The UFC wanted to start branching back out and hosting more events outside of the UFC Apex in 2023 and the promotion is wasting no time getting started on their goal for the new year.

The second event on the promotion’s first quarter calendar to start the new year will be UFC 283, which is scheduled to take place in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil on January 21st.

There are currently 15 fights scheduled for the event, including two championship matchups: one for the UFC Flyweight title and the other for the vacant UFC Light Heavyweight championship.

The main event for the card, which is between Glover Texeira and Jamahal Hill for the vacant UFC Light Heavyweight title, was created in the aftermath of the controversial ending to UFC 282, which saw Jan Blachowicz and Magomed Ankalaev end in a draw.

Since neither one of those fighters left the cage with the championship that night to determine a new champion, Dana White and the UFC decided to create this new bout between Texeira and Hill immediately after the decision was announced in the octagon.

Hill will be getting his first chance at winning UFC gold, while Texeira will finally be receiving his shot at regaining the title he lost earlier this year at UFC 275 to Jiri Prochazka.

This whole championship fiasco originated when Prochazka was injured in the leadup to UFC 282, and the promotion was forced to put together a new title fight after Prochazka vacated the title in order to keep from holding up the division while he recovers.

The other championship fight on the UFC 283 lineup will feature Deiveson Figueiredo defending his championship against interim champion Brandon Moreno.

In a rarity in the MMA world, these two will be fighting for a fourth time to hopefully settle their rivalry that is currently tied 1-1-1 through the first three fights in the series.

Some finality in the rivalry would be welcome, since the matchups between these two have kept the top of the division largely on hold since December 2020 when they originally fought to a majority draw at UFC 256 in their first bout against each other.

The remaining three matchups on the main card will be between currently ranked fighters in their respective divisions looking to improve their positions: Gilbert Burns vs Neil Magny, Jessica Andrade vs Lauren Murphy, and Paul Craig vs Johnny Walker.

The prelims are like a majority of other cards, as they are a mixture of longtime promotion veterans, hot prospects who are trying to work their way into or up the rankings, and fighters who are making their first or second appearance with the company.

One interesting note about this lineup is that every single one of the 15 fights currently on the UFC 283 card will feature a fighter who is either from Brazil or represents the country inside the octagon.

Which fights are you looking forward to the most when the UFC makes their return to Brazil next month for UFC 283? Which fighters do you think will be leaving the event with championships? Let us know your thoughts in the comments section.

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