Athletes
Brunno Ferreira Is Going Back To The Future
Brazilian Middleweight Faces A Familiar Foe As He Targets Middleweight Progression With Victory Over The Man He Defeated On His UFC Debut.
Brunno Ferreira is eyeing a spot in the UFC's middleweight top 10, and he plans on defeating a familiar face from his past to help get him there. Ferreira made his UFC debut back in January 2023 against compatriot Gregory "Robocop" Rodrigues at UFC 283, and now, three years later, the pair are all set to run it back as they kick off the main card at UFC 326 on Saturday night.
The bout came about very quickly when Ferreira's originally-scheduled opponent, Paulo Costa, withdrew from the matchup. The UFC's matchmakers pivoted quickly and offered a bout with Rodrigues, which Ferreira gladly accepted.
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"The whole thing about Paulo pulling out, that doesn't surprise me – there's nothing new there,” he said. “But obviously there was some surprise with the name Gregory. But at the end of the day, that was actually good for me, because we're talking about a guy that's it's an improvement for me, and what comes after the fight, because he's the guy that's right currently ahead of me.
"So, I was happy with the name because that improves my standing and gives me an opportunity to move up in the rankings."
There are short-notice parallels with Ferreira's first fight with Rodrigues, too. On that occasion, it was Rodrigues who was looking for a new dance partner after his opponent Brad Tavares was ruled out in the lead-up to the fight. Ferreira stepped up for his Octagon debut and produced a performance to remember as he upset the odds to knock out "Robocop" in the first round to announce his arrival in the UFC's middleweight division.
"When that opportunity came up and we saw that Gregory did not have a fight scheduled, we thought, 'Man, this could be a great calling card for me in the UFC', and my team, myself, we all had the confidence we could do that," Ferreira recalled.
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"And what better moment to step in for that fight. Fighting him in my home, in Brazil, and it couldn't have gone better, with a great fight, a great win, and a great knockout."
Despite Ferreira's resounding first-round knockout of Rodrigues back in 2023, "Robocop" has been able to ascend the UFC's middleweight ladder a little faster and goes into Saturday night's rematch ranked 13th, two spots ahead of Ferreira.
Now Ferreira has the chance to climb a rung or two further up the ladder, and he'll head into Saturday night riding a 3-fight win streak that includes a pair of armbar finishes, plus, in his most recent appearance, a win over former title challenger Marvin Vettori.
That fight saw Ferreira experience a career first as he was taken to the scorecards for the first time in his MMA career. The Brazilian picked up the unanimous decision victory and, rather than being disappointed at not getting the finish, Ferreira said that going the distance with the iron-chinned Italian gave him the opportunity to further develop his game.
"I've always said this to people, that every fight, to me, is a learning experience," he explained. "That previous fight actually featured an opportunity to evolve, not just inside the Octagon, but a lot of things outside the Octagon, as well.
"This one, believe me, increased my desire to improve and to evolve, and be sure, I'm the athlete that evolves the most from fight to fight."
Constant evolution has been a theme in Ferreira's MMA career to date. He started with a reputation as a judo black belt, but as he has continued to expand and sharpen his skills, he has broadened his arsenal to make him a legitimate threat, wherever the fight goes.
"As a judo black belt, I don't worry about falling or being taken down and again, when things are down on the ground, I'm a jiu-jitsu black belt, as well. So very feel comfortable in my skin when I'm down there," he explained.
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"Then I evolved to being a Muay Thai black belt, as well. So I've told people that I came into this sport as a judo black belt and a jiu jitsu black belt, and I evolved to be a Muay Thai black belt, and an MMA black belt, as well."
That well-rounded skillset has seen Ferreira compile a 15-2 record, with six wins from his eight UFC outings to date. And, that decision win over Vettori aside, he's finished all of his other wins inside the distance.
As he prepares to step back into the Octagon with a man who he's knocked out once before, Ferreira is confident that he can emerge victorious again for one clear reason – he's even better now.
"For sure, we're talking about an athlete that has learned and evolved and improved so much," he explained. "So much has passed, so much I've evolved, and I've made mistakes. I've also had some great wins and some great opportunities, and I've conquered a lot of things, as well. For sure, we're talking about a different athlete.
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"The first athlete, the first Brunno, was someone that knocked him out in the first round, and now (this Brunno is) one with many more weapons that can finish the fight. And on Saturday, however that happens, I'm going to come out with my arm raised."
UFC 326: Holloway vs Oliveira 2 took place live from T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada on March 7, 2026. See the final Prelim & Main Card Results, Official Scorecards and Who Won Bonuses - and relive the action on UFC FIGHT PASS!
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