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The Octagon returns to Brazil with a UFC Fight Night card packed with intriguing matchups. Headlined by the return of Brazil's own Lyoto Machida, Fight Night 119 promises to serve up a treat. Let's take a look at the best bouts on the card.
#1 Vicente Luque vs Niko Price
Duelling welterweights Vicente Luque and Niko Price will go toe-to-toe in what looks all set to be an all-out striking contest in the featured preliminary bout of the evening.
Luque heads into this weekend’s bout desperate to get back to winning ways after losing out to Britain’s Leon ‘Rocky’ Edwards in London last time out.
But he faces an exceptionally tough test in the form of Price, who is undefeated in 11 pro contests, with 10 wins and seven knockouts on his record.
Luque has never been stopped, while Price specialises in stopping people. This one could get lively.
#2 John Lineker vs Marlon Vera
Two of the most exciting bantamweights in the UFC will duke it out looking to move into a contender’s position in the 135lb division.
Lineker’s punch power is well documented, but he’s still to pick up a legitimate victory at bantamweight (his lone win after moving up came after missing weight against John Dodson).
Vera is on a tear, following wins over Ning Guangjou (decision), Brad Pickett (knockout) and Brian Kelleher (submission) and is in his best form since joining the UFC.
This one should be an absolute cracker, and a sleeper pick for Fight of the Night honours. It could finish quickly, or it could descend into a three-round, back-and-forth war.
But however it goes, you won’t want to take your eyes off this fight.
#3 Thiago Santos vs Jack Hermansson
Both of these middleweights are flying under the radar at 185lbs, but both have the mindset - and the skillset - to work their way into a ranked position in the UFC’s middleweight division.
Both men go into this contest on a two-fight win streak, with back-to-back TKO victories in their last two outings, meaning this one is as finely poised as you could wish for.
’Marreta’ (translation: ‘Sledgehammer’) Santos will have the home field advantage with the fight taking place on home soil, but Hermansson is one of the most unflappable characters in the middleweight division. The former Cage Warriors champion has shown his ability to fight to a gameplan and come out victorious.
It’s a pick ‘em fight, so take your pick, sit back and enjoy!
#4 Demian Maia vs Colby Covington
Trash-talking American Colby Covington has put his opponents away and made plenty of noise doing it as he’s gradually worked his way up the UFC’s welterweight division.
But against jiu-jitsu ace and two-time world title challenger Maia, Covington faces the toughest test of his career to date.
Maia is almost the total opposite to Covington, character-wise. The Brazilian is quiet, respectful and just goes about his job, whereas Covington is making as much noise as possible ahead of the bout as he desperately clamours for attention in a talent-packed weight class.
Victory over Maia will give him all the attention he needs, but most experts are likely to be picking Maia to use the American’s wrestling against him and secure the 13th submission win of his career.
Will the upstart upset the master? It’ll make for a fascinating matchup.
#5 Derek Brunson vs Lyoto Machida
The two big questions ahead of the main event matchup at UFC Fight Night 119 in Sao Paulo: Can Derek Brunson defeat world championship-calibre opposition and will Lyoto Machida come back as good as he was previously?
Brunson stepped up against Robert Whittaker and Anderson Silva and came out on the losing end of the deal on both occasions, while Machida has lost three of his last four and is returning from a one-year USADA suspension on a two-fight losing skid.
Both men have a big point to prove as they look to re-establish themselves in a crowded UFC middleweight division, and defeat for either one could be extremely damaging for their career.
There’s a lot on the line, but only one man can emerge victorious.
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