Wallid Ismail’s Jungle Fight promotion – inactive since its May show in Fortaleza – is set to return with a pair of events over the next few months, the promoter tells Tatame. The first of the two cards takes place on September 19th in São Paulo, followed by the company’s return to Rio de Janeiro on October 17th.
The São Paulo card is headlined by UFC veteran Assuério Silva, who faces fellow Brazilian journeyman Geronimo “Mondragon.” The fight marks Silva’s first MMA action in a year, almost to the day; he was previously seen at Jungle Fight 11, being mugged by UFC heavyweight prospect Todd Duffee. “Mondragon’s” last fight was a knockout win over the one and only “Zuluzinho” last December.
Another bout sees Rio Heroes veterans Flávio Álvaro and Ivan Iberico in a rubber match, the pair clashing for the third time in as many years. Álvaro won a bare-knuckled war with the Peruvian in December ’07, but the “Pitbull” took his revenge seven months later.
Fighters to watch on the undercard include the Bellator-signed Sergio Moraes and women’s veteran Vanessa Porto (both without opponents at the moment).
Ismail also told the site that Lyoto Machida, Ricardo Arona and the Nogueira brothers will be in attendance in São Paulo. But the superstars won’t just be cornering teammates or waiting for their awkward ringside camera time – Jungle Fight will be honoring the fighters as “Brazilian embassadors of the sport.”
Another interesting note: the September 19th show begins at 7PM and ends promptly at 10PM, since the broadcast of UFC 103 (which features Brazilian stars Vitor Belfort, Junior Dos Santos, Hermes Franca, Rafaello “Tractor” and Rafael Dos Anjos) begins at 11PM local time.
Check the card for September 19th after the jump.
Jungle Fight 14
September 19, 2009
Pacaembu Gymnasium
Sao Paulo, Brazil
Assuério Silva (14-7, 1 NC) vs. Geronimo “Mondragon” dos Santos (11-7)
Erick Silva (8-1) vs. Matheus Serafim (2-2)
Flávio Álvaro (25-6) vs. Ivan “Pitbull” Iberico (9-1)
Alexandre “Cacareco” Ferreira (16-6) vs. Armando Polêmico (1-0)
Participants
Sérgio Moraes (4-0)
Johnny Eduardo (22-8)
Vanessa Porto (8-3)