Watch UFC Fortaleza Vitor Belfort x Gastelum

UFC Fortaleza takes place this Saturday (11). (Photo: Disclosure)

The UFC arrives this Saturday (11) for the first time in Brazil in 2017. The city of Fortaleza will host the card led by Vitor belfort against the young man Kelvin Gastelum. The event will also feature 12 more Brazilians, with greater highlights for Mauritius Shogun e Edson Barboza, who face Gian Villante e Beneil Dariushrespectively.

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Other relevant names that are present at the show are Bethe Correia, former women's bantamweight title challenger, Francisco Massaranduba, 11th in the lightweight rankings, Alex Cowboy, who is looking to enter the top 15 welterweights, and Ron Jason, champion of TUF Brasil 1 and only representative of the state on the card.

To get you in the mood for UFC Fortaleza, the SUPER FIGHTS prepared five reasons for you to attend the event.

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1 – Vitor’s experience or Gastelum’s youth?

Clash of generations in the main fight of UFC Fortaleza (Photo: UFC/Production: SUPER LUTAS)

Clash of generations in the main fight of the event (Photo: UFC/Production: SUPER LUTAS)

Cast for the fifth time as the protagonist of an event in Brazil, Vitor belfort he may be getting his last opportunity to show that he is still capable of competing against the middleweight elite. At 39 years old and coming off two crushing defeats (to Ronaldo Jacare e Gegard Mousasi), the Phenomenon will have to bet on experience and always dangerous striking to get back on the path to victory and avoid the bad phase.

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Throughout his 20-year career, Belfort alternated between highs and lows. After an overwhelming 2013, when he knocked out Michael Bisping, Luke Rockhold e Dan Henderson Subsequently, the Brazilian took a sabbatical year and only returned in May 2015, at UFC 187, when he was knocked out by Chris Weidman still in the first round, in a duel valid for the middleweight belt. In the same year, he recovered by knocking out again Dan Henderson, but the defeats to Jacaré and Mousasi once again put his future in question.

On the other side of the octagon will be the young man Kelvin Gastelum. At just 25 years old, the pupil of Brazilian coach Rafael Cordeiro, leader of Kings MMA, arrived in Brazil demonstrating a show of charisma, complete with songs by Wesley Safadão, which inevitably won over the Ceará fans. On Saturday, he will look for the biggest victory of his career and, consequently, establish his name as one of the main names in the category.

TUF 17 champion, Kelvin has already had ten fights in the organization, with eight triumphs and two setbacks. In his most recent appearance, at UFC 206, last December, he took no notice of the now retired Tim Kennedy and knocked out his opponent in the second round, after dominating the entire fight. Against Belfort, he will once again have to prove that his youth and thirst for victories will stand out against his rival's longer running time.

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Experience or youth: who will speak louder next Saturday? Let’s wait for the next chapters…

2 – Will Maurício Shogun make it big?

Shogun attempts an unprecedented feat in the UFC: three wins in a row. (Photo: Josh Hedges/UFC)

Shogun attempts an unprecedented feat in the UFC: three consecutive victories (Photo: Josh Hedges/UFC)

For the first time since landing in the UFC, Mauritius Shogun will have the opportunity to achieve three consecutive victories in the organization. Not even at his peak in the house, when he won the light heavyweight belt by knocking out Lyoto Machida, the creation of Chute Boxe achieved this feat. Now, after accumulating eight triumphs and eight setbacks in Ultimate, he has the knife and cheese in hand to take off once and for all.

In addition to the series of victories, there is another “prize” at stake for the Brazilian: the chance to enter the top 5 of the division and return, at the age of 35, to think about a new title fight. After all, with the category shallow and without many options, the former champion's big name is always an interesting attraction for fans, especially the most nostalgic ones. To achieve a good phase, they have the ideal opponent to take the lead once and for all.

Current number 12 in the light heavyweight rankings, Gian Villante He is just an ordinary fighter, who can serve, at most, as a gatekeeper for the top 15. Against Shogun, however, he will come in as a sniper and could surprise if the Brazilian comes in off-guard – as we have already seen on a few occasions. The North American is motivated by the knockout given to the Russian Saparbek Safarovin December 2016.

A curious fact: in five fights held in Brazil, Shogun won three and lost two. Will the advantageous retrospect increase or will the score be tied?

3 – Edson Barboza eyes the belt

Barboza is coming off two consecutive victories at lightweight (Photo: Mike Roach/UFC)

Barboza could join the ranks of lightweight challengers (Photo: Mike Roach/UFC)

2016 was a year of affirmation for Edson Barboza. After achieving two good results over the former champion Anthony Pettis and former challenger Gilbert Melendez, the Rio native from Nova Friburgo invaded the top 5 lightweight divisions, consolidated himself as a force in the weight class and got even closer to his main objective: winning the 70kg belt.

