UFC on FX 3: Is Erick Silva the Next Brazilian UFC Champion?

Erick Silva will attempt to get back to winning ways when he throws hands with Charlie Brenneman at UFC on FX 3, and thus continue his ascension up the welterweight ranks.

However, any notions of Silva being the next Brazilian to hold a coveted UFC belt should be firmly squashed, as that honor belongs solely to his compatriot Renan Barão.

For one, Silva (13-2-1DQ MMA) is coming off a disqualification loss, but a defeat nonetheless. Secondly, he’s 1-1 in the Zuffa-based promotion, but of more importance is the fact “Indio” is nowhere near the top 10-ranked fighters in MMA’s welterweight class, let alone the UFC.

Furthermore, he’s yet to fight an upper-echelon 170-pounder, so his chances of vying for the title anytime soon are between slim and none.

Conversely, Barão is riding an astonishing 28-fight undefeated streak, with the sole defeat (his MMA debut more than seven years ago) on his record coming by way unanimous decision.

The 25-year-old is currently 3-0 in the UFC having dispatched Cole Escovedo, Brad Pickett and Scott Jorgensen.

He’s now slated to lock horns with former WEC featherweight champion Urijah Faber for the bantamweight interim title, a fight I believe he’ll win.

Once that mission has been accomplished, the next stop will be Dominick Cruz and the original 12 pounds of UFC gold. Again, that’s a fight he will be victorious in, thus making him the next Brazilian UFC titlist.

And as a consequence, Barão will sit alongside other Brazilian UFC champions such as Junior dos Santos (heavyweight), Anderson Silva (middleweight) and Jose Aldo (featherweight).

A triumph over Cruz would also make him only the eighth Brazilian to hold a UFC divisional championship belt (Antonio “Minotauro" Nogueira won the interim heavyweight title).

UFC on FX 3 is scheduled for June 8, 2012, at the BankAtlantic Center in Sunrise, Fla.

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