USA TODAY: Brazilians such as Teixeira, Silva poised for star status at UFC 153

RIO DE JANEIRO - When it comes to mixed martial arts in Brazil, UFC middleweight champion Anderson Silva is by far the nation's biggest star.

In recent times, "The Spider" has been called on to promote everything from cheeseburgers to motor bikes, and his image currently is plastered all over Rio de Janeiro as the face of a Nike campaign in the South American economic powerhouse.

So when UFC officials needed a replacement headliner for Saturday's UFC 153 event in Rio, Silva was a natural fit.

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Mikey Burnett  Murilo Bustamante  Grant Campbell  Gesias JZ Calvancante  Luiz Cane