Lineup set for UFC Fight Night 125 with a dozen bouts in Belem, Brazil

The lineup is set for next week’s UFC return to Brazil, which features a former champion against a rising contender at the top of the card.

UFC Fight Night 125 takes place Feb. 3 at Mangueirinho Gymnasium in Belem, Pera, Brazil. It airs on FS1 following early prelims on UFC Fight Pass.

In the headliner, former light-heavyweight champion Lyoto Machida (22-8 MMA, 14-8 UFC), who’s No. 13 in the USA TODAY Sports/MMAjunkie MMA middleweight rankings, takes on undefeated and fast-rising prospect Eryk Anders (10-0 MMA, 2-0 UFC), who could score his biggest victory to date.

In the co-main event, No. 14 bantamweight Pedro Munhoz (15-2-1 MMA, 5-2-1 UFC) meets rankings honorable mention John Dodson (19-9 MMA, 8-4 UFC).

Also on the main card, No. 2 women’s bantamweight Valentina Shevchenko (14-3 MMA, 3-2 UFC) takes on promotional newcomer Priscila Cachoeira (8-0 MMA, 0-0 UFC) at flyweight. Plus, Desmond Green (20-6 MMA, 1-1 UFC) meets Michel Prazeres (23-2 MMA, 7-2 UFC) at lightweight, Marcelo Golm (6-0 MMA, 1-0 UFC) takes on Timothy Johnson (11-4 MMA, 3-3 UFC) in a heavyweight bout, and Thiago “Marreta” Santos (16-5 MMA, 8-4 UFC) fights Anthony Smith (28-12 MMA, 4-2 UFC) at middleweight.

In the featured prelim, on FS1, Tim Means (27-9-1 MMA, 9-6 UFC) takes on Sergio Moraes (12-3-1 MMA, 6-2-1 UFC) at welterweight. Additionally, Damir Hadzovic (11-3 MMA, 1-1 UFC) and Alan Patrick (14-1 MMA, 4-1 UFC) meet at lightweight, and there are a pair of bantamweight fights: Douglas de Andrade (24-2 MMA, 2-2 UFC) vs. Marlon Vera (10-4-1 MMA, 4-3 UFC) and Iuri Alcantara (35-9 MMA, 9-6 UFC) vs. Joe Soto (18-6 MMA, 3-4 UFC).

The featured bout on UFC Fight Pass takes place at flyweight and is between a pair of unbeaten fighters: Deiveson Figueiredo (13-0 MMA, 2-0 UFC) vs. Joseph Morales (9-0 MMA, 1-0 UFC). Plus, promotional newcomers Maia Stevenson (6-4 MMA, 0-0 UFC) and Polyana Viana (9-1 MMA, 0-0 UFC) meet in a women’s strawweight bout.

The full UFC Fight Night 125 lineup includes:

MAIN CARD (Pay-per-view, 10 p.m. ET)

• Lyoto Machida vs. Eryk Anders
• John Dodson vs. Pedro Munhoz
• Priscila Cachoeira vs. Valentina Shevchenko
• Desmond Green vs. Michel Prazeres
• Marcelo Golm vs. Timothy Johnson
• Thiago “Marreta” Santos vs. Anthony Smith

PRELIMINARY CARD (FS1, 8 p.m. ET)

• Tim Means vs. Sergio Moraes
• Damir Hadzovic vs. Alan Patrick
• Douglas de Andrade vs. Marlon Vera
• Iuri Alcantara vs. Joe Soto

PRELIMINARY CARD (UFC Fight Pass, 7 p.m. ET)

• Deiveson Figueiredo vs. Joseph Morales
• Polyana Viana vs. Maia Stevenson

For more on UFC Fight Night 125, check out the UFC Rumors section of the site.