![Previewing the TUF: Brazil Final 16 [Video]](/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/tuf_brazil-300x183.jpg "Previewing the TUF: Brazil Final 16 [Video]")
Sunday’s premiere of TUF: Brazil showed 32 fighters from all over Brazil stepped into the Octagon to fight their way into the first international TUF house. Coaches Vitor Belfort and Wanderlei Silva, along with UFC President Dana White watched on as 16 fights narrowed the field down to the 8 featherweights and 8 middleweights that will compete for the chance to become the next Ultimate Fighter.
With the injury to heavyweight Rob Broughton, UFC veteran Gabriel Gonzaga has been tabbed as the replacement and will return to the Octagon to face fellow Brazilian Edinaldo Oliveira at UFC 142 in Brazil. Gonzaga last fought in the UFC back in 2010 when he lost via unanimous decision to Brendan Schaub at UFC 121.
Brazilian domination is a simple phrase to explain the championship picture in the UFC right now. At Saturday’s UFC on FOX, Junior dos Santos added to the impressive list of Brazilian born champions in the UFC with his stunning 1st round TKO of former champion, Cain Velasquez. While some fans were not happy with the 64 seconds of an hour-long program, dos Santos was emotional after the victory, shedding tears before and during his post-fight interview.
With the highly anticipated UFC 134: Silva vs. Okami (UFC: Rio) completed and in the history books, it’s easy now to sit back and view the event as a whole. The crowd comes to mind right away because if you watched any portion of the card (Facebook Prelims, SpikeTV Prelims or PPV Main Card), you probably noticed the extremely loud Brazilians cheering, booing, and shouting at maximum volume for seemingly the whole event.
Another fantastic card from Zuffa and Co. is in the books and there is a lot to be said for the performances turned in by the men on Saturday’s UFC: RIO card. Legends showed us to not to count them out, fighters couldn’t live up to their own hype and Rousimar Palhares is so confident that he will beat you he will celebrate prematurely before actually beating you.
Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira knocked out Brendan Schaub at last night’s UFC Rio in what was surprisingly the Heavyweight Legends first fight in his Mother Country. Then he stayed home, which is was only three miles away and celebrated.
The appetizers to tonight’s UFC 134 main event from the HSBC Arena in Rio de Janeiro were the preliminary card on Facebook and Spike TV. Featuring nine Brazilian born fighters, it was a perfect lead a PPV main card filled with five more Brazilians.
We’re less than 48 hours away from the three top Brazilian Mixed Martial Artists taking center Octagon at the Ultimate Fighting Championships return to Brazil. Antônio Rodrigo Nogueira, Maurício Rua and Anderson Silva are the Pride (pun intended) of Brazil and will be closing out the UFC Rio (UFC 134).
