The UFC’s first pay-per-view event of 2023 sees the promotion return to Brazil for the first time since March 2020, with a Brazilian hero putting his title on the line in the main event.
The main event of UFC 283 will feature a light heavyweight title clash, as former champion Glover Teixeira takes on rising contender Jamahal Hill for the vacant 205-pound championship. Teixeira is looking to return to the summit after losing out in an all-time classic with Jiri Prochazka, who later relinquished the title due to a shoulder injury.
Jan Blachowicz and Magomed Ankalaev battled for the vacant belt at UFC 282 in December 2022, but after the judges couldn’t split the pair after an underwhelming bout, the title was left vacant, and now Teixeira is ready to compete for the gold once again. He’ll take on Jamahal Hill, a knockout artist with sky-high confidence after bonus-winning knockout victories in each of his last three outings.
There’s championship action in the co-main event, too, as UFC flyweight champion Deiveson Figueiredo and former champion Brandon Moreno get set to face off for the fourth time. After three bouts, the honors are even, with each fighter winning once after their initial bout was scored a draw. Now they’ll do battle for a fourth time to finally settle their rivalry in what promises to be another spectacular matchup.
The night also features a pivotal bout in the UFC welterweight division, as Brazil’s own Gilbert Burns takes on perennial contender Neil Magny in a bout that should propel the winner toward the division’s top names. For Burns, it’s a chance to ignite a charge toward the top of the division and may eventually lead to a possible rematch with Khamzat Chimaev. Magny, meanwhile, is looking to turn his long tenure in the UFC’s 170-pound division into a first championship challenge.
Ahead of the bout, the UFC’s Countdown cameras caught up with both fighters, and their teams, as they made their final preparations for their Rio showdown. Check it out via the video player below.
