Ultimate Fighter Brasil - Discussion, Rumors & Results

[Keithlewis]

The Ultimate Fighter Brasil, the first international TUF, will begin airing on March 25, 2012 and will feature coaches Wanderlei Silva and Vitor Belfort along with 16 middleweight fighters and 16 featherweight fighters that will be paired up on the first episode of the show. Globo TV will air The Ultimate Fighter Brasil on Brazilian television and Fuel TV will air the series in the United States.


Here are 32 fighters that will be facing off for a shot at The Ultimate Fighter Brasil:

Middleweights:

Cesar Ferreira
Francisco Drinaldo
Sérgio Moraes
Leonardo Mafra
Daniel Sarafian
Gustavo Sampaio
Fábio da Costa
Richardson Moreira
Renee Forte
João Paulo de Souza
Thiago Rela
Charles Maicon
Gilberto Galvão
Thiago Perpétuo
Samuel Trindade
Délson Heleno


Featherweights:

Rony Mariano Bezerra
Godofredo Pepey
Hugo Viana
Marcos Vinicius Pancini
Alexandre Ramos
Anistávio Medeiros
Johnny Gonçalves
Fernando Duarte Guerra
Rodrigo Damm
John Teixeira
Rafael Bueno
Wagner Campos
Pedro Nobre
Fabrício Costa da Silva
Dileno Lopes
Giovanni da Silva Santos Jr.

[ArmyofDarkness]

[Keithlewis]

BRAZILIAN EDITION OF REALITY SHOW THE ULTIMATE FIGHTER DEBUTS ON MARCH 25


For American and Canadian audiences: All 13 episodes of the first international edition of TUF will air on TUF.tv Sunday night at midnight ET / 9:00 p.m. PT

Champions Anderson Silva, Junior Dos Santos and Jose Aldo and former champions Lyoto Machida and Mauricio “Shogun” Rua all make appearances


Seven years after its debut in the United States, in 2005, the first international edition of the famed reality TV show The Ultimate Fighter begins in Brazil. Co-produced by Brazilian production company Floresta, the inaugural Brazilian version of the show is the first time a TUF series was filmed outside of the United States.

The Ultimate Fighter - Brasil features UFC legends Wanderlei Silva and Vitor Belfort as the coaches of the first season, which features both the featherweight (145 lbs) and middleweight (185 lbs) divisions. As is standard on this series, the coaches will face-off in a highly anticipated live rematch in June for the grand finale.

The Premiere episode will showcase elimination bouts, narrowing down the initial group of 32 fighters to the final 16 who will move into the TUF house. From there, they will be split between “Team Vitor” and “Team Wanderlei” and face weekly eliminations until the finale, where a winner from both weight classes will be declared The Ultimate Fighter and win an international UFC contract.

The highly anticipated Premiere is scheduled to air Sunday night, March 25, on Rede Globo in Brazil after the Big Brother finale. All 13 episodes will first air on Rede Globo in Brazil Sunday nights and then on TUF.tv in the United States and Canada at midnight ET / 9:00 p.m. PT.

The initial 32 contestants, in both the featherweight and middleweight divisions, hail from 15 of the 26 states in Brazil and represent a diverse cross-section of the country including São Paulo (8), Paraná (4), Rio de Janeiro (3), Amapá (2), Santa Catarina (2), Ceará (2), Brasília (2), Rio Grande do Norte (2). Also, the states of Minas Gerais, Roraima, Bahia, Mato Grosso do Sul, Espírito Santo, Amazonas and Paraíba have one representative each.

Although many of the details will be kept under wraps until the Premiere, it has been revealed that a few famous personalities visited the house and training center during the taping. There are special appearances by UFC Middleweight Champion Anderson Silva, UFC Heavyweight Champion Junior Dos Santos, UFC Featherweight Champion Jose Aldo, former UFC Light Heavyweight Champions Lyoto Machida and Mauricio “Shogun” Rua.

The series is one of the most successful sports reality shows in the US, having discovered some of the most talented fighters in the UFC. It has also helped leverage the promotion’s popularity amongst American audiences. The first edition, which had UFC legends Chuck Liddell and Randy Couture as coaches, featured big names such as Diego Sanchez (middleweight winner of that season), Forrest Griffin (light heavyweight winner), Josh Koscheck, Stephan Bonnar and Kenny Florian.

