Brad Tavares vs. Antonio Carlos Junior targeted for UFC Brasilia

Middleweights Brad Tavares and Antonio Carlos Junior have verbally agreed to meet in a three-round contest at UFC Brasilia on March 14, multiple sources told MMA Fighting following a report by Combate. Contracts have yet to be signed, sources said.

The Fight Night card will take place at the Nilson Nelson gymnasium in Brasilia, Brazil. The other match-up already set for the event features strawweights Paige VanZant and Amanda Ribas.

Tavares (17-6) will travel to enemy territory to attempt to snap a two-fight losing skid, a five-round decision defeat to future 185-pound champion Israel Adesanya and a first-round knockout loss to undefeated middleweight prospect Edmen Shahbazyan.

Tavares was victorious in 12 of 18 bouts since joining the promotion in 2010, including wins over the likes of Nate Marquardt, Lorenz Larkin, Thales Leites, Elias Theodorou, Krzysztof Jotko and Phil Baroni.

“Cara de Sapato” (10-4, 1 no-contest) is also looking to get back on track following consecutive losses in 2019, dropping decisions to Ian Heinisch and Uriah Hall. The TUF Brazil 3 heavyweight winner was on a five-fight winning streak with four rear-naked choke finishes before his recent setbacks.