Introduction
Tuesday, September 20th, Brazilian middleweight prospect Brunno Ferreira will be in action for Dana White’s Contender Series, where he will be looking continue his winning ways against Leon Aliu. He will be looking for another win, as Ferreira looks to impress and earn a contract with the UFC. He represents Evolucao Thai MMA, a solid camp in MMA. Let’s take a closer look at this prospect as this week’s “Prospect Spotlight.”
Strengths
Muay Thai: Training out of Evolucao Thai MMA, one has come to expect that their fighters will have aggressive, strong striking. Ferreira is no different. Ferreira is aggressive and possesses very powerful striking. He’s a physical specimen and likes to bully his opponents. All eight of his wins come by way of finish, with five of those coming by impressive knockout. The guy is an animal. While he does have solid kicks, it’s the dynamite in his hands which seem to be his biggest weapon. All five knockouts have come before the third round is needed, three of which came in the first.
Jiu Jitsu: A BJJ black belt, Ferreira also has a very strong ground game. He uses his striking more often, but when the fight does hit the mat, he’s quite dangerous as well. He has three fight-round submissions by way of armbar, rear-naked choke and triangle choke, the last of which shows he can also grapple off his back. He doesn’t have the wrestling chops of many American fighters who have a background in an NCAA gym, but he’s strong enough that he can supercede technical prowess and get guys down.
Needs Improvement
Cardio Question Marks: Because Ferreira’s fights have all been finishes, most of which are in the first round, we still have some question marks on his cardio. He’s a big guy for the weight class and packs a lot of muscle on his frame. With how aggressive he is and how much power he throws, he could drain as the fight goes on when an opponent is still around in the later rounds. We will see, especially as he steps up in competition.
Outlook
UFC Prelim/Midcard Fighter: Ferreira is definitely the type of fighter Dana White likes to roster. An aggressive, fearless killer with nasty power and a style that lends well to the rabid fans of the UFC. Ferreira definitely has the skills to make the UFC roster and spend some time there. The middleweight division is full of sharks, but there are definitely winnable fights for the Brazilian. He could be a bonus collector given his style.
MMA Intel 