Vitor Belfort and Wanderlei Silva Named TUF Brazil Coaches

A rivalry will finally be settled during the first ever Ultimate Fighter: Brazil as Wanderlei Silva and Vitor Belfort square off as coaches.

UFC president Dana White made the announcement on Tuesday at a press conference in Brazil.

Silva and Belfort are no strangers to each other. The legendary Brazilians first faced off at UFC 17.5, also known as Ultimate Brazil.

Belfort blitzed Silva with punches in the early going of the fight, finishing off his fellow Brazilian in just 44 seconds in 1998.

Now, more than a decade later, the two will meet face to face again in their home country of Brazil as coaches for The Ultimate Fighter.

The format for the show will run similar to the early seasons of TUF in the United States, with the fighters living and training in the house for six weeks before squaring off in a finale.

“The premiere is going to be March 25. It’s going to be every Sunday night on Globo. The finale will be in June, but we don’t know where that’s going to be yet,” said White.

This will mark the first season of The Ultimate Fighter to not take place in the United States. The UFC has long planned to expand internationally, and now they have roots in Brazil starting with this newest edition of TUF.

White, along with several UFC officials, traveled to Brazil for the open tryouts on Monday. Cast selection will be announced at a later date.

The Ultimate Fighter Brazil will also air in some fashion in the United States, and as of last week the rumors were for it to show on Fuel TV, although nothing has been announced yet.