A part last season’s featherweight winner, Diego Brandão, the first Brazilian to ever win the show, other Brazilian fighters have appeared on previous editions. Heavyweight icons Rodrigo “Minotauro” and Dos Santos have been coaches. Minotauro appeared on the eighth edition, which aired in 2008, against former UFC Heavyweight Champion FrankMir. Both winners from that season, light heavyweight Ryan Bader and lightweight Efrain Escudero, were members of “Team Nogueira”. Brazilian fighter Vinicius “Pezão” Magalhães was one of the finalists from that edition, but lost the title to Bader. Dos Santos competed against former champion Brock Lesnar on the 13th season. The Brazilian TUF pioneer was Jorge Gurgel, eliminated on the eighth episode of the second season.



This season’s contenders include:


Flyweight


Name: Alexandre Ramos
Nickname: Sangue
Age: 23 years old
Record: 5-0
Fighting out of: Curitiba (PR)

Features: Single, no kids, Sangue built his career on Brazilian events, like Brave FC, where he made his debut, and also on Brazilian Fight League. Aside from his win via decision over Marcos Bicudo, all his bouts were finished in the first round by submission or knockout.


Name: Rony Mariano Bezerra
Nickname: Jason
Age: 27 years old
Record: 10-3
Fighting out of: Mossoró (RN)

Features: Single dad with two kids, “Jason” won seven of his fights via submission. One of them, over Felipe Sertanejo who now fights in the UFC, via triangle choke. Bezerra also fought Renan Barão, in2006, with a loss via split decision.


Name: Godofredo Pepey
Nickname: None
Age: 24 years old
Record: 8-0
Fighting out of: Fortaleza (CE)

Features: Single, no kids, Pepey teaches Jiu Jitsu and Muay Thai, showcasing his versatility. Six of his wins were by submission and the other two by knockouts.


Name: Marcos Vinicius Borges Pancini
Nickname: Vina
Age: 31 years old
Record: 19-3-1
Fighting out of: Curitiba (PR)

Features: Single, no kids, Vina’s record shows he’s good both standing and on the ground. Six wins by knockout and 13 by submission. None of his wins were decided by the judges.


Name: Anistávio Medeiros
Nickname: Gasparzinho
Age: 23 years old
Record: 12-7
Fighting out of: Natal (RN)

Features: Single, no kids, Anistávio has plenty experience for a 23 year old. Of his 19 bouts, he has two losses over big names like Renan Barão and Willamy Freire.


Name: Johnny Gonçalves
Nickname: Cabeça
Age: 22 years old
Record: 4-0
Fighting out of: Taubaté (SP)

Features: Single, no kids, the student is a specialist in Muay Thai, which he also teaches. Two of his four wins were by knockout. The other ones were by decision.


Name: Hugo Viana
Nickname: Wolverine
Age: 29 years old
Record: 5-0
Fighting out of: Salvador (BA)

Features: Single, no kids, the physiotherapist Wolverine in undefeated in MMA, but yet, as never submitted or knocked out an opponent. All his wins are by decision.


Name: Fernando Duarte Guerra
Nickname: None
Age: 28 years old
Record: 10 -1
Fighting out of: Dourados (MS)

Features: Married, with no kids. Fernando is a physical education teacher. Fighting MMA professionally since 2009, most of his wins (six) were earned by decision.


Name: Rodrigo Damm
Nickname: None
Age: 31 years old
Record: 9-5
Fighting out of: Vila Velha (ES)

Features: Married and father of three kids, Damm is the most experienced flyweight on the show. He fought in big international events, such as Bodog Fight, Sengoku and Strikeforce.


Name: John Teixeira
Nickname: John Macapá
Age: 25 years old
Record: 12-0-1
Fighting out of: Macapa (AP)

Features: Single, no kids, Teixeira began his career with four wins by armbar. He has managed eight victories by submission, two by knockout and three by decision.


Name: Rafael Bueno
Nickname: None
Age: 24 years old
Record: 7-1

Fighting out of: Bragança Paulista (SP)
Features: Single no kids, Rafael is a fighter, but also makes a living as a coach. In his career, he has fought eight bouts, won seven and lost only the last one. He finished five of his fights and knocked out two opponents.


Name: Wagner Campos
Nickname: Galeto
Age: 30 years old
Record: 11-3
Fighting out of: Pinhais (PR)

Features: Married with two kids, Galeto is a pro in MMA since 2006. He likes to fight standing up and has won six fights by knockout. One of his losses was to Jonn Lineker, the Brazilian who recently signed with the UFC.


