A Legacy Fighting Alliance featherweight champion and prized pupil
of the Machida family, Bruno Souza
has signed with the sport’s largest organization to make his debut
against Melsik
Baghdasaryan at UFC 268 on Saturday.
It’s a lifelong dream fulfilled for the 25-year-old Souza.
“Since I moved to the U.S. that was my ultimate goal. I really
don’t care if it was a short notice, because I´m always trained and
ready to fight,” Souza said. “Challenge given, challenge
accepted.
Souza, who enters his first UFC foray with a 10-1 mark, signed a
four-fight deal with the Las Vegas-based promotion. He is coming
off a victory over Javier
Garcia at Legacy Fighting Alliance 114 in September that earned
him the promotion’s featherweight belt.
Souza is 25 years old and was born in Recife, Brazil. However,
at the age of 4, he moved to Belém, Brazil, where he began to
practice karate at the Machida Gym with patriarch sensei
Yoshizo Machida.
“We are very proud. This kid has been training with us since a very
young age. He competed a lot in karate before moving to the United
States to train with Lyoto,” Yoshizo said. “Seeing him signing with
UFC is the realization of another dream.”
According to Lyoto
Machida, Bruno has always been one of his most dedicated
students.
“He spent two months in my house, returned to Brazil and nine
months later moved to the USA. His striking was already very good,
but he evolved a lot from his ground and wrestling skills here in
the United States,” Lyoto said. “Lately he is also training with
Chad
Jordan at CMMA along with Pedro
Munhoz, who trains there when in California.”
Lyoto believes the short-notice nature of Souza’s debut will not be
a problem for the young fighter.
“He is used to competing a lot in karate and after he moved here he
fought five times in LFA since 2019,” Lyoto said. “He was called up
last Friday and you will see him make weight and put on a great
show [on Saturday].”