TUF Brazil 3 Cast Announcement

São Paulo - The Ultimate Fighting Championship ® (UFC) announced on Wednesday the names of 32 middleweights and heavyweights and selected to compete on the third season of his Brazilian reality show, The Ultimate Fighter Brasil 3. In the first two episodes of the show, which can be seen on UFC Fight Pass starting March 9, athletes in each weight category will fight each other. Only the 16 winners will move to the Ultimate Fighter house, where they will remain confined for 6 weeks training together.
 
Once in the house, the fighters will be divided into two teams of eight, led by  UFC® icons and sworn enemies Wanderlei Silva and Chael Sonnen. Coaches will have the help of assistant coaches, and the strengthening of world champions Isabel Salgado (beach volleyball) and Hortencia Marcari (basketball) , respectively.

Each week the athletes of each category will meet in the Octagon and determine who advances in the competition. The two finalists from each division will fight in a UFC live event in Brazil, which will also bring the long awaited battle between Sonnen and Wanderlei .
 
Competitors who appear in the first two episodes of the Ultimate Fighter Brazil 3 are:
 
HEAVYWEIGHTS :
 
Alexandre "Big Baby" Machado (6-1-0), 30, Niterói, RJ
Antonio Carlos Junior "Face Shoe" (3-0-0), 23, João Pessoa, PB
Antonio Paulo Branjão "Mountain" (3-0-0), 25, Uba, MG
Bruno Silva "Armored" (9-4-0), 24, João Pessoa, PB
Edgar Castaldelli Son "Magrão" (12-4-0), 34, Rio de Janeiro, RJ
Ewerton Rock "Giant" (3-1-0), 31, Rio de Janeiro, RJ
Diego Felipe Dantas de Oliveira "Monster" (6-0-0), 31, Natal, RN
Fernando Camolês (4-1-0), 27, São Caetano do Sul, SP
Goncalo Salgado (7-2-0), 33, Portugal
Guilherme Viana (4-1-0), 27, Porto Alegre, RS
Job Kleber Melo "Cape Job" (3-1-0), 34, Rio de Janeiro , RJ
Jollyson Sosaleta Francisco (2-0-2), 30, Recife, PE
Marcos Rogerio de Lima "Bigfoot" (11-2-2), 28, São Paulo, SP
Richardson Moreira (7-1-0), 29, Campinas, SP
Thiago " Big Monster " (11-3-1), 26 , Rio de Janeiro , RJ
Vitor Miranda " Lex Luthor " (9-3-0 ), 34, Joinville, SC
 
MIDDLEWEIGHTS :
 
Cristiano Ribeiro Lopes Pontes "Rust" (4-1-0), 34, Rio de Janeiro, RJ
Douglas Moura Silva (3-1-0), 29, Rio de Janeiro, RJ
Giuliano Brescianini Arante (5-1-0), 29, Campo Grande, MS
Guilherme Vasconcelos " Bomba" (3-1-0), 27, Belo Horizonte, MG
Ismael de Jesus "Groundhog" (9-4-1), 33, Goiania, GO
Joilton Santos "The Pilgrim" (9-2-1), 21, Campina Grande, PB
José Roberto Rocha ( 6-0-0 ), 26, Uba, MG
Marcio Alexandre Junior "Lyoto" (11-0-0), 24, Florianópolis, SC
Marcus Perez Echeimberg " Maluko " ( 3-0-0 ) , 24 , São Paulo, SP
Paulo Henrique Costa " rubberband " ( 3-0-0 ) , 22 , Belo Horizonte, MG
Pedro Paulino " Vinegar " ( 3-0-0 ) , 29 , Corumbá, MS
Ricardo Abreu " Demented " ( 4-0-0 ) , 29 , São Paulo, SP
Wagner Silva Gomes " Wagnão " ( 3-0-0 ) , 26 , Viçosa, MG
Warlley Alves de Andrade ( 6-0-0 ) , 22 , Governador Valadares, MG
Wendell Oliveira Marques ( 23-7-0 ), 31, Rio de Janeiro, RJ
Willian Steindorf ( 3-0-0 ), 26, Porto Alegre, RS
 
The 32 participants were chosen from hundreds of applicants who auditioned for the first round of the program, held in Rio de Janeiro in November 2013. These fighters came from various corners of Brazil in search of a chance to compete for a UFC contract . They passed professional analyzes, interviews and medical examinations, as well as their fighting skills standing and on the ground.
 
The third edition of The Ultimate Fighter ® Brazil promises many surprises and one of the UFC's biggest rivalries.
 
"I attended the other two editions of The Ultimate Fighter ® Brazil and I can say this for sure, we have differentiated athletes and can not help but get involved with the life story of each one of these guys. As for living with Chael Sonnen, could not be otherwise. A guy who speaks ill of my country , my people and then come say it is promoting does not deserve my consideration, much less friendship. This will be clearly visible in the program, "emphasized Wanderlei Silva .
 
"My team started at a disadvantage just because I speak English and them, Portuguese. But the athlete's willpower  surprised me . They were thirsty for learning and did a great job . I can say that Wanderlei Silva also made their role even believe he was infinitely better coach than fighter is, after all, all your good results inside the ring were a big lie, " said Sonnen .

Produced in Brazil by Forest Productions, The Ultimate Fighter ® Brazil already crowned the winners Ron and Jason Cezar Mutant, in the first edition, and Leo Santos in the second season, in 2013. In the United States, the program has launched the careers of more than 100 fighters and has produced future UFC champions as Forrest Griffin , Rashad Evans and Matt Serra.