UFC Main Event Changes, Former UFC Champ To Face Eddie Alvarez, Anderson Silva To Coach TUF
- Former UFC lightweight champion Benson Henderson will take on Eddie Alvarez in the co-main event of UFC Fight Night 59, officials announced recently. The card takes place January 18 from Boston's TD Garden and airs on FOX Sports 1.
Henderson (21-4) is coming off a knockout loss to Rafael dos Anjos this past August, while Alvarez (25-4) dropped his UFC debut to Donald Cerrone in September. The two will help headline the card alongside Conor McGregor and Dennis Siver.
Two other bouts were announced, as well, with Uriah Hall meeting Costas Philippou and Jorge Masvidal taking on Norman Parke.
- An injury to Jimi Manuwa has forced the UFC to make changes to next Saturday's UFC Fight Night 56 card from Brazil. Mauricio "Shogun" Rua will now meet Ovince St. Preux in the main event after Manuwa suffered a broken foot.
St. Preux (16-6) was scheduled to fight Francimar Barroso, who replaced Rafael Cavalcante in the co-main event. He is coming off a loss to Ryan Bader. Rua (22-9) was defeated by Dan Henderson this past March.
The card will now include John Lineker vs. Ian McCall in a key flyweight contest, Warlley Alves, a recent winner of The Ultimate Fighter: Brazil, taking on Alan Jouban, and former TUF winner Juliana Lima meeting Nina Ansaroff.
- Anderson Silva will have a busy next few months, as long with preparing to fight Nick Diaz at UFC 183 in January, "The Spider" has also been cast as a coach on The Ultimate Fighter: Brazil 4. Silva will compete alongside Mauricio "Shogun" Rua, though the two will not meet at the end of the series.
The season will feature lightweights and bantamweights, as almost 600 recently tried out in Brazil. Filming, though, will take place in Las Vegas and UFC president Dana White is expected to be part of the series. It will air on Globo in Brazil and stream on UFC Fight Pass.
"I think I can offer this next generation of Brazilian talent real insight into what it takes to succeed in the UFC," Silva said. "I will bring everything I know about the martial arts, and my own values of what it means to be a martial artist, to my team."