Middleweight Steps In To Save UFC Sao Paulo Light Heavyweight Main Event

UFC Fight Night Sal Paulo has had yet another shakeup to the main event. “Ya Boi” Eryk Anders will step in on just six days notice to face Thiago Santos as Jimi Manuwa was forced out due to injury.

The 31-year-old Anders is just three weeks removed from his brutal knock out win over Tim Williams at UFC Lincoln. Anders sports a record of 11-1. His only loss was a close five-round decision to Lyoto Machida. Coincidentally, that loss to Machida happened in February of this year in Belem, Brazil. Anders now returns to Brazil looking for redemption.

Santos, 34, has won five out of his last six fights. His only blemish in that stretch came at the hands of David Branch. He most recently defeated Kevin Holland via decision at UFC 227 in August. Since 2015 Santos has gone 9-3 in the UFC with seven knock out wins.

UFC Fight Night Sao Paulo has had to deal with the injury bug. Fights like Neil Magny vs. Alex Oliveira, Antonio Carlos Junior vs. Elias Theodorou and Ketlen Vieira vs. Tonya Evinger were all scrapped or rebooked do to injuries. However, the show must go on.

Here is a look at the updated fight card:

Thiago Santos vs. Eryk Anders
Alex Oliveira vs. Carlo Pedersoli
Sam Alvey vs. Antonio Rogerio Nogueira
Renan Barao vs. Andre Ewell
Randa Markos vs. Marina Rodriguez
Christos Giagos vs. Charles Oliveira
Evan Dunham vs. Francisco Trinaldo
Luis Henrique vs. Ryan Spann
Chase Sherman vs. Augusto Sakai
Sergio Moraes vs. Ben Saunders
Gillian Robertson vs. Marya Bueno Silva
Hector Lombard vs. Thales Leites
Elizeu Zaleski vs. Luigi Vendramini
Alex Chambers vs. Livia Renata Souza