Edinaldo Oliveira (13-0-1, 1 NC) is stateside bound. According to reports from ESPN UK, the undefeated heavyweight prospect has signed with the UFC and will make his debut at UFC 142 against British veteran Rob Broughton (15-7-1). UFC officials have yet to confirm the matchup.
Oliveira, a 6'7" training partner of UFC heavyweight champion Junior dos Santos, has made his presence felt on the Brazilian regional scene, stockpiling thirteen wins with eight by way of knockout. Nicknamed "Lula", the 27-year-old will have home-field advantage as he makes his Octagon debut inside his native country of Brazil.
Meanwhile, Broughton simply hopes to extend his UFC career after picking up consecutive uninspiring losses to Travis Browne and Philip De Fries over the past few months. Prior to a stint in the Octagon, "The Bear" had a rather successful regional run, picking up victories over James Thompson (2x), Eric Esch, and Neil Grove en route to becoming the Cage Rage heavyweight champion.
UFC 142 is slated for January 14th at the HSBC Arena in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Brazilian featherweight champion Jose Aldo takes on American challenger Chad Mendes in the night's main event.
UFC 142 fight card:
Featherweight Championship: Jose Aldo vs. Chad Mendes
Middleweight: Anthony Johnson vs. Vitor Belfort
Lightweight: Terry Etim vs. Edson Barboza
Middleweight: Rousimar Palhares vs. Mike Massenzio
Lightweight: Thiago Tavares vs. Sam Stout
Welterweight: Siyar Bahadurzada vs. Erick Silva
Light Heavyweight: Stanislav Nedkov vs. Fabio Maldonado
Heavyweight: Edinaldo Oliveira vs. Rob Broughton