Edson Barboza celebrates victory over Anthony Njokuani in New Jersey. Photo:Al Bello/Zuffa.
While the specialized media is off doing guesswork about what’s to come, the UFC Rio is seeing its official card coming together.
After starring in the fight of the night at UFC 128 – Shogun vs. Jones, in March, it came to reason that Edson Barboza, 25, would be called on to fight at UFC Rio. It’s just that his opponent won’t be Japanese superstar Takanori Gomi, as was being speculated.
The opponent of the lightweight fighter from Rio de Janeiro’s mountain region will be Englan’s Ross Pearson, who has won five of his last six fights. The lightweight signed a contract with the organization after winning TUF 9, in 2009. Check out the official card for UFC Rio as it stands so far:
UFC Rio
HSBC Arena, Rio de Janeiro
August 27, 2010
Anderson Silva vs. Yushin Okami
Mauricio Rua vs. Forrest Griffin
Luiz Cane vs. Stanislav Nedkov
Edson Barboza vs. Ross Pearson
Thiago Tavares vs. Spencer Fisher