The next UFC middleweight title contender could be determined Saturday as Lyoto Machida and Gegard Mousasi meet in the main event of UFC Fight Night 36.
Both men made weight at the official weigh-ins Friday in Jaragua do Sul, Brazil at the Arena Jaragua where Saturday’s event takes place. All fighters on the card made weight.
PROGRAMMING NOTE: Watch UFC Fight Night: Machida vs Mousasi Saturday on Sportnet 360 starting at 10:30 p.m. EST
Machida (20-4) is a former light-heavyweight champion fresh of a first-round knockout win over Mark Munoz. He is 4-4 over his last eight bouts, but his stock has continued to rise as two of those losses were razor-thin decisions — the other two losses were in title bouts against Jon Jones and Mauricio “Shogun” Rua.
Mousasi (34–3–2) has gone unbeaten in nearly four years and was victorious in his UFC debut last April, picking up a unanimous decision win over short-notice opponent Ilir Latifi in Sweden.
In the co-main event, Tristar Gym’s Francis Carmont takes on Ronaldo “Jacare” Souza. If Souza wins, he will also be in title contention since the former Stirkeforce champ is on an impressive five-fight win streak.
London, Ont.’s Jesse Ronson weighed in at 156 pounds for his lightweight bout with tough Brazilian Francisco Trinaldo.
Featherweight Maximo Blanco initially came in overweight, stepping on the scale at 147.9 pounds, but made weight on his second attempt after being given additional time.
Here are the complete results from Friday’s weigh-ins:
MAIN CARD (Sportsnet 360, 10:30 p.m. EST)
— Lyoto Machida (185) vs. Gegard Mousasi (186)
— Francis Carmont (185) vs. Ronaldo Souza (185)
— Takenori Sato (170) vs. Erick Silva (170)
— Viscardi Andrade (170) vs. Nicholas Musoke (170)
— Andy Ogle (146) vs. Charles Oliveira (143)
PRELIMINARY CARD (UFC Fight Pass, 7:30 p.m. EST)
— Cristiano Marcello (156) vs. Joe Proctor (155)
— Rodrigo Damm (156) vs. Ivan Jorge (156)
— Jesse Ronson (156) vs. Francisco Trinaldo (155)
— Yuri Alcantara (136) vs. Wilson Reis (135)
— Felipe Arantes (146) vs. Maximo Blanco (145)*
— Ildemar Alcantara (171) vs. Albert Tumenov (170)
— Douglas de Andrade (145) vs. Zubair Tuhugov (146)
* Blanco initially missed weight but was successful on his second attempt
