The UFC returns to Rio de Janerio, Brazil in 2012 with an action packed card that is sure to deliver fireworks from start to finish. In each of the fights at least one of the fighters are Brazilian so can the countrymen of Brazil keep a clean sheet against all the out of towners or will we have some major upsets in Rio. Let’s get to it and breakdown the main card for Saturday’s festivities.

Lightweight 155 lbs.- Edson Barboza (9-0) vs. Terry Etim (15-3)

We will start the PPV card with an explosive first fight as two of the most entertaining strikers in the lightweight division square off to see who will start cracking into the top ten. Etim holds more UFC experience over Barboza and that should help as he is going into enemy territory against one of the top prospects in the division.

Etim’s strengths are his striking and his under-rated ground game; he will likely want to go on the ground as in the striking department Barboza will likely pick him apart like he did to fellow Englishman Ross Pierson.

Barboza had a great 2011 as he has established himself as a top prospect and will look to keep the ball going in 2012. He has shown incredible striking which is a combination of strong Muay Thai combined with an arsenal of Tae Kwon Do kicks that would make any Karateka happy.

This fight boils down to if Etim can mix his strikes with takedowns and floor Barboza, as Etim will find himself in trouble standing in front of a striker of a higher caliber than himself. Etim hasn’t really shown strong takedowns and that could be his downfall in this fight. It is really Barboza’s fight to lose.

Look for an explosive first minutes as Barboza finds his target and eventually stops the Brit with a beautiful barrage of punches and kicks.

Edson Barboza via TKO 1^st round

Welterweight 170 lbs.- Erick Silva (13-1 1NC) vs. Carlo “Neo” Prater (29-10-1)

The second fight of the night features the debut of long time veteran, Carlo Prater, taking on the young team Nogueria representative Erick Silva. This will be an interesting fight as Carlo Prater as of lately has fought as a lightweight and now will have to take on a big powerful welterweight in Brazil’s own Erick Silva.

Silva burst on the scene the last time UFC was in Rio when it only took 40 seconds to end Luis Ramos’ night via TKO. He will look for a repeat performance over an established veteran like Carlo Prater who has fought the likes of Carlos Condit, Melvin Guillard, and Spencer Fisher.

This is a hard fight to break down as Prater does have more experience over higher quality opponents than Silva but he should be fighting at lightweight. Prater’s biggest tool is his ground game where he has ended most of his fights via submission. This can also be said about his opponent Silva who has finished 7 out of 13 of his opponents via submission.

Silva who trains with some of the best fighters in the world at Team Nogueira and Blackhouse will hold that size and power advantage which will be helpful against a crafty Prater. Unfortunately for Prater his debut came in the wrong weight class and it will become evident once he starts trying to takedown the bigger Silva.

Expect a fight where Silva stays aggressive on the outside and avoids the takedowns of Prater wearing him out and putting him out via strikes in the third for another Brazilian victory.

Erick Silva via TKO in 3^rd round

Middleweight 185 Lbs.- Rousimar Palhares (22-3) vs. Mike “The Master of Disaster” Massenzio (13-5)

The next fight pits the master of foot locks with the master of disaster as both middleweights will face off in what could be a great ground war. Both fighters are coming of incredible performances and this fight will help see who ready for a shot at a top ten opponent.

Palhares has had plenty of success in the UFC with a 6-2 record only losing to Nate Marquardt and Dan Henderson. For Mike that hasn’t been the case as he is 1-3 in his last 4 outings. Massenzio is a good fighter but he is swimming with the sharks now, which he can handle as he looked great against Steve Cantwell.

Palhares is the obvious favorite in this fight as he is a stronger and more powerful fighter of the two and will likely hold the advantage anywhere the fight goes. The odds are stacked against Massenzio but in MMA anyone can beat anyone on any given day.

Unfortunately on Saturday that will not be the case for Massenzio as he will simply be outclassed by Palhares from the get go. Watch to see Palhares drop Massenzio with a strong right only to finish him off with a leg lock in the 1^st round.

