Diego Brandao hopes that his run in the UFC is just beginning. | Photo: Wilson Fox
Diego Brandao proved on Saturday night why he was one of the favorites to win “The Ultimate Fighter” Season 14, as the well-rounded Brazilian submitted fellow finalist Dennis Bermudez in the featherweight finale at the Palms Casino Resort in Las Vegas.
Backpedaling, Bermudez delivered a perfectly timed right straight that drilled Brandao directly on the chin and dropped him like a ton of bricks. The tide turned in less than a second, and the American quickly went on the offensive, dropping a hailstorm of ground-and-pound on the dazed Brazilian in an effort to finish the fight.
Somehow, Brandao managed to gain control over Bermudez from the guard, executing a textbook straight armbar. As he flipped “The Menace” onto his back, Brandao cranked hard on the hold, hyper-extending his foe's elbow as Bermudez tapped vehemently.
“I looked for the knockout [early],” Brandao told UFC.com after his win. “[My corner said to] look for the armbar. I can see on the tape, I put my feet on his hips, and [threw my legs up]. He was off balance, and I threw [my hips] around, and this was a perfect armbar, just like I’ve trained over and over.”
A pupil of Mike Winkeljohn and Greg Jackson, Brandao joined teammate John Dodson in making history as the first featherweight and bantamweight “TUF” champions in the 14-season history of the reality show.
Though Brandao had harsh words for Bermudez in the final episode of the series before the finale, he gave a game opponent his due after their back-and-forth featherweight final.
“Congratulations to Dennis for making the finale,” said Brandao. “But God blessed me, and today, I am the best.”
While the fighter garnered a reputation as a loose cannon during his time on the show due to his brutal and swift knockouts of his opponents, the fighter asserts that his intense in-cage demeanor does not double as his persona in real life. That said, Brandao has no plans to change his pre-fight attitude now that his first step has been taken toward UFC relevance.
“I want to change my life. I want to be back [in the Octagon] again. This is very important for me,” said Brandao. “[People] sometimes don't understand. I’m not crazy. I’m a good person. I love everyone after the fight. But before the fight, I want to destroy you, bro. I promise.”