Winner of the first season of TUF Brazil in 2012, “Mutante” has dealt with injuries for years. He wasn’t even able to sleep properly over the past couple years, and undergoing a spinal surgery made it possible to train and continue fighting for the UFC.
“I decided to drop down to welterweight right after my surgery. They inserted eight screws in my spine,” Ferreira told MMAFighting.com. “I lived with pain for 20 years, and the last couple years before my surgery I couldn’t event sleep normally anymore. It was complicated.
“I took a fight four months after I had surgery, and that was another mistake,” said “Mutante”, who lost to Sam Alvey in February. “I should have waited longer to return. I was still taking lots of medicine, feeling pain, and that was one of the reasons why I decided to cut down to 170 pounds. I can’t believe I don’t feel any pain anymore. That was the best training camp in my life, and I even slept normally [laughs].”
Devastated with consecutive injuries, Ferreira considered retirement after his unanimous decision victory over Andrew Craig at UFC Fight Night 44 in June of 2014.
“To be honest with you, I considered quitting fighting,” he said. “I went to the gym to train and couldn’t do anything else for two or three days. I couldn’t fight twice a year in the UFC because of the injuries. I had two knee injuries, a back injury. I had some bad moments.”
Ferreira feels “great” ahead of his 170-pound debut against the former Strikeforce lightweight contender, and believes the TUF 21 Finale bout will be the first step in his run towards the top of the division.
“I’m feeling great now, healthy. I want to fight as much as I can this year,” he said. “I foresee a great future for me in this division. I’m not in the UFC to be another one. My focus is to be the champion, to be the number one. Every day I get up and train, I think about becoming the number one. My next fight is the first step closer to being the number one. That’s my goal.”
Cutting down to 170 pounds for the first time in his professional career, the 30-year-old Blackzilians fighter doesn’t expect any advantages over an opponent moving up from 155 pounds.
“The only advantage I believe in is hard training and technique,” Ferreira said. “I’ve worked hard for this fight, and that’s the advantage I want to bring with me inside the Octagon. I did my best and I’m ready.”
Masvidal has decided to change his career following a split decision loss to Al Iaquinta in April, but “Mutante” plans on ruining his welterweight run with a finish on Sunday night.
“I know Jorge Masvidal. He’s tough and experienced, but I’ve studied his game,” said the Brazilian. “I’ve trained hard for two months for this fight and there’s no secret. The victory will come. I don’t underestimate anyone, he’s a veteran, more experienced than me, but I will be confident. I’m ready.”
“I never enter a fight expecting to go to the judges,” he continued. “I train hard to go there and finish it. I want to knock him out or submit him. It’s a fight, and obviously anything can happen… but I want to finish him early.”
Winner of the first season of TUF Brazil in 2012, “Mutante” has dealt with injuries for years. He wasn’t even able to sleep properly over the past couple years, and undergoing a spinal surgery made it possible to train and continue fighting for the UFC.
“I decided to drop down to welterweight right after my surgery. They inserted eight screws in my spine,” Ferreira told MMAFighting.com. “I lived with pain for 20 years, and the last couple years before my surgery I couldn’t event sleep normally anymore. It was complicated.
“I took a fight four months after I had surgery, and that was another mistake,” said “Mutante”, who lost to Sam Alvey in February. “I should have waited longer to return. I was still taking lots of medicine, feeling pain, and that was one of the reasons why I decided to cut down to 170 pounds. I can’t believe I don’t feel any pain anymore. That was the best training camp in my life, and I even slept normally [laughs].”
Devastated with consecutive injuries, Ferreira considered retirement after his unanimous decision victory over Andrew Craig at UFC Fight Night 44 in June of 2014.
“To be honest with you, I considered quitting fighting,” he said. “I went to the gym to train and couldn’t do anything else for two or three days. I couldn’t fight twice a year in the UFC because of the injuries. I had two knee injuries, a back injury. I had some bad moments.”
Ferreira feels “great” ahead of his 170-pound debut against the former Strikeforce lightweight contender, and believes the TUF 21 Finale bout will be the first step in his run towards the top of the division.
“I’m feeling great now, healthy. I want to fight as much as I can this year,” he said. “I foresee a great future for me in this division. I’m not in the UFC to be another one. My focus is to be the champion, to be the number one. Every day I get up and train, I think about becoming the number one. My next fight is the first step closer to being the number one. That’s my goal.”
Cutting down to 170 pounds for the first time in his professional career, the 30-year-old Blackzilians fighter doesn’t expect any advantages over an opponent moving up from 155 pounds.
“The only advantage I believe in is hard training and technique,” Ferreira said. “I’ve worked hard for this fight, and that’s the advantage I want to bring with me inside the Octagon. I did my best and I’m ready.”
Masvidal has decided to change his career following a split decision loss to Al Iaquinta in April, but “Mutante” plans on ruining his welterweight run with a finish on Sunday night.
“I know Jorge Masvidal. He’s tough and experienced, but I’ve studied his game,” said the Brazilian. “I’ve trained hard for two months for this fight and there’s no secret. The victory will come. I don’t underestimate anyone, he’s a veteran, more experienced than me, but I will be confident. I’m ready.”
“I never enter a fight expecting to go to the judges,” he continued. “I train hard to go there and finish it. I want to knock him out or submit him. It’s a fight, and obviously anything can happen… but I want to finish him early.”
