Business as Usual for Brunno Ferreira

Brunno Ferreira walked into his Ultimate Fighting Championship debut against Gregory Rodrigues as a -275 underdog and proceeded to throw oddsmakers a 12-to-6 curveball that took the form of a devastating one-punch knockout. Only one question remains: What does he do for an encore?

The undefeated Dana White’s Contender Series graduate will ride a wave of momentum into his battle with Nursulton Ruziboev in their featured UFC on ESPN 48 middleweight attraction this Saturday at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas. While Ferreira’s upset of Rodriguez was a surprise to many, it held little shock value for him.

“I know my potential,” he told Sherdog.com. “I believe in my fighting style. I played my game. I was a little anxious, but it didn’t go much differently than what I expected. As soon as I knew I may be booked against Gregory, I started studying him. That was even before it was official. My coaches and I figured out the best strategy. It played out exactly as expected. We knew he was dangerous, so we worked with a lot of caution.”

Ferreira’s caution was tempered inside the cage. A straight left on the counter scrambled Rodrigues’ circuits four-plus minutes into the first round of their Jan. 21 pairing.

“That’s my style. I push forward without fear, regardless of my opponent’s game or who they may be,” Ferreira said. “If he’s tall or short, it doesn’t matter. I always fight moving forward.”

Ruziboev, a man who has not tasted defeat in more than three years, provides the Brazilian’s next test. The organizational newcomer has rattled off eight consecutive victories, all of them first-round finishes.

“My goal is to beat my opponent,” Ferreira said. “I envision a war, but I also see me winning in the first or second round. I can’t guarantee a finish. I’m ready for a war, and I hope he is, too. He’s never faced someone like me. I must be respected. I am unafraid. I have no problem banging it out with anyone. I’m good on the ground. I’m a good grappler. I’m a judo black belt, and I’m a jiu-jitsu black belt.”

The Rodrigues knockout gave Ferreira a jolt of confidence. “I already proved that I can win, regardless of who I’m facing,” Ferreira said. “‘Robocop’ is a knockout artist. Everyone bet on him, and I knocked him out. I’ll get past my next opponent and then we’ll see what the UFC has for me next. Another win will get me even closer to my ultimate objective. I hope to fight once or twice more this year.”

Ferreira was originally scheduled to face Abdul Razak Alhassan. However, his withdrawal opened the door for Ruziboev, a 29-year-old Uzbek who has recorded 32 of his 34 professional wins by knockout, technical knockout or submission.

“My opponent has changed but the strategy remains the same: I’ll bring my game,” Ferreira said. “I’m 100% prepared and ready to fight a war. Whoever comes to fight me must be prepared in all areas, because I’m a complete athlete. We came up with strategies for this fight, but the key is to unleash my style.”