UFC on Fuel TV 8: Wanderlei Silva faces Brian Stann on his return to Japan after six years

Wanderlei Silva (photo) faces Brian Stann in the main fight of UFC Japan 2013. Photo: Josh Hedges/UFC

One of the biggest stages in the history of MMA will once again host a major event in the sport this Saturday (02). The Saitama Super Arena will host UFC on Fuel TV 8 – also called UFC Japan – and features several Brazilians in action on its fight program. In the main fight of the night, Wanderlei Silva, one of the biggest idols of the Japanese public, faces the North American Brian Stann. In addition to Wand, Rani Yaya, Cristiano Marcello and Marcelo Guimarães complete the Tupiniquim team.

LOOK: With a tense look, Wanderlei and Stann make weight for UFC Japan

This will be the sixth time that Ultimate arrives in Japan and only the second after the extinction of PRIDE, the main MMA event held on Japanese soil. UFC Ultimate Japan, also known as UFC 15.5, was the organization's first Japanese event and took place on December 21, 1997. After three events in 1999 and 2000, Japan would only receive an edition of Ultimate again in 2012 , UFC 144, with the lightweight belt dispute between Frankie Edgar e Ben henderson, based right at the Saitama Super Arena.

As eagerly awaited as the UFC's return to Japan is the return of Wanderlei Silva in action to the country. A local idol, the Brazilian, former PRIDE middleweight champion, had not fought on Japanese soil since September 10, 2006, when he lost to Mirko “Cro Cop” Filipović in the quarterfinals of the PRIDE open weight Grand Prix. Working in Japan, Wand has a record of 22 wins, only four defeats, one draw and one fight without an official result.

Check out the complete UFC on Fuel TV 8 card below, which will be broadcast on the Combate channel from 21pm and the preliminary card will also be broadcast on the SporTV cable channel from 21:40pm:

Main Card

Up to 93 kg.: Wanderlei Silva vs. Brian Stann;

Up to 120,3 kg.: Mark Hunt  vs. Stefan struve ;

Up to 70,3 kg.: Takanori Gomi vs. Diego Sanchez;

Up to 84 kg.: Hector Lombard vs. Yushin Okami ;

Up to 65,8 kg.: Mizuto Hirota vs. Rani Yaya ;

Up to 77,1 kg.: Siyar Bahadurzada vs. Dong Hyun Kim;

Preliminary Card

Up to 84 kg.: Riki Fukuda vs. Brad Tavares;

Up to 61,2 kg.: Bryan caraway vs. Takeya Mizugaki;

Up to 70,3 kg.: Christian Marcello vs. Kazuki Tokudome;

Up to 61,2 kg.: Alex Caceres vs. Kyung Ho Kang ;

Up to 77,1 kg.: Marcelo Guimaraes vs. Hyun Gyu Lim;

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