The Brazilian Beat
Belfort rumors looking solid, Wanderlei ready to surprise, Ninja busy and ready, even more new shows in Brazil and more!

The Brazilian Beat:
      When I wrote an article about "Free Agency" in MMA that was featured in FCF a few issues back, I was getting the feeling that our sport was truly changing forever, and fighter-team relationships were going to be more and more a business from now on, than ever before. Now, as we're past the middle of September, this seems absolutely true as things are gradually leading for a Vitor Belfort comeback to the Brazilian Top Team, showing the new professional colors of our sport and also showing that maybe it's time for this reporter to write a new article on the same subject. With Vitor speaking to the press on his problems with his team while preparing for his last bout against Randy Couture, and the obvious benefits that a well-organized team such as BTT can bring to his game, this comes as no surprise and will likely give the fans an even more prepared "Phenom" for the coming bouts. However, there's much more going on in the Brazilian scene, with plenty of activity at international shows for camps such as Chute Boxe and Brazilian Top Team, new shows continuing to appear in the country, some veterans coming back to action and even MMA stars getting married! So, with the Brazilian Beat being away for some time now and returning to action, we better not hold you anymore with any intro texts and take you straight to the news, as FCF always comes back to provide a good old Beat straight from Brazil, enjoy!
  • Rumors regarding Vitor Belfort's comeback to the Brazilian Top Team are real, as Vitor is reported to be negotiating the very last details of his new contract with his former team, and may announce his comeback at any time now. As always, things can change this game at any minute, but at this point things are really very close to be solved, so "The Phenom" will fight Tito Ortiz as a Brazilian Top Team member. FCF will keep an eye on the developments.

  • Speaking of the Brazilian Top Team, Ricardo Arona will likely be making his return to the Pride ring after his loss to Quinton "Rampage" Jackson at the 31st of October Pride show. Although no opponent has been named yet, and his participation isn't official so far, this is considered a sure thing at the BTT headquarters and Arona is already training hard and preparing to show he is still a force at the middleweight division in Pride.

  • Continuing to show that the northeast region of Brazil is now one of the country's most important fighting poles, yet a new show will debut in the region giving MMA fighters more ground to prove their talent! Metropole FC will hold its inaugural card at the city of Fortaleza, capital of the state of Ceara, one of the biggest cities of the Northeast and also a big turism center in the country. Schedule for October 7th, at the Paulo Saraste Arena, the show will feature one Muay Thai bout, two Submission Wrestling matches, and most importantly nine MMA fights. Among the participants are Heat FC veterans Savio Maia, Paulo Guerreiro, Josenildo Rodrigues, Carlos Indio and Bitetti Combat veteran Gleison Tibau, who are some of the top fighters in the Brazilian Northeast.

  • Gustavo Ximu debuted in a new activity as the MMA fighter used his experience to work as a promoter, and with the help of sponsor Unamar, who has been a long time sponsor for Ximu and most ex Ruas Vale Tudo fighters, as well as the Gracie Barra Combat Team, he promoted the 1st Papucaia Fight MMA, this last September 11th in the city of Papucaia, in the South East of Brazil. The show served as a test ground for Gracie Barra Combat Team fighters with some Muay Thai and mostly MMA matches, as some newcomers as well as proven veterans from the team entered the ring to give sequence to their careers. Fighters such as WEF and Heat veteran Alexandre Baixinho Barros, and UFC veteran Flavio Moura took part on the card. All in all the show was considered a success, even though it rained during the fights in the open arena. Here are the results from the MMA fights:
    • Erinaldo "Pitbull" defeated Eduardo Felipe by judges' decision
    • Eduardo Pachu drew Flavio "Bad Boy" due to a foul in R2
    • Fredson Paixao defeated Andre Lobo Rodrigues by tap out in R1
    • Felipe Mongo defeated Luis "Beicao" by judges' decision
    • Alexandre "Baixinho" Barros defeated Mauricio Reis By TKO in R1
    • Flavio Moura defeated Everton Gigante by guillotine choke in R1
    • Danilo "Moto-Serra" defeated Rodrigo Riscado by judges' decision
  • After a good and solid first edition, Brazilian Challenger will be returning this next October 14th in the city of Natal, this time likely to take place at the Machadinho arena, the same that served as stage to Heat FC 1 and 2, showing the growth of the show. Although it was initially planned to be a 70kg eight men tournament, the show is likely to happen in the single matches format, with Deep veteran Gleison Tibau doing the main event against Brazilian Challenger 1 champion Loquinha. Heat FC and AFC veteran Paulo Guerreiro may also be taking part on the card, as the show promises to bring plenty of action to its octagon.

