This coming Saturday, January 21st, 2023, the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) will host its first pay-per-view event of the year, UFC 283, in historic Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. UFC 283 features two thrilling title fights and is stacked with top-level global and Brazilian talent from top to bottom. 283 will be the first UFC event held in Brazil since March 14th, 2020, when the global pandemic shut down the sports world and the world as we know it. The UFC has a long history in Brazil, with the first event held in the country taking place in 1998. Since then, the UFC has held numerous events in Brazil, showcasing the country’s rich history and culture of martial arts. Brazil has produced many notable fighters such as Anderson Silva, José Aldo, Vitor Belfort, and Amanda Nunes, who had great success in the UFC and are considered legends and surefire Hall of Famers. Brazil has also been the site of many memorable moments in UFC history, such as Silva’s record-breaking run as middleweight champion and Aldo’s reign as featherweight champion. The UFC has also helped to promote and develop the sport of MMA in Brazil and provide opportunities for Brazilian fighters to showcase their skills on a global stage. Brazilian MMA will again be on display this coming Saturday as every fight on the 15-fight card involves a Brazilian fighter, a remarkable and rare feat.
Entering Saturday night, the feature title fights at the top of the card involve the Flyweight Championship of the world in the co-main slot and culminate’s with the Light Heavyweight Championship of the world as the main event of the evening. In a historic fight and the UFC’s first-ever ‘quadrilogy’, Flyweight champ and Brazilian dynamite Deiveson Figueiredo will defend his belt against interim champ Brandon Moreno. Meeting for the fourth time, both men have displayed incredible heart and skill in their previous three bouts and will look to put on another war in Rio de Janeiro this coming Saturday. Concluding a historic night of action, Brazilian legend Glover Teixeira will take on rising star Jamahal Hill for the vacant UFC Light Heavyweight belt. After fearsome champ Jiří Procházka went down with a serious shoulder injury, the Light Heavyweight belt was vacated and put on the line this past December at UFC 282. A fight in which Jan Blachowicz and Magomed Ankalaev finished in a controversial draw leaving the Light Heavyweight belt vacant yet again. Mere moments after that fight concluded, UFC matchmakers instantly organized Glover Teixeira and Jamahal Hill for the Light Heavyweight title. This unprecedented series of events sets up improbable storylines with 43-year-old Glover Teixeira eager to capture the belt again but this time in his home of Brazil, and young phenom Jamahal Hill aiming to become champ less than three years into his UFC career. Regardless of the outcomes, UFC 283 is set on being one of the most entertaining pay-per-view cards of the year.
Ranging from the early prelims to the main card, UFC 283 features a wide range of exciting prospects and fights across all divisions. The Brazilian Bonfim brothers, Ismael and Gabriel, will make their UFC debuts after dominant performances on Dana White’s Contender Series (DWCS). Heavyweight super prospect Jailton Almeida returns for his fourth UFC appearance as he takes on Shamil Abdurakhimov. Fearsome finisher and Brazilian Middleweight Gregory “Robocop” Rodrigues returns and faces UFC debutant and DWCS vet Brunno Ferreira in what should be a thrilling strikers affair. First-ballot Hall of Famer and Brazilian MMA legend Shogun Rua will conclude a historic career in his retirement fight against Ukrainian prospect and potent finisher Ihor Potieria. On the main card, dangerous Brazilian Jessica Andrade returns against veteran Alaskan Lauren Murphy in a women’s flyweight bout. Finally, Brazilian powerhouse Gilbert “Durinho” Burns faces off against welterweight stalwart Neil Magny in his first fight back since his war against undefeated killer Khamzat Chimaev. These fights are just a few on a 15-fight card that promises to deliver from top to bottom. The action will take place at Jeunesse Arena in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil this coming Saturday, January 21st. Tune into ESPN+ for the early prelims at 3 pm PST and the preliminary card at 5 pm, and then the main card on ESPN+ PPV at 7 pm. Enjoy the action!