UFC Fight Night 36’s Viscardi Andrade doesn’t know reason for lengthy layoff

It took just 96 seconds for Viscardi Andrade to earn his first UFC victory this past August, yet despite coming out of the quick fight injury-free, it’s taken more than six months for the Brazilian to return to the octagon.

Why was that the case? Andrade said his guess is as good as yours.

“To tell the truth, I do not know,” Andrade told MMAjunkie of the reasoning behind his layoff. “I’m under contract. I thought I’d be booked before February. I kept waiting.”

It would seem logical for the UFC to keep Andrade’s momentum rolling after he dispatched Bristol Marunde in relatively effortless fashion at UFC 163. Especially after the 29-year-old had his run on “The Ultimate Fighter: Brazil 2” cut short due to injury.

“I was not injured after my last fight,” Andrade said. “I did break my hand in three places when I was on ‘TUF.’ I had to sit idle for a while, but I’ve been injury-free since then.”

Fortunately for Andrade, his patience was rewarded, and his sophomore UFC appearance receives prime placement on Saturday’s UFC Fight Night 36 main card. The event takes place at Arena Jaragua in Jaragua do Sul, Santa Catarina, Brazil, and airs on FOX Sports 1 with preliminary-card action streaming on UFC Fight Pass.

Andrade’s (17-5 MMA, 1-0 UFC) opponent on the night is fellow welterweight Nicholas Musoke (11-2 MMA, 1-0 UFC), another fighter who made an impressive UFC debut in 2013 with a first-round submission victory over veteran Alessio Sakara.

While Andrade admits he doesn’t know a whole lot about his Swedish foe, he is aware that seven of Musoke’s 11 victories have come by first-round stoppage, meaning he needs to be cautious early in the fight.

“He tries to finish his opponent on the first minute of his fights,” Andrade said. “He’s a complete athlete with good jiu-jitsu and good on the feet. He’s very aggressive. I like this matchup.”

As is the theme throughout the UFC Fight Night 36 main card, Andrade will look not just to get the win, but also defend his home turf against a foreign opponent. While Brazilians have been known to excel when fighting in front of their own inside the octagon, Andrade won’t look for the fans inside Arena Jaragua to give him a boost since his focus will already be at a peak.

“I think it certainly helps to be in a friendly environment,” Andrade said. “I’ll be fighting at home, but when the cage door closes, none of that matters.”

For more on UFC Fight Night 36, check out the UFC Rumors section of the site.