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By: Jamie Penick, MMATorch Editor-in-Chief
Following up on several reported bouts, the UFC has officially announced the UFC Fight Night 62 event for March 21 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, revealing a couple of new fights in the process.
In addition to the previously reported main event between Urijah Faber and Raphael Assuncao - as well as Demian Maia vs. Ryan LaFlare and Ben Saunders vs. Erick Silva - four new lightweight bouts were announced for the Fox Sports 1 card as well.
Here are the new matchups at 155 lbs.:
Josh Thomson vs. Gilbert "Durinho" Burns
Matt Wiman vs. Leonardo Santos
Cain Carrizosa vs. Leonardo Mafra
Drew Dober vs. Leandro Silva
Thomson, the former Strikeforce Champ, returns for the first time since his split decision loss to Bobby Green last July. That came after a more controversial split decision loss against Benson Henderson last January, which took him out of title contention. He'll try to bounce back against Burns, the undefeated 28-year-old who most recently submitted Christos Giagos in his return to lightweight at UFC 179.
Wiman made a successful return to action last November after nearly two years out, defeating Isaac Vallie-Flagg by decision. Santos enters that matchup unbeaten in his last eight fights, which includes a 2-0-1 run in the UFC. He most recently defeated Efrain Escudero last September.
Carrizosa and Mafra will each try to bounce back from submission losses in their UFC debuts, with Carrizosa getting choked out by Chris Wade and Mafra getting caught in an arm-triangle choke by Rick Story.
Dober and Silva, meanwhile, each scored submission wins of their own in their last outings. Dober impressively submitted Jamie Varner, while Silva took out Charlie Brenneman.
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Jamie Penick, editor-in-chief
(mmatorcheditor@gmail.com)
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