Derek Brunson has made himself a mainstay in the Ultimate Fighting Championship’s middleweight division, even if he has yet to sniff the upper reaches of a weight class currently ruled by Michael Bisping.
Brunson will draw his first headlining assignment opposite onetime light heavyweight champion Lyoto Machida in the UFC Fight Night 119 main event this Saturday at the Geraldo Jose de Almeida Gymnasium in Sao Paulo, Brazil. A win there could provide the Jackson-Wink MMA representative with the signature piece his resume lacks. Brunson has won six of his past eight bouts and owns an 8-3 record in the UFC that was highlighted by a five-fight winning streak between Aug.