UFC Fight Night 32 comes your way from Goiania, Goias, Brazil tonight, as the UFC cast and crew prepare to bring another exciting night of fights your way. The main event features Dan Henderson and Vitor Belfort throwing down for the second time in their careers.
The winner will position himself for a bigger fight in his next outing, but we’ll touch on that fight in a bit. The 11-fight card is not as stacked as previous UFC outings, but it should offer a platform for the fighters to prove their cases as potential future contenders.
Here’s what’s at stake for the UFC’s next free offering.
Preliminary Bouts
I’ll just group them all right here to save you time. Any fighter not having a good showing could find himself cut.
It is certainly no guarantee that a loss of contract will occur with a loss, but they are all subject to being put on on the chopping block with a poor performance. Many of the fighters are coming off losses already, and if they do not put on exciting fights, the UFC may have pink slips at the ready.
It is imperative that these fighters just try to be exciting.
Rony Jason vs. Jeremy Stephens
This is an interesting featherweight match-up, and it will open the main card.
Jason won the first season of The Ultimate Fighter: Brazil, and is 3-0 in the division. Stephens, on the other hand, made his featherweight debut at UFC 160, and looked solid. The winner may position himself just outside the top 10 of a ridiculously stacked division.
Outside of the main event, this may be the biggest fight in terms of rankings and impact on a division.
• Rony Jason vs. Jeremy Stephens
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Paulo Thiago vs. Brandon Thatch
This fight is not the co-main event, but it did get second billing on the UFC promos in the States. This is curious, but it is easy to see why. Thatch entered the UFC with a lot of hype, and he lived up to it. So, throw him against one of the tough veterans of the division and promote it a bit, and if he passes the test then we have another welterweight prospect to thrust into the contendership “mix.”
Thiago just got back on the winning side of things in May, but he will need to have another strong performance to keep that going. Thatch is a very good fighter, and Thiago will try to curb his momentum.
The winner of this fight could get a top-15 fight in his next bout. That is a significant jump in the welterweight division.
• Brandon Thatch vs. Paulo Thiago
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Cezar Ferreira vs. Daniel Sarafian
While there isn’t a ton at stake in the middleweight division in this fight besides maintaining momentum. However, this fight will settle old scores from The Ultimate Fighter: Brazil.
Ferreira and Sarafian were originally slated to fight for that prize, but an injury to Sarafian forced him off the card. Ferreira won the distinction, but now we will find out who truly deserves to be The Ultimate Fighter from that first season.
Is there anything bigger at stake? Maybe.
The reality show was a big hit in Brazil, and these two fighters got a lot of airtime. That is why this is the co-main event in Brazil, but getting little play in the States. The winner will solidify his position in Brazil for future UFC cards, and that is a great position to be in.
• Cezar Ferreira vs. Daniel Sarafian
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Vitor Belfort vs. Dan Henderson
Belfort and Henderson are both seeking one final run at a title, and it could happen at either middleweight or light heavyweight. First things first, one must win.
This fight very much could be the defining fight for where they stand in their careers in 2013. Are they title contenders, or past-their-prime veterans?
Belfort has looked spectacular recently. He has back-to-back wins over top-ranked fighters. His only two losses since 2006 (when he lost to Alistair Overeem and Dan Henderson) have been to Anderson Silva and Jon Jones. Common thought would be that Belfort is still a title contender, but a big loss at his age would be a dramatic setback.
Henderson, however, has lost two straight split decisions to light heavyweight elites. He cannot afford a third. This is a must win fight for both men, as each seeks one more title shot. We will see if Henderson tries to wrestle against Belfort, or if they go out looking to throw haymakers. It is an intriguing match-up with a lot at stake.
Belfort may be in a much better position, but all it takes is one impressive performance in this “what have you done for me lately” business for Henderson to thrust himself back into the title picture(s).
• Vitor Belfort vs. Dan Henderson
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UFC Fight Night 32: Belfort vs. Henderson 2 is due to take place on November 9, 2013 at Goiania Arena in Goiania, Goias, Brazil.
Click the stars to rate how good you think UFC Fight Night 32 will be.
