The UFC will be heading back to Brazil on January 19th and the organization has announced that a middleweight bout will headlined the card with Vitor Belfort taking on Michael Bisping.
The news of the fight was announced on the UFC Brazilian website and the organization will be announcing the location and venue of the fight card in the coming weeks.
Along with announcing the main event, other fights that have been added to the card is Daniel Sarafian vs. CB Dollaway, Godofredo Pepey vs. Milton Vieira, Ben Rothwell vs. Gabriel Gonzaga and Thiago Bodao vs. Michael Kuiper.
“As we had anticipated, 2013 will be a busy year for the Brazilian fans. We are very happy with this event January 19 that, just as we did in 2012, opens the calendar year of the UFC, “said UFC Director of International Development Marshall Zelaznik.
Bisping (23-4) is one of the top middleweight fighters in the UFC and a win over Belfort could earn him a title shot. He is coming off a win against Brian Stann at UFC 152 and has won five of his last six fights, with the only lost in this time period coming against Chael Sonnen.
Belfort (21-10) has gone 3-2 since returning to the UFC in 2009 with the losses coming against UFC champions Anderson Silva and Jon Jones. Prior to the fight with Jones at UFC 152, he had won two straight fights and appeared close to getting another title shot in the UFC middleweight division.
The UFC has not announced the broadcast plans for this fight card and it’s expected to either be UFC on FX 7 or UFC on FUEL TV 7.