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Mauricio Ruffy | “I Came To Be The Champ”
Rising Lightweight Mauricio Ruffy Plans To Make The Most Of His Opportunity At UFC 313: Pereira vs Ankalaev And Announce Himself As A Future Contender
To earn a slot on a pay-per-view main card in your second fight in the UFC is nothing short of a nod of approval for a fighter on the rise.
The spot is coveted for a reason, and that is where Mauricio Ruffy found himself as he made his second walk to the Octagon, taking on James Llontop to open up UFC 309 in New York City. The opportunity came after he scored a debut knockout over Jamie Mullarkey at UFC 301 in Brazil, his 10th such victory in as many professional wins. That track record made Ruffy the biggest betting favorite on the card, and while he didn’t get the finish, he certainly delivered his fair share of highlights.
The bout ended with a decision nod in Ruffy’s favor, a successful first venture to the scorecards. Previously, Ruffy had gone out of the second round just once. That experience, both the bright lights and the 15 minutes of work, is one Ruffy cherishes.
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“I think it was the fight that made me evolve the most and grow as a fighter,” Ruffy told UFC.com. “I could have gone for (the finish) all the time, and I decided to take my time. That was the fight that was Fighting Nerds from beginning to the end. I didn't get too eager. I took my time. We followed the strategy. I think that it was an all-around evolution.”
In 2024, UFC fans came to learn what Brazil’s Fighting Nerds were all about. Ruffy’s teammates, who include Caio Borralho and Jean Silva, among many others, were the darlings of the MMA world as they collected one highlight-reel win after another.
The momentum seems to have kept rolling into 2025 with Silva scoring an eye-popping knockout win over Melsik Baghdasaryan in Seattle.
From their Fight IQ and penchant for finding finishing fights in spectacular fashion, to the nerdy frames they don in post-fight celebration, everyone seems to love what The Fighting Nerds have going on so far.
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“I think the cool thing about Fighting Nerds is the love that we put into this thing,” Ruffy said of his team’s popularity and success. “It is a labor of love, after all. It's the dedication in which we put in training. It's what we put in by showcasing our talent as well. It's a labor of love. That’s what people like.”
Ruffy’s talent and love gets its highest-profile test to-date at UFC 313: Pereira vs Ankalaev. He takes on veteran King Green in yet another pay-per-view opener, and a win over the longtime lightweight standout could push Ruffy into the ever-dangerous crowd around the division’s Top 15.
Green feels like the perfect test for Ruffy at the moment. There is very little Green hasn’t seen since joining the promotion in February 2013, including a rising prospect like Ruffy. In similar circumstances, Green stymied the momentum of similarly ascending fighters like Grant Dawson and Nasrat Haqparast in recent years. A win over Green could afford a prospect an even bigger opportunity next in the same way Paddy Pimblett now has a date with Michael Chandler in his sights at UFC 314.
Despite Green’s wrestling background, most anticipate the fight to take place on the feet. Green is a perfect dance partner, one that will push Ruffy’s gas tank while also testing his ability to counter, manage distance and play the emotional game as well. With all that in mind, there is very little shaking Ruffy’s confidence at the moment.
“I'm just a better fighter all around in every area possible,” he said. “I don't think that there's an advantage on his side. I think that he's not ready for that kind of pressure. In his prime, I don't think he would be ready for this kind of decision making, for the pressure that I'm going to puton him, for all the alternatives and the things that are going to happen. I don't think that he's got a solution for this.”
Like Borralho did last year with wins over Paul Craig and Jared Cannonier, Ruffy has a great chance to breakthrough in 2025. The lightweight division is notoriously unforgiving, but Ruffy has thus far shown the talent requisite with fighting the best in the world. All that’s left is proving as much, starting with Green on March 8.
“What a great opportunity to be on a card like this against a fighter so experienced,” Ruffy said.
“What an opportunity to grow and to show to people that I came to dominate the division.
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“I came to be the champ; I'm going to be the champion.”
UFC 313: Pereira vs Ankalaev took place live from T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada on March 8, 2025. See the final Prelim & Main Card Results, Official Scorecards and Who Won Bonuses - and relive the action on UFC FIGHT PASS!