Mauricio Ruffy fought several battles before entering the cage at UFC 325.
As if the challenge of Rafael Fiziev wasn’t enough, Ruffy has now revealed revealed that he had to overcome significant personal tragedy and physical maladies ahead of Saturday’s fight. Ruffy defeated Fiziev by second-round knockout, but speaking after the fight he mentioned his brother recently died by suicide.
He provided a more detailed timetable of events speaking to the UFC backstage.
“A few days ago, my brother passed away so I was very emotional with this,” Ruffy said via a Portuguese translator. “A few weeks I got influenza, and today in the morning, I had so much pain in my back I almost can’t move, can’t walk, so I know that God is helping me today so I’m super, super happy.”
Even coming off of a win, Ruffy is far from 100 percent, and he showed off what appears to be a new injury following the fight.
“I think I broke my hand but I’m happy anyway,” Ruffy said with his arm in a sling. “I need to do X-ray, but I’m happy to win this fight, so that’s all good.”
Ruffy also used his post-fight interview time to call for the opportunity of a lifetime at the upcoming UFC White House event. The June 14 lineup is yet to have any fighters officially attached to it, so Ruffy hopes he can snag a spot, ideally against one of the promotion’s more famous names.
“Hunter, Dana White, what you guys think of putting me on the White House?” Ruffy said (Portuguese translation via MMA Fighting’s Guilherme Cruz). “Can put me against Paddy Pimblett, put me against Conor McGregor. I’m sure Conor McGregor and I would be a bigger show than Michael Chandler and Conor McGregor.”
“We’ll work with the UFC, but of course, I want to fight at the White House,” Ruffy added in his backstage interview. “Maybe with Paddy Pimblett, or maybe Conor. I saw something about Conor saying that he’s good to fight with me, then Michael Chandler. But yeah, I’m with the UFC, whatever the guys want to do I will do.”
No matter who is available, Ruffy believes it’s in the UFC’s best interest to include him as he is confident he can deliver in fan-friendly fashion at the White House.
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