Erick Silva draws returning Nate Loughran at UFC’s Feb Fight Night event
Erick Silva, once a prized welterweight prospect, will take a step down from top competition when he faces Nate Loughran at the UFC Fight Night event in Jaragua do Sul, Brazil on Feb. 15, 2014.
The matchup was first reported by Brazil’s Combate.
Silva will be attempting to rebound after suffering his first-ever finish loss, a knockout at the hands of Dong Hyun Kim in October. The second-round finish was a KO of the Night Award winner for Kim, coming on a crushing overhand left. Couple that with a decision loss to Jon Fitch in Oct. 2012, and Silva has dropped two of his last three bouts.
While Fitch was in the top 10 when they met and Kim was on the outer periphery, Loughran is a significant change, making his return from the UFC after a hiatus of over five years in the organization.
In fact, Loughran put fighting aside completely for nearly four years until returning in March 2012. He’s gone 2-0 since that comeback, and is 11-1 in his career, with eight submissions.
His last UFC appearance came at the inaugural UFC Fight for the Troops event in 2008, when he went two rounds with Tim Credeur but was unable to answer the bell for the third due to a rib injury.
The UFC Fight Night event takes place at Arena Jaragua, and will be headlined by a middleweight fight between contenders Lyoto Machida and Gegard Mousasi.
