Perhaps one of the biggest surprises in recent memory on Dana
White’s Contender Series occurred when Jonas
Bilharinho wasn’t awarded a UFC contract following his spinning
wheel kick knockout of Canaan
Kawaihae this past November.
On Friday, Bilharinho will get another opportunity to gain White’s
attention when he headlines LFA 126 in Rio de Janeiro with the
promotion’s featherweight belt on the line. Bilharinho was supposed
to face Rafael
Barbosa at the event, but the fighter withdrew from the card
after medical exams revealed two small aneurysms. According
Brazilian MMA Athletic Commission (CABMMA) doctor Fabio Costa,
the condition isn’t dangerous for Barbosa’s normal life, but it
could expose him to “unnecessary risks” in an MMA fight. Brazilian
Top Team’s
Jose Mauro do Amaral Delano , who was originally slated to face
Rafael
Braga on the undercard, has been tabbed as Barbosa’s
replacement.
LFA 126 will also feature a welterweight title clash between
Gabriel
de Souza Bonfim and Quemel Ottoni. The card airs on UFC Fight
Pass at 9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT and will take place in the fancy
concert house Ribalta, which can hold 2,000 people and is located
in the Barra da Tijuca district of the city. The event will be
broadcast live all over Brazil by SporTV 3 and Combate channel.
Former Strikeforce champion Rafael
Cavalcante has been assisting LFA CEO Ed Soares with promotion
in Brazil.
“Me and Ed have a long-time partnership. When he invited me to be
part of this new challenge, I immediately jumped in,” Cavalcante
said. “We were able to bring some of the best guys we have in
Brazil to that card and we are already planning another edition in
Buzios in May.”
“Feijao” expects that the Brazilian edition of LFA will send a
solid number of fighters to the UFC.
“Through last year, 40 percent of LFA fighters were signed by the
UFC,” he said. “Our idea is always to put the best against the best
and reveal new talents and find new Brazilian idols.”