  • Pride veteran and former Chute Boxe member Assuerio Silva is now taking new steps in his career, as he stated this week that he is leaving his recently founded team, Muay Thai Dream Team, since he feels he needs to be on his own and concentrate more on his training at this point, instead of helping others to learn fighting skills. Assuerio founded the Muay Thai Dream Team along with Anderson Silva and other former Chute Boxe members, when they left the traditional Brazilian team. Now MTDT seems to be collapsing, as Anderson himself has been after training in Rio with friends such as Rodrigo Minotauro, and Assuerio decided to leave. The Heavyweight contender recently signed a deal with the Korean promotion Gladiators FC to fight in November, while giving seminars in Japan.

  • Still on the heavyweight contenders subject, Brazilian Top Team fighter and Pride, UFC and Heat veteran Carlos Barreto is now finally getting back to international events abroad, as he is signed to fight at Mix Fight in Russia, on October 9th against another Pride veteran in Aleksander Emelianenko, brother of Pride champion Fedor Emelianenko. Barreto is departing from Brazil on October 5th, and is needless to say excited about the fight, as a win could finally show the Japanese and American promoters how much his game have changed in the recent years. After this fight Carlos will comeback straight to Brazil to finish his preparation for his bout at Jungle Fight 3, at October 23rd likely against UFC veteran Vladimir Matyushenko, in another match that can show where he is at in the heavyweight scene. One thing is certain, two wins like that could do wonders to anyone's career.

  • Brazilian Top Team icon and grappling legend Mario Sperry is finally back to Brazil after a long, and well-deserved vacation trip. The "Zen Machine" took off with his wife, who happens to be pregnant, after Rodrigo Nogueira's participation at the Pride Heavyweight GP finals, and enjoyed weeks of traveling to several countries, ending his vacation at Bali, in Indonesia. Fresh from his trips, Mario is now back to his job at helping out training at the Brazilian Top Team headquarters with endless fights coming up for his teammates in the next weeks, as well as getting himself back in shape for maybe one more fight this year.

  • Pride and UFC veteran Allan Goes will be departuring from Rio de Janeiro to Stockholm in Sweden this next Septmeber 23rd, where he will face Pierre Guillet at European Vale Tudo 4 in the main event of the evenining. Goes has been training hard and wants to erase any bad feelings left after his fight against Gustavo Ximu at Heat FC 2. Murilo Bustamante will be joining Allan on the trip, being on his corner for this fight and also taking the chance to hold seminars in Sweden and France after the show.

  • Pride veteran and Chute Boxe star Murilo Ninja Rua's wedding is quickly approaching as the Pride fighter and his fiance has been nothing but busy lately taking care all the details involved in such an important time of their lives. The wedding is scheduled for October 8th in the city of Curitiba, and will include a major party for close to 500 guests! Among the best man for the wedding and MMA figures such as the "Axe Murder" Wanderlei Silva, Chute Boxe master and founder Rudimar Fedrigo, trainer Rafael Cordeiro and even this humble reporter who is writing this piece. Needless to say FCF still wishes plenty of happiness for the couple. Even in the middle of such important things, and on verge of departuring for another European seminar tour, Ninja continues to train hard helping his brother Shogun for his next fight and is rumored to be soon going to the UFC. Rumors in Brazil have that negotiations are already going on between the organization and the Chute Boxe camp, with Murilo Ninja and Luis Azeredo being two possible aditions to UFC's stable of fighters very soon.

  • Chute Boxe prodigy Maurcio Shogun Rua is more than ready for his Pride Bushido fight against Yasuhito Namekawa. Mauricio has been training hard and is reported to be very strong, currently weighing 98 kg, to soon start to cut to 93 kg as fight time approaches. Shogun will have to departure late to Japan this time, as he will attend his brother's wedding at October 8th. Another Chute Boxe member who is wainting confirmation of an opponent and his participation at Pride Bushido is Daniel Acacio, who has been awaiting this chance for a long time already.

  • Pride Middleweight Champion Wanderlei Silva got back to Brazil after his long trip that included his win over Yuki Kondo in Japan, and his visit to the UFC in the USA, and has quickly hit the academy as his training sessions are going on strong for his title bout against Quinton Jackson this next October 31st in Pride. Silva has been telling the Brazilian press that he is working on some surprises to show Jackson, and his ground game will be sharp as ever to be used if needed in this fight. Wanderlei also commented that he is tired from all the talks regarding his first bout with Jackson, and wants to prove that he can beat him when both fighters are fresh. The "Axe Murderer" was also pleasantly surprised with his fans' support in the USA, where plenty of fans approached him for autographs and pictures, and intends to comeback to Uncle Sam's land whenever is possible.