More than seven years ago, Gabriel Gonzaga first agreed to showcase his talents in the UFC.
The winner of his first four matches in the Octagon—including a stunning high-kick knockout victory over Mirko “Cro Cop” Filipovic—Gonzaga fought UFC Hall of Famer Randy Couture for the organization’s heavyweight crown in the summer of 2007.
Following losses to Junior Dos Santos and Brendan Schaub in 2010, Gonzaga—who has thus far made more than 10 appearances in the Octagon—parted ways with the UFC.
Gonzaga—to the surprise of many—then walked away from the world of professional mixed martial arts.
“I believe in Brazilian jiu-jitsu, I accomplished everything I wanted,” Gonzaga, 32, explained to Bleacher Report. “I won state, national, and world-championship titles. In MMA, I had the opportunity to fight 12 times so far for the UFC. I fought for the UFC heavyweight title, and against some of the best fighters in the sport.”
Gonzaga’s retirement from mixed martial arts would ultimately prove to be short-lived.
“I believe I was looking for some time to reset my goals,” offered Gonzaga. “I enjoyed the chance to stay close to my students, and also the extra time I was able to spend with my family…My students and my friends were asking to see me fight again.”
To the approval of his students and friends—not to mention fans of the heavyweight contender— Gonzaga returned to the sport with a third-round submission victory over Parker Porter in October.
Shortly after Gonzaga’s return—in which he claimed the Reality Fighting promotion’s heavyweight championship for his efforts—his manager was contacted by the UFC.
Gonzaga, he emphasised, wasn’t surprised by the offer and further maintained that he had no intention of turning the UFC down either.
“The UFC always treated me very well—I knew if I had some wins outside of the UFC, they would have me back,” Gonzaga explained. “I was ready to take this opportunity to fight again in the UFC, and I jumped on it when my manager called me.”
Now Gonzaga is to return to the Octagon against Ednaldo Oliveira, a fellow Brazilian heavyweight mixed martial arts, on Saturday at UFC 142 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
After a long training camp at Team Link in Ludlow, Massachusetts, Gonzaga—despite his long layoff from high-level competition—insisted that he is feeling confident going into his upcoming match.
With a victory in his native South America, Gonzaga is hoping to once again prove that he belongs in the thick of the UFC’s heavyweight division—“it will prove to me that I belong there, and I can still compete with some of the best in the sport,” he noted.
Although Gonzaga insisted that he is taking a pragmatic approach to his return, the former heavyweight title contender is nevertheless hoping to make the most of his return to the canvas.
“I take one fight at a time,” offered Gonzaga, who will be contesting the first match of his new four-fight contract with the UFC on Saturday. “I just want to focus on this fight right now.
“I want to be a world champion…I want to be recognized as a guy that comes to fight win or lose, and puts on a good show for the fans.”
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