Rousimar Palhares via Submission 1st round

Middleweight 185 lbs – Vitor “The Phenom” Belfort (20-9) vs. Anthony “Rumble” Johnson (10-3)

In the co-main event we have a clash of top contenders as Brazilian Vitor Belfort welcomes to the division top welterweight fighter Anthony Johnson in what promises to deliver a great fight which can lead one step closer to a title shot for both men.

Anthony Johnson is a fighter who can probably fight at light heavyweight and be competitive. He had one of the toughest cuts which affected some of his performances at 170. He will probably still be as big or bigger than most middleweights but with better cardio making him even more dangerous.

Belfort returned to his winning ways after blasting Akiyama last year to erase the memory of a Steven Segal inspired kick (Front kick) courtesy of Anderson Silva. Belfort seems to have found his rhythm at middleweight but will not challenge again for the title soon as he will be coaching The Ultimate Fighter in Brazil against Wanderlei Silva this summer.

This is a great  match up of strikers in which Vitor brings in his boxing and hand speed and Johnson brings great kickboxing with devastating one-punch knockout power. There is one variable in the equation that creates conflict for Vitor and that is the Johnson is a former college wrestler with great top control which was on display in the Dan Hardy fight.

If Vitor has a weakness that has been exposed before that would be that he doesn’t do well against good wrestlers; he has fallen to wrestlers before such as Randy Couture and Tito Ortiz. That doesn’t mean Vitor can’t land on Johnson and swarm him to get the victory but Johnson is also a good striker so Vitor will have his work cut out for him.

At the end Vitor is a great fighter but this is a bad match up as Johnson can match his striking but Vitor can’t match Johnson wrestling this will be a fight similar to the Hardy fight as Johnson rides a decision to a chorus of boos from the Brazilian crowd.

Anthony Johnson via Decision

Featherweight 145 Lbs- Jose Aldo (20-1) vs. Chad “Money” Mendes (11-0)

In the main event champion Jose Aldo looks to defend his belt against unbeaten Chad Mendes in a fight that has been waiting to happen for almost a year now. We finally get to see if Mendes can step up to the plate and dethrone the unstoppable Aldo in his home country.

Aldo hasn’t really been tearing it up in the UFC as he did in the WEC but he is still very dangerous and has shown he can take out wrestlers no problem but the only difference is that Mendes is on a whole other level when it comes to wrestling in comparison to Aldo’s previous opponents.

Aldo himself has good wrestling but he has had problems with cardio in his last two fights which shown him put on a slower pace in the fifth. In the Hominick fight he was completely dominated but was able to survive and win.

Though Aldo has had those small issues that could be associated with the weight cut it can be said. For this fight he will hopefully not have these issues and this can be the return of a killer we got used to seeing in the WEC.

Mendes has been perfect in all of his bouts but has received criticism for not finishing fights. This is the first time Mendes gets a headlining position and in enemy territory as that will add pressure to the challenger. Mendes has said to be relaxed but when you going into an arena that is against you against a man who can send you to the hospital in a second that can be nerve wrecking to say the least.

Mendes will in fact be the toughest test for Aldo to date but will have a huge disadvantage in the striking department which he looks to make up for with his superior wrestling. The big if here is can Mendes get in and get the takedown while taking heavy fire and if he manages to get him down can he avoid the submission from the Nova Uniao BJJ black belt?

The fight will break down like a tactical fight to everyone’s surprise. It will consist of a good feeling out process with small burst of explosion from both sides. Aldo has to refrain from high volume kicking and instead use quality kicks instead of quantity as Mendes will be looking for his legs. Mendes needs to stay aggressive and work from top and as

for submissions; if he can stop Rani Yahya from submitting him he can stop anyone.

The fight boils down to who executes there game first and establishes a pace. Expect Aldo to use his striking and boxing against his opponent to keep him at range with occasional well set up leg kicks. As Mendes shoots and shoots he will get wreckless and begin to stand with Aldo making a mistake and getting clipped ending his perfect run receiving his first defeat. Brazil will get a vintage Aldo performance and see one of their own keeps his belt.

Jose Aldo via KO in the 1^st round.

That is a wrap up as it will be a great night of fights that are sure to deliver plenty of action from the prelims to the main card. Do not miss it on Jan. 14 only on PPV, and we will see you again for UFC on FX when Melvin Guillard takes on Jim Miller in a lightweight fight.