UFC plans several trips to Brazil in 2014 and WSOF is already working on their first live event in the country. Xtreme Fighting Championships will also join the party after signing a major TV deal with RedeTV in Brazil.
XFC and RedeTV recently announced the deal, and the first event is set to take place in Osasco, Sao Paulo, on Feb. 8. According to sources close to the situation, XFC’s first card in Brazil will be headlined by a featherweight clash between Thiago Meller and Dave Courchaine.
In his last appearance inside the XFC cage, Courchaine (16-6) stopped Alexander Trevino via a second-round knockout. Meller (18-5), who fought to a majority decision against UFC featherweight champion Jose Aldo back in 2006, makes his promotional debut after racking up four consecutive victories.
For its first year in Brazil, XFC plans 10 fight card with a format similar to Bellator’s, with two tournaments in two seasons (from February to May and August to December). The weight divisions of the tournaments are yet to be announced.
“We were the first free TV [channel] betting on the UFC in Brazil, (when) the sport was very criticized, and the channel made a very serious work to change this picture in the country,” RedeTV director Amilcare Dallevo said.
RedeTV had a deal with the UFC in 2011 and aired UFC 134 live. After RedeTV’s success with the UFC, Globo signed a huge deal with Dana White’s promotion.
“Thanks to what we did, it’s much easier to build the image of a big MMA event today in Brazil,” Dallevo said. “The number of fans and supporters grew a lot since that time. RedeTV will be the home of MMA in Brazil.”