The UFC will return to Brazil in January for the first time in nearly three years.
The promotion Wednesday announced UFC 283 will take place at Jeunesse Arena in Rio de Janeiro on Jan. 21. It will be the UFC’s 11th trip to Rio and 38th visit to Brazil overall.
The announcement coincided with the promotion’s news that its UFC Fight Pass streaming platform, along with the Band TV network, will be the new broadcast home in Brazil for all UFC events. UFC Fight Pass will launch in Brazil on Jan. 1, according to a news release, and will be a “fully localized version” of the streaming service.
Band will provide free broadcasts of select UFC events, as well as original content. But UFC Fight Pass subscribers in Brazil will get access to all live UFC events, including pay-per-views, as well as access to all other live events and the platform’s archives and library.
“Anyone who follows this sport knows how important Brazil is to mixed martial arts and to UFC,” UFC president Dana White stated. “Brazil is one of our biggest and fastest growing markets and has produced some of the best athletes this sport has ever seen. Fight Pass is going to take our business to the next level by delivering all our content directly to our fans. Plus, we’re teaming up with Band, one of the biggest broadcasters in Brazil, which is going to provide massive exposure for UFC and help us grow our fan base and make this sport bigger than ever.”
No fights were announced for the UFC 283 card, which is expected to air on pay-per-view, ESPN and ESPN+, though a statement from White said it will be “a stacked event you don’t want to miss.”
The UFC most recently was in Brazil in March 2020 for an event that took place in the capital of Brasilia just as the world was starting to shut down due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The event went on, but took place without fans in attendance – an 11th-hour decision after the governor suspended large gatherings.
