LFA MAKES HISTORIC DEBUT IN BELO HORIZONTE, MINAS GERAIS

LFA 241: PIRES vs. PEREIRA

Presented By MONSTER ENERGY

MAIN EVENT

LFA BANTAMWEIGHT WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP

FORMER LFA BANTAMWEIGHT CHAMPION

VINICIUS PIRES

vs.

RAFAEL “MINI MAN” PEREIRA

10-STRAIGHT WINS

GINÁSIO MINEIRINHO

BELO HORIZONTE, MINAS GERAIS, BRAZIL

LIVE on VICE TV at 8 p.m. ET / 5 p.m. PT

Also airing across Latin America on ESPN Deportes and ESPN KnockOut

Tickets available now at Sypla.com.br

LAS VEGAS, Nevada — LFA CEO Ed Soares announced today that the promotion will make history on Friday, September 11th, with LFA 241, marking the promotion’s debut in Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais — the sixth Brazilian state to host an LFA event. LFA 241 will take place inside the Ginásio Mineirinho, and will be headlined by a bantamweight world title bout as Vinicius Pires faces Rafael Pereira for the vacant championship.

The LFA bantamweight title became vacant after reigning champion Artem Belakh relinquished his title to compete on the 2026 season of The Ultimate Fighter, opening the door for two of Brazil’s top 135-pound contenders to battle for the belt.

“Belo Horizonte has been on our radar for a long time, and there’s no better way to introduce LFA to Minas Gerais than with a vacant world title fight between the two best bantamweights in Brazil,” stated Soares. “Rafael Pereira hasn’t lost since 2018 and has earned this opportunity, and doing it in his home state makes it even more special. Vinicius Pires knows what it takes to be champion and is coming off a dominant win at LFA 229 as he looks to get the belt back. This is exactly the kind of main event our fans in Minas Gerais deserve for our debut in the state.”

Rafael Pereira (15-4) enters the bout unbeaten since 2018, riding a ten-fight winning streak into the biggest fight of his career — five of those wins coming inside the LFA cage, where he has gone a perfect 5-0, with five finishes among his last ten outings. Originally from Minas Gerais, Pereira returns home to fight for the title in front of his own fans, adding extra emotional weight to LFA’s historic debut in the state.

Standing across the cage will be Vinicius Pires (12-2 overall, 6-1 in the LFA), a former LFA bantamweight champion looking to reclaim the title he lost in November 2025. Pires enters the fight on the heels of a dominant win at LFA 229, and one of Brazil’s most established 135-pound competitors, is determined to remind the division why he once stood atop it.

The event also marks a milestone for the promotion, as LFA 241 becomes the first event held in Minas Gerais, expanding the promotion’s footprint to a sixth Brazilian state and pitting two of Brazil’s premier bantamweights against one another for the vacant title, continuing LFA’s commitment to growing the sport across Brazil.

LFA 241: Pires vs. Pereira, presented by Monster Energy, will stream live in the United States on VICE TV and will also air across Latin America on ESPN Deportes and ESPN KnockOut, and throughout Russia and the CIS countries on Fight Club.

Tickets to LFA 241: Pires vs. Pereira are available now at Sypla.com.br

Currently Announced Fight Card

Main Event | LFA Bantamweight Title Bout (135 lbs)

Vinicius Pires (12-2) vs. Rafael Pereira (15-4)

Middleweight Bout (185 lbs)

Neemias Santana (7-3-1) vs. Marcos Silva (10-6)

Featherweight Bout (145 lbs)

Carlos Soares (16-4) vs. Gustavo Pintos (10-1)

Bantamweight Bout (135 lbs)

Derick Borges (11-4) vs. Sukhrobbek Atazhanov (10-2)

Middleweight Bout (185 lbs)

Gustavo Rocha (5-3) vs. Felipe Rosa (4-0)

Strawweight Bout (115 lbs)

Raiane Vinuto (5-1) vs. Marina Monteiro (6-1)

Featherweight Bout (145 lbs)

Eduardo Dutra (7-0) vs. Fabrizio Pincheira (5-1)

Bantamweight Bout (135 lbs)

Giovanni Garcia (9-0) vs. Igor Taylon (10-5)

Bantamweight Bout (135 lbs)

