brazilians at 170 our did they all bump up to 185? Looking for an easy fight :). WANTED: no work ethic, no cardio, terrible striking and limited ground game. Brazilians, please send fight applications to Joe Silva.”
One Brazilian in particular has taken offense, and is hoping to make Pierce pay for those words as Brazilian welterweight Erick Silva (13-2, 1NC) tells Globo.com that he’s 90% sure he’ll appear on the São Paulo card and that he’d like to do it against Pierce.
UFC 147 is expected to take place on June 23, 2012 in São Paulo, Brazil. No venue has been named as of yet, but the event is expected to feature a UFC middleweight title bout between Anderson Silva vs. Chael Sonnen. Other matches in the works for the Brazilian card include a “TUF Brazil” coaches bout between Vitor Belfort vs. Wanderlei Silva, and a heavyweight bout pitting Fabricio Werdum vs. Mike Russow.
Silva is coming off a disqualification loss in his UFC debut to Carlo Prater last January at UFC 142. Silva was disqualified for punches to the back of the head, which on instant replay, showed were actually hitting the side of Prater’s head. The loss ended Silva’s ten bout undefeated streak.
Pierce is 1-2 in his last three Octagon bouts, having lost a close split decision to Josh Koscheck last month at UFC 143. That was the third straight split decision bout for Pierce who earned a win over Paul Bradley at the UFC on FOX 1 show, and suffered a loss to Johny Hendricks at UFC 133.