:format(webp)/cdn.vox-cdn.com/imported_assets/789899/ufc134_weighin_012.jpg)
The fourth bout of the card will be a doozy if you're into some fast-paced bantamweight action. Raphael Assuncao (16-4, 0-1 UFC) will finally make the drop to bantamweight, and in his first bout at 135 he'll face Brazilian veteran Johnny Eduardo (25-8, 0-0 UFC).
Assuncao, a former top-five featherweight, is currently ranked at number 27 on the USA Today/BE Consensus Rankings. He's in a new weight class though, so that's largely moot. Eduardo is currently unranked. This bantamweight UFC 134 fight will take place on the preliminary card, which will be streamed live on Facebook. The Facebook stream begins at 6 p.m. ET/3 p.m. PT.
How do these two stack up?
Assuncao: 29 years old | 5'5" | 67.5" reach
Eduardo: 33 years old | 5'7" | Unknown reach
What have these two done recently?
Assuncao: L - Erik Koch (KO) | W - L.C. Davis (UD) | L - Diego Nunes (SD)
Eduardo: W - Jose Wilson (SUB) | W- Pablo Dantas (UD) | W - Francisco Chagas (TKO)
How did these two get here?
Raphael Assuncao started his career with a 15-1 record, which included wins over Joe Lauzon and Jorge Masvidal. He was considered a top-five featherweight when he faced Urijah Faber at WEC 46. He lost by late submission, but put up a very good fight and his stock was still very high. A razor-thin decision loss to Diego Nunes at WEC 49 didn't help matters, but he rebounded with a solid decision win over L.C. Davis in his last fight before the UFC/WEC merger. Unfortunately his UFC debut didn't go well, as he was knocked out by Erik Koch in under three minutes. He has now made the drop to bantamweight and will look to rebuild his reputation in a new division.
Johnny Eduardo is only 33, but has been fighting for an incredible 15 years already. The biggest matchup of his 33-fight career was probably when he took on Takanori Gomi back at Vale Tudo Japan 99. He lost that fight, along with a few others around that time (he went 3-7 at one point from 1998-2007 while competing sporadically), but has really turned things around in the last four years. Eduardo has won 11 fights in a row, and finished 9 of them. He is a well-rounded fighter and looks to be a stiff test for Assuncao.
Why should you care?
Two well-rounded bantamweights with good finishing skills and a home-country crowd to fight in front of? What's not to like?
More UFC 134 Previews from Bloody Elbow after the jump.
Get the latest gear
