Up-and-coming Ultimate Fighting Championship lightweight
Mauricio
Ruffy is open to learning from anyone, anywhere.
The Fighting Nerds prospect has won three times since debuting with
the promotion in 2024. Knocking out Jamie
Mullarkey to put himself on the map, he went on to win on the
scorecards against James
Llontop, and most recently, demolish Bobby Green
with a spinning wheel kick at UFC 313. The Brazilian is at a
crossroads, having reached rankable opposition given that Green
recently resided within the confines of the top 15 at 155 pounds.
According to Ruffy, he is quite close to a return to the
promotion.
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The fighter born Mauricio de Lima Santos, whose nickname refers to
“One Piece” main character Monkey D. Luffy, recently turned down a
fight against top-ranked Mateusz
Gamrot, as he was unwilling to step up on nine days. This did
not put him down the list of names to call, as he told Sherdog on
Thursday that he is preparing to sign a bout agreement that would
place him in an upcoming main event. The opponent? He is keeping
that card close to the vest.
“Actually, I came to the Jean Silva
fight [against Bryce
Mitchell] and got that invitation [to face Gamrot] backstage,”
Ruffy explained. “But once [Carlos]
Prates would fight the following week and I couldn’t have my
main corners with me, I declined. Fortunately, we are doing a good
job that is being recognized by UFC, so it’s time to take the right
decisions.”
While he could not reveal his likely upcoming adversary, he did
point to a fighter he wanted to take on one day.
“No doubt [I would fight] Justin
Gaethje,” he immediately answered. “I’ve already studied a lot
of his style and I’m sure his aggressive approach would provide an
amazing fight that certainly wouldn’t go to judge’s decision.”
Knowing that he still has yet to earn a number next to his name
from the promotion, the Brazilian is willing to come to blows with
practically every ranked lightweight, except one.
„[Charles
Oliveira] ‘Bronxs,’ only for the belt,” the knockout artist
stated. “I’ll never forget the way he welcomed me in my first UFC
fight, even being from the same division. Charles is a unique human
being.”
The man of many talents is proud to reveal who inspired him coming
up on the regional scene, as well as who motivates him now to keep
improving. One of his earliest inspirations for the fighter that
turned pro in 2016 is Conor
McGregor, who he attributes to helping him develop his own
aggressive style. As he has come into his own as a striker, he has
changed his main focus of study to the art of sambo, specifically
from those in the Dagestan region including Khabib
Nurmagomedov.
“If you look back in MMA history, there is always a dominant style
that one day gets its ‘questions answered.’ It started with
jiu-jitsu in the first UFCs, then wrestling, then top strikers
started to defend takedowns and kick…Now we are living in a
moment of domination of the Khabib style, but it will not last
forever.”
The 28-year-old who earned a contract through Dana White’s Contender Series defeated Raimond
Magomedaliev—training partner of Islam
Makhachev—and used that opportunity to gauge himself against
that style. In some ways, he felt his approach against Magomedaliev
bore similarities to current welterweight champ Jack
Della Maddalena’s strategy against former beltholder Belal
Mohammad.
“When Raimond fought me in Contender [Series], Makhachev said that
[Magomedaliev] was his best sparring partner and introduced him as
the new welterweight king. If you look at those Russians, they have
two amazing rounds where they basically frustrate the opponent. But
if you are able to anticipate their throw, or, in case being taken
down, resist and oblige them to strike in the late rounds, the
history changes. That’s exactly how I TKOed Magomedaliev. If you
look at the fight, I just started to speed up at the end of the
second round and knocked him out with their own ground-and-pound
game in the third round. I truly believe that’s how Maddalena will
knock out Makhachev, around the 4th or 5th round.”
As a member of one of the best camps running today, Ruffy
understandably thinks highly of his teammates. One in particular,
“Lord” Silva, may be a star in the making at 145 pounds. Ruffy is
optimistic of Silva’s chances in the featherweight division,
especially after Silva mollywhopped Mitchell in April.
“I truly believe Jean is a level above everyone in the division.
You should see this guy sparring. Besides being a sniper, he never
gets tired. Looks like he improves round to round. The only one who
I see giving him a war would be Ilia
Topuria, but I’ve already seen Topuria getting tired and Jean
just raises his intensity round-to-round. I would bet all my money
on Jean against Topuria, but now he went to another division, so I
truly believe that Jean will get that crown soon,” the Fighting
Nerd concluded.