Name: Peter Noble
Nickname: None
Age: 25 years old
Record: 10-0-1
Fighting out of: Rio de Janeiro (RJ)

Features: Single no kids, Peter Noble is one of the great promises of the famous Brazilian Top Team gym. He has finished all of his fights – with seven knockouts and three submissions.


Name: Fabricio Guerrero
Nickname:
Age: 21 years old
Record: 10-0-1
Fighting out of: Santana (AP)

Features: Single father with a son Fabricio is the youngest fighter in the show. Although he's just 21 he's been here for quite some time and proved to be tough in the ring, undefeated, he won ten matches and had one draw.


Name: Lim Dileno
Nickname: None
Age: 27 years old
Record: 7-0
Fighting out of: Manaus (AM)

Features: Single no kids, the fighter and master of Jiu-Jitsu Dileno Lopes honors the tradition of the soft art. Seven of his victories came by submission, showing variations between guillotine (four), rear naked choke (two) and armbar.


Name: Giovanni da Silva Santos Jr
Nickname: Soldado
Age: 24 years old
Record: 10 - 1
Fighting out of: João Pessoa (PB)

Features: Married, with kids, Soldado made his debut in MMA with a loss in 2006. Later he recovered and started a 10 consecutive winning streak, five by knockout, a submission and four by decision.



Middleweight

Name: Sergio Moraes
Nickname: None
Age: 29 years old
Record: 6- 1
Fighting out of: Sao Paulo (SP)

Features: Single father of two kids, Moraes is a four-time Jiu-Jitsu world champion. Of his six career wins, five have been by submission and one by decision. His only loss was to Brett Cooper by knockout, at Jungle Fight 16 in 2009.


Name: Cezar Ferreira
Nickname: Mutante
Age: 26 years old
Record: 4 - 2
Fighting out of: Belo Horizonte (MG)

Features: Married, has a son, Mutante’s last two fights were in the US, with a win over Chaun Sims, and a loss to Elvis Mutapcic. Strong standing up, three of his four wins came by knockout.


Name: Leonardo Mafra
Nickname: Macarrão
Age: 22 years old
Record: 5-0
Fighting out of: Balneário Camboriú (SC)

Features: With an MMA career in southern Brazil, Macarrão has three wins by knockout - all in the first round - and two by decision. Aggressive in his standup game, the Chute Boxe Academy fighter bets on his punch power to win in the Octagon.


Name: Daniel Sarafian
Nickname: None
Age: 29 years old
Record: 7 - 2
Fighting out of: Sao Paulo (SP)

Features: Strong in the ground game, with six of his seven victories won by submission, Sarafian shows a wide range of moves, including guillotine, armbar, and triangle choke. Of his two losses, one was by knockout.


Name: Gustavo Sampaio
Nickname: Labareda
Age: 35 years old
Record: 5 - 1
Fighting out of: Brasília (DF)

Features: Specialist in kickboxing, Labareda is also strong on the ground, getting three of his five wins by submission. He has some international experience, with two wins in two tournaments in Spain.



Name: Fabio Luiz Vital Coast
Nickname: Bolinho
Age: 28 years old
Record: 9-0-1
Fighting out of: Natal (RN)

Features: Undefeated in 10 MMA fights, Bolinho won eight of his 10 fights by decision. Of those, only one was a split decision. He also won by TKO against Nilton Santos, at Platinum Fight in 2009, where he last fought.



Name: Richardson Moreira
Nickname: Monstrão
Age: 27 years old
Record: 3 - 0
Fighting out of: Campinas (SP)

Features: With three wins in three fights, Monstrão has yet to be pushed past the first round. Adding up the time of his three fights, this Team Nogueira athlete has only fought a total of 4 min. 56 sec. Outside the ring, Monstrão is a graduate in Engineering.



Name: Renee Strong
Nickname: None
Age: 24 years old
Record: 7 - 1
Fighting out of: Fortaleza (CE)

Features: With two victories by knockout, two by submission and three by decision, Forte has a good career in MMA. His only loss was by knockout, against Mario Sartori, in IFC, in August 2011. Fighting professionally since 2006.



Name: Joao Paulo de Souza
Nickname: Tuba
Age: 28 years old
Record: 8 - 4
Fighting out of: Curitiba (PR)

Features: With 12 fights on his record, including one at Wembley Stadium in London, Tuba has good experience in MMA. His last five fights went to the judges' decision, and he lost only the last one to Valentino Petrescu.



Name: Francisco Drinaldo
Nickname: Massaranduba
Age: 33 years old
Record: 10 - 1
Fighting out of: Brasília (DF)

Features: Fighter hired by Jungle Fight, Massaranduba is undefeated in his last four fights. With four knockouts, three submissions and three wins by decision, he only lost to the experienced Yuri Marajó in Jungle Fight 22 in September of 2010.



