Athletes
Mauricio Ruffy Is Enjoying The Process
Ahead Of His Second UFC Fight, Mauricio Ruffy Is Soaking In Every Bit Of The Spotlight At UFC 309: Jones vs Miocic
Mauricio Ruffy’s tenure in the UFC may only consist of a single fight so far, but as he approaches his sophomore appearance, the Brazilian can’t help but appreciate the spot he finds himself in at UFC 309: Jones vs Miocic.
For one, he’s riding a five-fight, five-knockout streak into New York City. And two, he gets to open up the main card in a catchweight fight against James Llontop. The slot came as a surprise to Ruffy, and he is soaking it all in throughout fight week.
“It's incredible,” he said. “I can't even explain it with words. I'm just enjoying it all, thanking God very much. I'm speechless.”
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If he has one qualm, it’s that he has only fought just once since earning his contract on Dana White’s Contender Series in October 2023, but that hasn’t come without its benefits. His debut was a home game at UFC 301 in Rio de Janeiro. That Ruffy’s second fight is on the same card as the likes of Jon Jones, Stipe Miocic and Charles Oliveira in the World’s Most Famous Arena makes it all the sweeter.
“I saw the UFC's care for me, always putting me in the biggest events,” he said. “I'm very happy about it…I see the enthusiasm of the fans. My Instagram account went up insane. I'm still getting used to it. It hasn't sunk in yet; now I've woken up here and I'm on the main card. Perhaps the greatest card of the year, Jon Jones, it may be his last fight, we don't know yet. I'm really happy, very happy with it.”
Ruffy’s quick rise, albeit in the smallest sample size, is akin to the rest of his Fighting Nerds teammates. Ruffy, along with Caio Borralho, Jean Silva, Bruna Brasil and Carlos Prates (who recently scored a main event knockout against Neil Magny) have put the Sao Paulo-based team on the map in a big way.
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Their combination of electric performances and finishes, combined with singular and intriguing personalities, captured the attention of MMA fans across the board one pair of fake glasses at a time.
“Fighting Nerds has arrived in the UFC,” Ruffy said. “We already knew that, with our everyday commitment, when we first got here to the UFC, we were going to leave a big impact, and I believe that our team will have many champions in the future.”
A testament to the Fighting Nerds way, other than the results, is their ability—seemingly across the board—to step up and fight at any time and show up with plenty of gas in the tank. Ruffy attributes that to their philosophy of staying close to their fighting weight even when they aren’t in fight camp, and it shows in each of their action-packed performances.
That commitment, naturally, comes with sacrifice. For Ruffy, it means time away from his two children, who were born about 10 months apart. Even though Ruffy started the camp at a healthy weight, he also feels like he’s been in camp for a while after a few matchups came and went.
“I miss them very much,” he said. “I miss (my oldest) most of all, who is very attached to me. Every day he sends me a video saying ‘Daddy, Daddy.’ I get emotional. I have to hold my tongue here, otherwise I'll end up crying.”
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What he is happy to talk about is his fight with Llontop, a fellow Dana White’s Contender Series alumnus coming off back-to-back losses. Surely, the sense of urgency will be high on both sides, but Ruffy knows desperation can make a dangerous man out of anybody.
Despite that reality, as well as the overall excitement about opening a main card in Madison Square Garden, Ruffy expects to take it all in stride on fight night. What matters most to him is making the most of his training, and if it follows recent trends, he has every reason to believe in his ability to have an early night at the office.
“We are never sure how the fight will turn out,” he said. “I prefer to read the opponent, to feel what he's going to give me, and then I can put my weapons to use, and I have a lot of things ready. I'm going there to wage war, as I always say. I go in there for three rounds, but I don't think he'll be able to go three rounds with me. That's what I expect.”
UFC 309: Jones vs Miocic took place live from Madison Square Garden in New York City, New York on November 16, 2024. 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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