Thalyta Silva (4-0) vs. Mônica Fontes (4-1)

Lightweight Bout (155 lbs)

Victor Santos (7-1) vs. Marcos Silva (8-3)

Welterweight Bout (170 lbs)

Emerson Richard (8-5) vs. Salomão Albuquerque (7-1)

Bantamweight Bout (135 lbs)

Breno Yuri (6-1) vs. Fabio Perpetua (8-2)

Welterweight Bout (170 lbs)

Lucas Silva (5-0) vs. Lucas Hodak (5-5)

Bantamweight Bout (135 lbs)

Joao Vitor Pereira (4-1) vs. Adam Santos (5-1)

Light Heavyweight Bout (205 lbs)

Nicolas Santos (3-0) vs. Jackson Soares (2-1)

Strawweight Bout (115 lbs)

Laryssa Leila (2-3) vs. Fernanda Atômica (1-0)

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About LFA:

LFA is a professional Mixed Martial Arts promotion that was formed by the powerhouse merger between RFA and Legacy FC in 2017. It has launched the careers of over 350 athletes that have reached the pinnacle of MMA by competing in the UFC. LFA presents live Mixed Martial Arts events on a monthly basis around the world including Las Vegas, Los Angeles, Denver, Dallas, Phoenix, Rio de Janeiro, and São Paulo. Based in Las Vegas, NV, LFA is one of the most active and respected MMA organizations in the fastest growing sport in the world. The promotion owns and operates LFA FIGHT NETWORK™ , a premium YouTube channel that features live combat sports events alongside live LFA Prelims and historical fights.

Please visit LFA.com for updates and information. Visit the official LFA YouTube channel (LFA FIGHT NETWORK™) at @LFAfights. Follow LFA on social media platforms (Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, and X)

About VICE TV:

VICE TV delivers a powerful mix of culture-defining originals, bold entertainment and live alternative sports across television and digital. The Emmy®-winning international television network from VICE Media Group, in partnership with A+E, is available in 40 million U.S. cable, telco, and satellite homes and to multiple licensees worldwide. To cater to the growing global demand for sports content, in 2025 the network launched a slate of live event programming (Arena Football One, BKB Bare Knuckle Boxing, LFA, Major League Volleyball, Professional Fighters League) and sports-focused docuseries and specials. Current and previous programming includes Out of Bounds, an investigative documentary franchise from VICE Studios; Chasing Speed from the National Hot Rod Association (NHRA); Don’t Call it a Comeback

with host Noah Eagle, from Front Office Sports Studios, Skydance Sports, and NFL Films; NFL Classics: After Further Review, with host Kyle Brandt, from Omaha Productions in association with NFL Films; Brady vs Belichick: The Verdict, with host Christopher “Mad Dog” Russo; Pitino: Red Storm Rising and Calipari: Razor’s Edge; VICE Studios’ Dark Side of the Cage, Dark Side of the Ring Hell’s Angels and United Gangs of America; The Grudge; and Sports Gone Wrong.

For more information, visit VICETV.com; follow VICE TV on social media platforms (Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, and X); find viewing and streaming

About ESPN KNOCKOUT:

ESPN KNOCKOUT, the best combat sports series in Latin America, shares the passion for boxing and MMA with fans. Throughout Latin America, ESPN KNOCKOUT airs the best live boxing and the most outstanding MMA events in the universe, along with features, interviews, analysis, exclusives, previews and much more from its renowned commentator team. Follow @ESPNKnockOut for features exclusive content and the latest news on combat athletes.

About ESPN DEPORTES:

ESPN Deportes launched as ESPN’s 24/7 Spanish-language linear platform serving U.S. Hispanic sports fans January 7, 2004. Before the network’s launch, ESPN Deportes began as a Sunday night programming block in July 2000 when ESPN and Major League Baseball offered Spanish-language telecasts of the Home Run Derby and select Sunday Night Baseball games. In 2001, ESPN Deportes started offering full Sunday Night Baseball and Sunday Night Football schedules, as well as boxing. ESPN Deportes is programming devoted to serving the Latino sports fans by offering high-quality, culturally relevant and the most diverse sports programming available on Spanish-language television.Find out more at espndeportes.espn.com.

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