Name: Thiago Rela
Nickname: None
Age: 22 years old
Record: 3 - 1
Fighting out of: Itatiba (SP)

Features: With his three victories by submission, his only loss in 2010 came when he was submitted by Alvaro Head in a Campinas Fight. His specialty is the rear naked choke, which has won him three bouts.


Name: Charles Maicon
Nickname: None
Age: 33 years old
Record: 8 - 1
Fighting out of: Sorocaba (SP)

Features: Undefeated in his last eight fights, his only loss came in his fighting debut, losing by knockout to Sergio Junior in 2007. After that, he built an eight-win streak by knockout, and all in the first round. His nine fights in the Octagon lasted only 6 min. and 26 sec.



Name: Gilberto Galvão
Nickname: Giba
Age: 28 years old
Record: 17 4 -1
Fighting out of: Balneário Camboriú (SC)

Features: With 11 of his 17 victories by submission, Giba shows he is an expert on the ground. He is strong and also relies on his "ground and pound" to halt his opponents.



Name: Thiago de Oliveira Perpetual
Nickname: Bodão
Age: 24 years old
Record: 8 - 1 -1
Fighting out of: Santo André (SP)

Features: Coming off four consecutive wins, Bodão last six of eight wins have come by knockout. His last - and only - loss was in 2009, to Danilo Pereira, in Full Fight 2 via submission by a rear naked choke.



Name: Samuel Trindade
Nickname: None
Age: 25 years old
Record: 6- 1
Fighting out of: Boa Vista (RR)

Features: With his career built in MMA in Northern Brazil, Trindade had been undefeated in his last six fights, following a loss to Ronys Torres in 2009. He won three fights by submission, one by knockout and two by unanimous decision.


Name: Delson Heleno
Nickname: Pé de Chumbo
Age: 34 years old
Record: 23 - 6
Fighting out of: Teresópolis (RJ)

Features: The veteran Pé de Chumbo is an expert in the ground game winning 12 of his fights by submission. The Jiu Jitsu World Champion had ​​his last fight in November 2011, in the MMA contra a dengue event in Rio de Janeiro.

[Keithlewis]

[Keithlewis]

http://www.ufc.com/news/TUF-Brazil-Episode-One-Recap

It’s easy to notice something really special when the 32 men selected for the first edition of The Ultimate Fighter Brazil make their first walk towards the Octagon.

Some athletes even let their emotions out, thanking God for the opportunity and even letting a tear run down their face during the quick speeches of both coaches, MMA legends Vitor Belfort and Wanderlei Silva. And this mix of emotion and anxiety happens without the fighters even knowing who they are going to fight or how it’s going to unfold until they get their hand raised (or not), ensuring that they have a place inside the Ultimate Fighter house.

But in spite of the emotions, silence reigned as Vitor and Wanderlei spoke. The same can’t be said of the reaction to the remarkable introduction from UFC president Dana White. Declaring what he truly expected of the 32 fighters, Dana went straight to the point.

“I’m looking for the next world champion. It’s the opportunity of your lives. You made it this far. But it doesn’t end here; you will have to fight to get to the house. No one wants to lose the chance to be in this show, no one wants to be out of this. Today is the day! Today is the most important day of your lives. You’ll give your best here today to get inside that house, and maybe become world champions in the UFC. Are you ready?”

Without any response, in a louder voice, White asked again, “Are you ready?”

Then the excitement started taking over the 32 men standing in front of the president, who responded loud and clear: “YES!!”

QUALIFIERS

Divided between featherweight and middleweight fighters, now came the defining moment for the 32 chosen - a chance to prove that all your efforts will be rewarded or overcome by the bigger will of your opponent.


Fight 1 [featherweight] - Rony "Jason" Mariano (Quixada EC) vs. Dileno Lopes (Manaus, AM)

After a slightly better start, where he gave some good kicks, Mariano caught two strong punches from Dileno's left hand and went to the ground. Trying to finish with a ground and pound attack, Dileno rushed, and even passing the guard, he could not keep his opponent on the ground. Mariano got back up to his feet and showing he recovered well, struck with a low kick, tried a flying knee and took advantage of a slip by Dileno to land a punch that knocked him down, and was then declared a technical knockout winner in the fight after two more punches.