In the franchise since 2010, when he debuted showing the home card by knocking out Mike Lullo with his lethal leg kicks, Edson has always been treated as a product to be polished, but his failures in decisive moments, such as defeats to Donald Cerrone, Michael Johnson e Tony Ferguson, reduced the hype surrounding the Brazilian. This Saturday, he will have the opportunity to show that he is, in fact, part of the lightweight elite.

To do this, you will have to overcome the good Beneil Dariush, 9th in the ranking. Pupil of Brazilian Rafael Cordeiro, leader of Kings MMA, the Iranian based in the United States has eight victories in ten fights held in the UFC, including one on Brazilian soil: he defeated Carlos Diego Ferreira at UFC 179, in Rio de Janeiro, in October 2014. If he passes Barboza, he will change his status with the fans and be able to achieve greater heights.

4 – Promise to fight, understand?

Massaranduba is on a seven-fight winning streak at lightweight (Photo: Buda Mendes/UFC)

massaranduba comes from seven consecutive victories at lightweight (Photo: Buda Mendes/UFC)

Judging by the last seven times I Francisco Massaranduba entered the octagon, we can say that the guarantee of a show is certain. Whether during the fight or in the post-fight interview, with his always sincere and emotional interviews, the 'man who was born to beat another man' is an attraction in itself for the Tupiniquim public, and perhaps that's why he made 11 of his 14 fights in the company on Brazilian soil.

With seven consecutive victories in the lightweight division, Massara is looking for the eighth to continue climbing positions in the rankings – he is in 11th place. In his last appearance, he defeated Paul felder by technical knockout in UFC Brasilia, last September, four months after staging true anarchy against Yancy Medeiros at UFC 198, in Curitiba.

To maintain his unbeaten run that has lasted almost three years, he will need to go through the young and dangerous Kevin Lee, just 24 years old and with seven positive results in nine fights in the UFC. At 38 years old, the humble and charismatic fighter from Amarante, Piauí, will try to prove, once again, that there is no age or barriers for those who work hard to achieve their dreams. "Did you understand?"

5 – It’s worth keeping an eye on

Cowboy, Bethe and Jason will also be in action. (Photo: UFC/Production: SUPER FIGHTS)

In addition to the four reasons mentioned above, the card is full of good weddings and reasons why we cannot miss the event in the capital of Ceará. As it would be impossible to mention them all, three names will be highlighted here: Alex Cowboy, Bethe Correia e Ron Jason.

In the first fight of the main portion, Alex Oliveira, the Cowboy, will have the chance to settle the score in the rematch with Tim means, in a duel valid for welterweights (up to 77kg). The first duel between them, held at UFC 207, in Las Vegas (USA) ended without result due to an illegal knee applied by the North American. Now, it will be the Brazilian who will fight “at home”.

Hired at the beginning of 2015, the charismatic fighter had a meteoric rise in the organization and soon became known for his “hungry” style, holding three fights in three months. Alternating between lightweight and welterweight, Cowboy has already recorded five victories – including one against Will Brooks, former Bellator champion – and two defeats in the organization, and quickly rose from anonymity to the position of darling of the Brazilian fans. A triumph over the thick-skinned Tim means It could mean the last step before entering the top 15.

Former challenger in the women's bantamweight division, Bethe Correia returns to fight in Brazil after the fateful UFC 190, held in Rio de Janeiro, when she was knocked out by the former champion Ronda Rousey in just 35 seconds. After the setback, another stumble before Rachel Pennington, but the recovery came against Jessica Eye at UFC 203 in September 2016.

Currently in ninth place in the ranking, the Paraíba native wants to once again have a double of positive results to remain relevant in the division, especially after names like Miesha Tate, Ronda Rousey e Holly holm step out of the spotlight. To do this, she will have to overcome veteran Marion Reneau, 37 years old, who, like Bethe, has also been alternating between good and bad results. Will the 'Pitbull' bite one more?

after leaving Geoffrey Pepey of the card, Ron Jason comes with the responsibility of being the only representative of the state in action on the show. To do well in front of their fans, Quixadá's Ceará team will need to take away the Canadian boy's unbeaten record Jeremy kennedy, 9-0 in MMA and 1-0 in Ultimate.

In addition to playing at home, the TUF Brasil 1 champion has another important reason that makes him want to win at any cost: keeping his job. Coming from a sequence of three defeats, one no contest and just one victory in the last five fights, the featherweight knows that a new setback could mean the end of his career in the company. At 32 years old, Jason will need to regain the 'killer' momentum of yesteryear to overcome the bad phase and return to the path of victory.