Up-to-the-minute news about UFC 147, taking place June 23 in Belo Horizonte, Brazil
More fight card updates:
UFC on FX 4 - June 22
UFC 147 - June 23
UFC 148 - July 7
UFC on FUEL TV 4 - July 11
UFC 149 - July 21
UFC on FOX 4 - August 4
UFC 150 - August 11
The Ultimate Fighter Brazil® middleweight favorite Daniel Sarafian, who
earned a spot in the finals with an impressive flying-knee knockout, has
been injured and cannot compete in this Saturday's UFC® 147: Silva vs.
Franklin II.
Stepping in for Sarafian at the Finale will be jiu-jitsu expert Sergio
"Serginho" Moraes, a Team Vitor prospect who was switched to Team
Wanderlei mid-season and made it to the semifinals. Moraes will now face
coach Vitor Belfort's protege Cezar "Mutante" Ferreira in a three-round
bout to determine the first-ever middleweight winner of The Ultimate
Fighter Brazil®.
The featherweight finals will feature Rony "Jason" Mariano Bezerra of
Team Wanderlei fighting teammate GodoFredo Pepey, who also started out
on Team Vitor.
Click here to see the full fight card, featuring cast members of The Ultimate Fighter Brazil®. Past episodes, including qualifying bouts, can be viewed at http://en.tuf.tv (ufc.tv in Canada).
Silva vs. Franklin 2 to Headline UFC 147 updated May 30
UFC 147 now has a new five-round main event, as former middleweight champion Rich Franklin will face "The Axe Murderer" Wanderlei Silva in a 190-pound catchweight feature. The two first met at UFC 99 in Germany, where Franklin earned a decision win and both men took home Fight of the Night bonuses.
Silva was originally set to face fellow TUF Brasil coach Vitor Belfort in a rematch of their 1998 UFC Brazil bout, but a hand injury forced Belfort to withdraw from the event. Franklin had been training to meet Cung Le at UFC 148 -- plans for Le's next matchup will be announced shortly.
The co-main bout will feature heavyweight stand-outs Fabrício Werdum and Mike Russow, both coming off wins in their last fight.
Plus, two elite Brazilian featherweights will go head-to-head as Yuri Alcantara fights Hacran Dias. The two have nearly 50 combined wins without a defeat in years. Their styles and ability to finish the fight anywhere make for a hard-to-predict bout that should pique the interest of hardcore fans.
A featherweight showdown between Felipe Arantes and Milton Vieira will also take place at this event. Vieira is a longtime veteran of the sport, known for his incredible durability and submission ability, while Arantes is a young prospect with a flashy and powerful striking game.
The remainder of the fight card will feature contestants from TUF Brasil, including the two finalists vying to become the show's first-ever Ultimate Fighter.