Fight 2 [middleweight] Francisco "Massaranduba" Drinaldo (Brasilia, DF) vs. Charles Maicon (Sorocaba, SP)

A frenetic and wide-open striking fight has only one likely outcome...someone will fall. “Massaranduba” showed all his power when he threw Charles on the floor, where he started the ground and pound and implemented a sequence of left hands until the referee stopped the fight and declared him the knockout victor.


Fight 3 [featherweight] Godofredo Pepey (Fortaleza, CE) x Johnny "Cabeça” Goncalves

With a sharp ground game, Pepey showed his skills - even on his back – and he was able to get an armbar from the guard, forcing Johnny to tap out in less than two minutes.


Fight 4 [middleweight] Cesar "Mutante" Ferreira (Belo Horizonte. MG) x Gustavo "Labareda" Sampaio (Brasilia, DF)

With a big reach advantage , “Mutante” was aware that striking could be the way to victory against the shorter Gustavo “Labareda.” However, after dominating in the clinch with the best Wanderlei Silva Muay Thai style, Mutante was forced to fight on the ground when his opponent decided to pull into his guard. At that moment, the "mutant" was warned for delivering blows to the neck and illegal elbows that forced the referee to stop the fight to check a cut that was bleeding from Gustavo's head. In the next round, “Labareda” found the distance to land low kicks, and Mutante was having a hard time striking. In response, he decided to take the fight down to the mat, and though Labareda tried to get up, but Mutante had the guillotine position ready and he pulled to guard, which left Gustavo no alternative except to give up.


Fight 5 [featherweight] Alexander "Sangue" Ramos (Curitiba, PR) x Hugh "Wolverine" Viana (Salvador, BA)

Understanding the need to put on an exciting fight, “Sangue” and “Wolverine” began trading blows immediately. Sangue attempted a flying triangle, which seemed good, but Wolverine resisted, defended and escaped from the submission. Going into the guard of the man from Curitiba, Wolverine showed some inexperience using his elbows, but he eventually figured things out and put his opponent to sleep with three perfect elbows.


Fight 6 [middleweight] Daniel Safarian (São Paulo, SP) x Richard "Monstrão" Moreira (Campinas, SP)

Ignoring Richard Monstrão's reach, Daniel Safarian showed good footwork and was able to shake his opponent with a jab. On the ground, Safarian had speed in his blows, but Monstrão went for his left leg with a dangerous heel hook that was well defended by Safarian, who used it to stay on top and get the mount. Monstrão tried standing back up when - with one hand on the ground – he caught an illegal knee. After a few minutes to recover, Safarian tried getting points, and doing damage, he set the pace, but was saved by the bell when the fight went to the ground and Monstrão worked a second heel hook. In the second round, Safarian continued pushing, took the fight to the ground and punished Monstrão for five minutes, alternating blows from the mount and into half guard, taking the first victory of the day by decision.


Fight 7 [featherweight] Fabricio Guerrero (Santana, AP) x Rodrigo Damm (Vila Velha, ES)

The experience of fighting in Brazil, Japan, Russia, Canada and U.S. that Rodrigo Damm had may have been crucial for him to overcome Fabricio Guerrero's best striking, as he took advantage of the timing of attempted kicks to counter attack with well-aimed punches. But Damm realized that he wouldn't win standing up, and he used his wrestling as an ally combined with his black belt in jiu-jitsu to get a rear-naked choke and finish the fight in the second round.


Fight 8 [featherweight] Wagner's "Galeto" Santos (Pines, PR) x Fernando Guerra (Dourados, MS)

Although we didn’t see much of the performance expected - Wagner “Galeto” and his combinations appeared to have him heading towards the knockout. But it was difficult to define a winner after two rounds of five minutes each, and an extra stanza was needed. In it, Galeto seemed to have enough gas to give a final sprint and show everything that he hadn't done before. Fernando resisted, but ultimately did not convince the judges, who gave the victory to his opponent. Before the verdict, Fernando tried to verbally convince the judges that his opponent did not fight, but just tried to manage the fight, creating some tension between the two, but it was left alone.


Fight 9 [middleweight] Sergio Moraes (Sao Paulo, SP) x Thiago Rela (Itatiba, SP)

You shouldn't ignore it when they say "Do not go to the ground with a renowned black belt in jiu-jitsu." If he is a three-time world champion, it’s even worse. Thiago Rela started well, trading blows in an unusual position on the floor - with one closing a triangle on the other’s leg. But Sergio Moraes’ moment soon arrived, and shortly after he sunk a heel hook in, submitting Rela and stamping his "passport" into the Ultimate Fighter house.


