Taura MMA signs broadcasting deal to air on FOX Deportes

Former UFC heavyweight title contender Antonio Silva is set to fight at Taura MMA 11 in Florida. | Wagner Carmo, Inovafoto

Taura MMA has a home in the United States.

The Brazilian-based promotion kicked off a new era in the third quarter of 2020 with the signing of more than a dozen UFC and Bellator veterans as well as the announcement of its first shows overseas, and now its four upcoming cards will air live on FOX Deportes, Taura MMA founder and CEO Djonatan Leao told MMA Fighting.

Taura MMA 10, which takes place in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, on Oct. 23, will be the first show to air live on the network, which is distributed to approximately 22 million households in the U.S. The entire 10-bout lineup will air live, featuring three championship fights plus the debut of former UFC fighters Sergio Moraes, Rousimar Palhares and Wendell Oliveira.

Taura MMA

“Many people doubted me when I said that Taura would be neck and neck with Bellator, ONE and PFL in 2021,” Leao told MMA Fighting. “We were never worried because we knew we were on the right path. The FOX deal puts us on another level internationally and shows that our work is serious, focused and disruptive. It’s the beginning of a partnership that will show the world that our goal is to be among the best MMA organizations on the planet.

“Besides that, we also want to show a more human side of MMA so the sport becomes more attractive to families and those who aren’t used to watching combat sports. The word Taura means specialist in any subject. We’ll still be a world reference not only in fighting, but also in entertainment and fun.”

Taura MMA 11 will go down a week later Kissimmee, Fla., and marks the promotional debut of Antonio Silva and Daron Cruickshank opposite Brett Martin and Deivison Ribeiro, respectively. Richardson Moreira puts his light heavyweight title on the line against Jonathan Wilson in the main event.

The following show, which includes former UFC champion Renan Barao taking on Bobby Moffett, is set for Nov. 22 in a yet-to-be-defined location in the United States, while Taura MMA 13 closes the year in Rio de Janeiro on Dec. 6. All four events will air live on FOX Deportes in the United States, and live in Brazil through pay-per-view network Combate.