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By: Jamie Penick, MMATorch Editor-in-Chief
Anderson Silva and Mauricio "Shogun" Rua won't ever fight one another, but they'll compete in a sense next year when they coach opposite one another on "The Ultimate Fighter: Brazil 4".
The two were announced as the season's coaches on Wednesday, with the revelation that there will be no coaches fight at the end of the season. Both have currently scheduled bouts on the docket anyway, with Shogun fighting Ovince St. Preux next week at UFC Fight Night 56, and Silva fighting Nick Diaz at UFC 183 in January of next year.
This new season of the expansion reality series will air on Globo in Brazil, and will feature lightweight and bantamweight competitors. As previously reported, the season will be filmed in Las Vegas instead of Brazil. Filming dates have not yet been announced, but the show will likely premiere next spring.
Penick's Analysis: To get more eyes on a season and still allow Silva and Shogun to fight other people whenever that gets set up is a better way to handle coaches than we've seen in recent years. No need to tie up the top end of the division, or try to manufacture a coaches feud to sell an extra fight afterward. Taking two veteran, respected names, and stars in the country as well, and having them play mentor to a new generation of competitor is just a smart play.
[Anderson Silva art by Cory Gould (c) MMATorch.com]
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Jamie Penick, editor-in-chief
(mmatorcheditor@gmail.com)
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