Fight 10 [featherweight] Rafael Bueno (Bragança Paulista, SP) x Anistávio "Gasparzinho" Medeiros (Natal, RN)

Gasparzinho was not as nice a guy as his nickname (Casper) would denote, and with enough versatility he confused Rafael's striking and got the best of him in the first five minutes. After that, Rafael hit back, and despite being punished by the end of the round, he had done enough to take the fight to the third. In that tiebreaking round, "Casper" showed a lot of aggression and almost managed to finish with an armbar, but won by decision.


Fight 11 [middleweight] John "Tuba" de Souza (Curitiba, PR) x Thiago "Bodão" Perpetual (Santo André, SP)

Tuba from Curitiba wanted to show what he had early in the match and he took Thiago Bodão to the ground and went to half-guard while hammering him. Bodão rebounded in the same way, reversing the position and punishing from the passed guard. In the second round, Bodao repeated the successful formula of the previous frame: ground and pound. Tuba was a warrior and survived, only to lose the decision to Bodão.


Fight 12 [featherweight] Geovani "Soldado" Souza Jr. (PB,) x John "Macapa" Teixeira (Macapa, AP)

A trade of low blows started this bout off in bizarre fashtion, but on the second restart, an exchange of heavy blows ended with a clinch and a takedown by Macapa. Soldado reversed the position, but Macapá locked in an armbar that ended the fight.


Fight 13 [middleweight] Delson "Pé de Chumbo" Heleno (Teresopolis, RJ) x Gilberto Galvão (Camburiú, SC)

In a battle between two of the most physically strong fighters in the competition, Pé de Chumbo got the best of his foe as he put into practice a successful strategy of takedowns and a fine ground game to dispatch Gilberto via judges’ decision.


Fight 14 [middleweight] Fabio Bolinho (Natal, RN) x Renee Forte (Fortaleza, CE)

Punishing Renee's left leg with very heavy low kicks, Fabio seemed to have found the path that leads to the house of The Ultimate Fighter. Renee wouldn't surrender the easy way though, doing justice to his name and finding the distance to adjust with good uppercuts, shaking his opponent on some occasions, and earning the decision win.


Fight 15 [featherweight] - Marcus "Vina" Pancini (Curitiba, PR) x Pedro Nobre (Rio de Janeiro, RJ)

A right hand that landed perfectly on Pedro's face was the beginning of Vina’s path to the house. Even dizzy on the floor, Pedro tried to work a leg lock, but many right hands sealed the end of the fight by technical knockout in favor of Vina.


Fight 16 - [middleweight] Samuel Trindade (Boa Vista, RR) x Leonardo "Macarrão" Mafra (Camburiú, SC)

The last elimination of the night was considered "Fight of the Night." A duel of back-and-forth exchanges left White, Silva, and Belfort on their feet applauding at the end of two remarkable rounds. In the tiebreaking round three, fatigue had Samuel and Macarrão seemingly moving in slow motion, but that didn’t mean the fight was no longer exciting, as the two continued trading punches. With less than 12 seconds left, Samuel took his foe down and got the mount, going for a triangle, but time ran out. The final attack was not enough and Macarrão emerged victorious by decision.

If adrenaline was sky high after the first episode, rest assured that you will have a hard time handling the excitement coming up. In the weeks ahead, we will have Wanderlei and Vitor choosing their team members, their training sessions, a look at the fighters living in the house together, and the fights that will determine the first two Ultimate Fighters of Brazil.



Here are your final 16 competitors:

Middleweight:

César Mutante
Leonardo Macarrão
Francisco Massaranduba
Delson Pé de Chumbo
Daniel Sarafian
Sérgio Moraes
Renée Forte
Thiago Bodão

Featherweight:

Wagner Galeto
Anistávio Gasparzrinho
Hugo Wolverine
John Macapá
Godofredo Pepey
Rony Jason
Marcus Vinícius Vina
Rodrigo Damm

[Keithlewis]

[Keithlewis]

http://www.ufc.com/news/TUF-Brazil-Episode-Two-Recap


The second episode of TUF Brazil keeps the adrenaline level high with the presentation of the athletes’ routine in the house, the selection of the teams, training, and the difficulties of literally “sleeping with the enemy.”

At first, the joy of setting foot inside the house of the reality show didn't leave any room for rivalries, with some of the competitors celebrating while others were seeking focus. Well, almost everyone is on that vibe, except for Anistávio Gasparzinho, who claims to be more familiar with modest facilities, so he picked up his mattress and camped in the "Bat Cave" that was more his style - under the living room table.

