UFC Fortaleza preview: Brazil's best go to war

Don't talk to Vitor Belfort and Mauricio Rua about retirement.

The two Brazilian MMA legends will look to remind fans of their past glory on Saturday when they defend the motherland in the headlining bouts of UFC Fight Night 106 in Fortaleza, Brazil.

A month away from his 40th birthday, Belfort has long maintained that this part of his career is just the beginning, going as far as to say that his best days are ahead of him.

It's quite a boast for "The Phenom," a former UFC champion with 38 professional fights under his belt who is currently in a 1-3 slump. He'll have every chance to back up his words and redeem himself when he fights Kelvin Gastelum, a man 14 years his junior who is known for his relentless pace.

The 35-year-old Rua could also be facing his own mortality when he steps into the Octagon with Gian Villante. "Shogun" has actually won two straight, but his chin has been questioned after suffering two ugly knockout losses in 2014. The matchmakers aren't doing him any favors by pairing him up with Villante, a heavy-hitter with 10 KOs on his resume.

Between the two of them, Belfort and Rua have almost 35 years of combined MMA experience. Whatever they have left, they'll get leave it all in the cage at least one more time.

Related - UFC Fortaleza predictions: Can 'The Phenom' turn back the clock?

Formiga's march to a title shot

Jussier Formiga's methodical fighting style perfectly reflects the slow road he's taken to title contention.

Before the UFC established its own 125-pound division, Formiga (Portuguese for "ant") was considered by many to be the best flyweight fighter in the world. His secret to success is his oppressive grappling, a skill that has translated to five wins inside the Octagon, including a unanimous decision nod over Dustin Ortiz in his last outing:

The subtle skill of maintaining top control isn't going to make him the next Conor McGregor anytime soon, but Formiga keeps racking up wins and he currently sits at No. 3 in the official rankings. He holds a win over Wilson Reis, the man scheduled to fight UFC champion Demetrious Johnson in April.

Should Formiga top Ray Borg, he'll put himself in prime position to once again rule over the flyweight division.

Going streaking

Flying under the radar on the preliminary card are white-hot Brazilian stars Francisco Trinaldo and Rani Yahya.

With the majority of his fights taking place in Brazil, it's understandable that the majority of fans in North America might not realize Trinaldo is riding one of the most impressive winning streaks in the UFC. "Massaranduba" has won his past seven, which ties him with Khabib Nurmagomedov for the second-longest streak in the deep lightweight division, trailing only Tony Ferguson (9).

Yahya is another fighter who's put together an impressive run in relative obscurity. The grappling ace has won four straight, good enough to tie Jimmie Rivera for second place among streaking bantamweights. UFC champion Cody Garbrandt owns the best winning streak in the division with five.

If either veteran can pick up a W on Saturday, it will go a long way toward people finally viewing them as legitimate contenders.

Brazilian pride

Much like UFC Fight Night 100 in Sao Paulo, the UFC's next trip to Brazil has been booked so that almost every fight involves a Brazilian facing a non-Brazilian. The lone exception is a bout between countrymen Sergio Moraes and Davi Ramos, which only came about because Moraes' original opponent, Californian Max Griffin, withdrew due to an injury.

The home team won seven of 11 fights last time (excluding one no-contest) and they look poised for similar success this time around with Edson Barboza, Michel Prazeres, and highly touted newcomer Paulo Borrachinha expected to make short work of their invading adversaries.

A former cast member of "The Ultimate Fighter: Brazil," Borrachinha is 8-0 with all of his wins coming by way of first-round knockout or submission. Here's footage of his last victory before signing with the UFC:

On the main card, top-10 contenders Edson Barboza and Bethe Correia will also look to do their part for the green and yellow.

While the rabid Brazilian fans are undoubtedly hoping that Belfort and Shogun close the show on a high note, there should still be plenty of reason to cheer early on.