It’s time to do or die.
Jussier Formiga was the No. 1 flyweight in the world before the UFC created the division in 2012, but the Brazilian has yet to show the reason inside the Octagon. With a 1-2 record under the Zuffa banner, Formiga knows he will have his back against the wall when he faces off against Scott Jorgensen at UFC Fight Night 38 in Natal, Brazil, on March 23.
“We always get in there to do or die,” Formiga told MMAFighting.com, “but I try to be conscious and use the strategy.”
Jorgensen, a former WEC and UFC title challenger, came up short in his flyweight debut, dropping a unanimous decision against former Bellator champion Zach Makovsky in December.
“It was a good fight,” he said. “I expected him to win, but it was a close fight and he ended up losing. Every fight is different, and it’s going to be different against me. We’re both coming off losses and we’re motivated to win, and I have no doubt that it’s going to be a great fight.”
A decorated jiu-jitsu black belt, the Kimura Nova Uniao fighter understands that he needs to perform well in the UFC, not only get his hands raised after the fight.
“I think I need a big fight, a great performance, to show them what I can do,” Formiga said. “I want to show them that I’m ready, that I’m that guy that was the number one in the world in the past.
“A win over Scott would be great for me not only in terms of rankings, but with all the fans that believe in me,” he continued. “That’s my focus, get in there and fight like I used to fight in Brazil, to go in there for a war. I want to show what I can do.”