For newer fans, each episode is one of discovery. For example, this week we saw the use of the ice bath, a device targeted for anesthetizing the athlete, among other benefits.

After a few funny words from the excited fighters, it was time to go to the TUF training center for the choosing of teams, and there is no way someone won't get a wakeup call or a tough guy that won't get nervous from the process. The funny thing for those watching it is remembering, at least here in Brazil, the soccer games you played in your free time. Regardless of whether you're an adult or a child, the moment of forming the teams is the best time for the first ones that are chosen, and devastating for the ones who are chosen last.

Positioned side by side in the training center in front of UFC president Dana White, the trainers, and coaches Wanderlei Silva and Vitor Belfort, the 16 athletes hear from the president that they will have an extra reason to perform well on the show, as the Best Knockout, Best Fight and Best Submission will be awarded with 45 thousand dollars, breaking the tension and providing even more motivation.

Wand wins the coin toss, and picks the first fighter, leaving Vitor with the option of choosing the first fight in the house. The decision generates different views from the experts.

"I decided to pick the first fighter, because the best fighter wins the fight," says Wanderlei.

"There's a downside, but it gives me the right to choose the fights, and I'll choose the fights the way I think will be positive for my team in the competition," countered Vitor.

The first choice for Team Wanderlei was Rony Jason and for Team Vitor was Cezar Mutante. Further on, Delson Pé-de-Chumbo, John Macapa, Francisco Massaranduba, Marcus Vinicius Vina, Reneé Forte, Wagner Galeto and Leonardo Macarrão were all called by Wanderlei, as Hugo Wolverine, Daniel Serafian, Rodrigo Damm, Thiago Bodão, Godofredo Pepey, Sergio Moraes and Anistávio Gasparzinho were selected by Vitor.

Being chosen last bothered the always playful Gasparzinho, causing a little discomfort when Team Vitor got together for the first time and proving that it’s not only in soccer games that being picked last is discouraging.

With the teams now formed, the house still remains in harmony, with Gasparzinho being the center of attention for his hyperactivity. Next is another return to the training center on separate schedules for each team, and the coaches pass on their philosophy and what they expect from the fighters.

In the house, the third pick of Team Vitor, Daniel Serafian, makes a direct statement about the leader of the opposing group.

"They (Team Wanderlei) are not very bright like Vitor. They’re like, 'We will attack the weakest.' They are kind of dumb. You see they are dumb by Wanderlei's attitude of choosing the first guy rather than the first fight."

For the first fight, Vitor matches his pupil Godofredo Pepey against Wagner Galeto, theoretically a wise choice due to the performance of the two in their fights to get into the house.

In pre-fight interviews, Galeto and Pepey, praised their families as the reason why they can overcome opponents and neither could hold back the tears. Before the bout, Vitor and Wand announced the possibility of the winning fighter coming out of the competition with a brand new Ford Ranger, and UFC featherweight champion Jose Aldo made a visit to see the fighters.

In the first fight of the TUF Brazil competition, Pepey had the clear intention of fighting on the ground, as Galeto tried to work on counter strikes. With the fight scheduled for 10 minutes, being aggressive is the first step to impressing the judges. Galeto, in spite of defending the takedowns and trying to keep the fight standing, was restrained, always waiting to counter the actions of Pepey, who was not afraid to pull guard on two occasions. A knockdown with less than 50 seconds left in the first round, followed by a ground and pound assault, guaranteed Pepey the 10-9 advantage.

Round two saw two blows below the belt line by Pepey lead to complaints from Team Wanderlei, but no point was deducted. The fight continued at a similar slow pace throughout the round, with no one risking much to finish the fight, and Galeto not trying to make up for lost time to equalize things until the last 10 seconds. It was not enough, and Pepey moved to the next round via split decision.

Team Vitor takes a 1-0 lead over Team Wanderlei, but Belfort did talk to the staff about some excessive victory celebrations, demanding respect for their opponents.

