Pedro Falcao will make his UFC debut on three days’ notice Saturday in Las Vegas.
After Heili Alateng fell ill days before UFC Fight Night 240 at the UFC Apex, Falcao (16-3 MMA, 0-0 UFC) was signed to fight fellow Brazilian Victor Hugo (24-4 MMA, 0-0 UFC), the promotion announced Wednesday. MMA Mania was first to report the new booking.
Falcao, 31, is a member of Xtreme Couture, and he competed on Dana White’s Contender Series in 2021 when he finished James Barnes with ground-and-pound. Despite the win and finish, Falcao was not signed. After the fight, he went on a hiatus from MMA but remained active in other combat sports competition. In November, he returned at Tuff-N-Uff 134 and submitted UFC alum Leonardo Morales.
“(I) haven’t lost a fight since 2015,” Falcao told MMA Junkie for “On The Doorstep” in November. “I am always working to get better. I know I can not only compete, but win, at a high level in the UFC. I believe I can compete in the top 15 of the UFC right now.”
Hugo, 31, has won 13 fights in a row. He earned his UFC contract with a submission of Eduardo Matias Torres Caut in 2023. Hugo was expected to debut vs. Daniel Marcos in November, but the fight was canceled after he missed weight.
For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC Fight Night 240.
