After winning 15 of his last 17 professional bouts, Carlos
Leal Miranda will finally achieve his goal of fighting in the
Ultimate Fighting Championship.
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The Brazilian will step up on short notice to face Rinat
Fakhretdinov at UFC 308
on Saturday in Abu Dhabi. What makes the situation more interesting
is how someone who hadn’t fought in the UFC and lives in Curitiba,
Brazil, was able to accept such a call from the promotion on the
week of the fight. The foundation for the move was laid in August
2023.
After losing to Sadibou Sy
via decision in a second consecutive
Professional Fighters League semifinal, Leal decided that it
was time to leave PFL and try to achieve his goal of fighting in
UFC.
“When I entered the PFL my goal was to be a champion. In the first
season I got really close and decided to try once again. When I
lost the second time, me and my team decided it was time to leave,”
Leal said.
While things didn’t work out as planned in the PFL, “The Lion”
recognizes that the organization was important for his growth.
“PFL was a great [learning experience] for me,” he said. “Thanks to
that promotion, I could give a better life to my family and even
buy a house for my mother. PFL also helped me to evolve as a man
and fighter. So I just have gratitude to them.”
Leal and his manager then devised a plan that would get him closer
to his dream of making it to the UFC.
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“We knew that the best way to reach UFC was to get the
LFA title,” Leal said.
Before getting into LFA his team decided to accept an invitation to
fight at UAE Warriors 48, where Leal knocked out
Marcio Breno Rodrigues Braga in the first round. Four months
later, Leal finally made his LFA debut, knocking out Manuel Mena
in the first round on his first step to get an LFA title shot.
Twelve weeks ago, his manager found out that UFC 308 would take
place in Abu Dhabi on the same week of UAE Warriors 55.
“He put me on that card with a clear strategy,” Leal said.”If some
welterweight or middleweight fighter had some problem at UFC 308, I
would be already here. But even if no one withdraws from the card,
it would be a great opportunity to perform for UFC people and have
a chance to get my contract.”
When the first part of the plan worked out, Leal needed a little
help to make his dream a reality.
“UAE Warriors said they would allow me to fight in UFC if we got a
replacement for me and my trainer, Rodrigo
Cavalheiro Correia, stepped in immediately and agreed to a
catchweight fight on Tuesday against my former opponent.
Cavalheiro, who is 41 years old, defeated Erkin
Darmenov via first-round knockout at UAE Warriors 55 on
Tuesday.
Meanwhile, Leal is preparing to face Fakhretdinov on short notice.
Though it is first time facing an opponent from Russia in 26
professional outings, Leal is not worried.
“There were many top Russians in my division, so I’ve been studying
them for a long time,” he said. “I’m really happy to be able to
finally achieve my dream of fighting in the UFC facing a tough
opponent like Rinat. I have no doubt it will be a hell of a fight.
There couldn’t be a better way to achieve my goal.”