Here’s how the teams look:

Team Wanderlei (assistant coaches Rafael Cordeiro, André Dida, Renato Babalú, and Fabricio Werdum):


Rony Jason
Delson Pé-de-Chumbo
John Macap
Francisco Massarandub
Marcus Vinicius Vina
Reneé Forte
Wagner Galeto
Leonardo Macarrão



Team Vítor (assistant coaches Francisco Filho, Luiz Dórea, Rodrigo Artilheiro, and Gilberto Durinho):

Cézar Mutante
Hugo Wolverine
Daniel Serafian
Rodrigo Damm
Thiago Bodão
Godofredo Pepey
Sérgio Moraes
Anistávio Gasparzinho

[Keithlewis]

http://www.ufc.com/news/TUF-Brasil-Episode-Three-Recap


The confidence that Team Vítor’s first victory brought is evident. Even though each fighter still has to make his own way and advance in the Ultimate Fighter Brasil competition, a good portion of the former UFC light heavyweight champion’s staff seemed to have a huge weight taken off their shoulders with the split decision victory of Godofredo Pepey over Wagner Galeto in last week’s episode. The pressure is now on the shoulders of the rival team, which, according to coach Wanderlei Silva, was expecting to take control of the action at this time.

Instead, Belfort’s team holds all the cards heading into this week’s bout. Much has been said that in the opening fight in the middleweight division, Vitor would put Cezar Mutante (his protege, according to Wanderlei 's team) to face Leonardo Macarrão - who still shows the visible signs of his previous fight in the qualifiers - or Francisco Massaranduba.

But looking at the vibe and excitement of Daniel Serafian, Team Vítor chooses to pick him. The man from São Paulo made his remarks to avoid a confrontation with Delson Pé De Chumbo, and he opens up to the possibility of facing Macarrão or Renee Forte.

At the time of the fight selection, the contrasts between the two coaches become even more visible, which should sharpen the rivalry leading up to their own rematch this summer. While Vítor tried to pass a good message to the opposing team, Wanderlei gave his thoughts and among them he said, "The guy asked to be boring, and entered three times in line ... So I leave the question which rules the world, ‘does the annoying person know he's annoying?’"

Vítor surprised the opposing team by choosing Renee, who stood waiting for Mutante, but instead received Daniel Serafian as an opponent.

In the house, Pé de Chumbo, one of the most experienced men in the competition, brings up the subject of being serious from now on. According to him, the ideal is to regulate the routine more and separate the teams in the rooms as well, since the teams are already defined. This decision divides opinions.

Without letting him pass unnoticed, here comes Gasparzinho, "the most discreet athlete of the house," who is still doing pranks with both teams. Some of the jokes were not well accepted, and even teammate Rodrigo Damm told him about the thin line between pranks and lack of respect.

The differences of the teams are not only in the color of their jerseys, but also in their pre-fight approach: Team Vítor relied on faith, while Team Wanderlei stepped on the gas when it came to fooling around. In addition, a special visit from the heavyweight champion, Junior "Cigano" dos Santos, gave a special excitement to both teams before the moment of truth.

A combination that ended with a low kick from Serafian was the first moment of action in the fight against Renee. A left hook followed by a straight right gave an answer, and both went to the fence. Renee pushed and came up with two more right punches, and Daniel wanted to get the Thai clinch, but ended up taking the fight to the ground, staying on top. The pupil of Belfort tried to work, but the fight was a battle of positioning, and they soon returned to the feet. Serafian caught a knee, but apparently had more gas than his opponent. Renee remained a little hesitant in front of Serafian, and in the last 10 seconds, Serafian almost got the mount, but the bell rang, marking the end of the first five minutes.

Between rounds, Renee was told that it was time to get moving in the second round, since he had lost the first. The message seemed to have put an extra pressure on the fighter, who froze and saw Serafian grow even more. Oozing determination, the man from São Paulo used his standup game more easily and then got a takedown. He went on to dominate, and in a beautiful move, he took advantage of the opening provided by Renee’s decision to stand back up to take his back and get a choke.

An injury early in the fight explained the passivity of the defeated.

"He (Renee) told me that he kicked Serafian in the beginning and injured his foot; he felt a lot of pain in his foot," said Wanderlei.

Vítor saw things differently.

"He defended well, and Renee is a very strong fighter, very talented. Renee needs guidance, I think."

"If it was an event in the UFC, he surely would have won the Submission of the Night,” Cigano exalted.

With his team now down 2-0, Renee said he felt the pressure put on him by the team, and one of the trainers, the super talented Rafael Cordeiro, could not contain himself, shouting, "It wasn't good, you didn't fight well, let's be real about it. It wasn’t good, it was a s***** fight. Let's face it, your fight was terrible. We won’t cover the sun with a sieve, you didn't do 10% of your potential."

Vítor is still calling the shots of the fights after his team’s second straight win, and Wanderlei needs to start winning or another defeat could shake the structure of all the team. Will this responsibility on his shoulders bring extra motivation or discourage him? Wait for the next few weeks to find out.