UFC's Machida, 'Shogun,' Viana take part in Parque Flamboyant tree planting

GOIANIA, Brazil – As part of the UFC’s 20th anniversary celebration, former UFC champions Lyoto Machida and Mauricio Rua, as well as current bantamweight contender Hugo Viana, today took part in a ceremonial tree planting in Brazil’s Parque Flamboyant.

The fighters joined Goiania vice-mayor Agenor Mariano in planting 20 Ipe trees, as well as unveiling a plaque to commemorate the project.

“I speak on behalf of the city of Goiania, and we are happy to have the opportunity to meet the UFC stars and watching this sport, which is now recognized throughout Brazil,” Mariano said. “The doors are open to Goiania for a UFC return.”

The community event was the second tree-planting the UFC has executed in Brazil, the first taking place in June in Fortaleza. UFC Chief Operating Officer Lawrence Epstein, who was also on hand for the event, said the promotion will continue to plan such projects in Brazil, which has quickly become one of the UFC’s best markets.

“Brazil is a country that’s got probably the greatest natural environments in the world, and they’ve got respect for it,” Epstein told MMAjunkie.com. “We sort of think of ourselves in part as a Brazilian company, so if we’re going to think like a Brazilian company and we’re going to be a Brazilian company, we’ve got to think like Brazilians, and Brazilians respect the environment, so the UFC is respecting the environment, too.”

Goiânia is the capital and largest city of the Brazilian state of Goias.

The UFC has conducted 11 events in Brazil during the promotion’s 20-year history, including 10 in the past 27 months. Saturday’s “UFC Fight Night 32: Belfort vs. Henderson” event, which takes place in Goiania, is the seventh and final UFC event on the 2013 schedule.

For more on UFC Fight Night 32, stay tuned to the UFC Rumors section of the site.

(Pictured: Lyoto Machida)