Legacy Fighting Alliance is renowned as a pipeline for talent
to the
UFC, making it a prime destination for many burgeoning
fighters.
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Rafael
Cavalcante, the South American president of the organization,
recently revealed LFA’s plans for 2024 in an interview with
Sherdog.com.
“In 2023 we did 26 events, 20 in the USA and six in Brazil [while]
putting a monthly average of 3.4 fighters in UFC,” Cavalcante said.
“This year our goal is to keep around the same number of events in
Brazil and USA.”
The first event on the promotion’s calendar in Brazil is set for
Saturday with LFA
175 in Cajamar, Sao Paulo. The card is headlined by a light
heavyweight championship clash between reigning champion Bruno Lopes
and Marcos
Brigagao.
“Both are very aggressive and look for the knockout all the time. I
have no doubt this fight will not reach the fifth round,”
Cavalcante said.
According to Cavalcante, LFA is planning to hold the same number of
events in Brazil in 2024 as last year.
“The difference is that we are doing more editions in Rio de
Janeiro and at least five trials with R1
Fighting Series. This event was very important in order to find
new talents for LFA,” Cavalcante said. “Andre Lima
is a good example of that. We found him in R1, he went to LFA and
now, after getting a win on [the Contender Series], he signed with
the UFC.”
During his fighting career, Calvacante served as a primary sparring
partner for Anderson
Silva and Antonio
Rodrigo Nogueira, and he was also the only man to knock out
Yoel
Romero. Still, the former Strikeforce light heavyweight
champion points to his promoter work alongside Ed Soares as the
more difficult experience.
“No doubt it is much easier to fight than produce an event,”
Cavalcante said. “Since my job with Eddie is not only to produce
the event, but prepare fighters globally and make them understand
that they are products. When we see them performing in the Octagon,
it is priceless. Giving opportunities and impacting people’s lives
is a such a wonderful sensation that gives me the strength to wake
up and work harder everyday.”