Mauricio Ruffy opens up and explains why he refused to face UFC top 7: 'I wanted to take that risk'

Mauricio Ruffy in an interview at UFC. Photo: Reproduction/UFC

Mauricio Ruffy had the chance to face a UFC top 7, but preferred not to take a 'bigger step than he could handle' in his career. On the rise in the organization, the Fighting Nerds representative was called to face Mateusz gamrot with only 12 days notice, but he refused the challenge. In a video published on social media, the fighter explained the reasons for his decision.

Through Instagram stories, Ruffy said that his team would not be available to accompany him to the event, as his coaches had commitments with other athletes. Although the final decision was his, the fighter felt inclined to decline and reinforced that he completely trusts his team and chose to follow the plan drawn up with his coaches.

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“I saw a lot of comments from people praising me, thank you very much. I also saw people who have never been punched in the face talking a lot about it. People don’t understand anything about fighting and always come to the internet to talk a lot of nonsense, but that’s part of the game… The UFC actually offered me the fight, but at the time my team decided to turn it down. They gave their opinion, but the final word was mine. I know these guys are doing an incredible job and I trust my team a lot. Caio had commitments with the athlete, Lee too, and Pablo was with Jean and Prates. So, they couldn’t be in my corner. For that reason, we ended up declining the fight,” he explained. Mauricio Ruffy.

Despite declining the challenge, Ruffy admitted that he was frustrated at not stepping into the octagon against an opponent from the UFC's top 7. The Fighting Nerds athlete revealed that he was confident in his ability to knock out his rival and really wanted to 'take that risk'.

“It was a risk I really wanted to take, because it was against a top 7 UFC fighter, and I know I have all the ability to knock him out. But the fact that I didn’t have my team… the guys sent the proposal 12 days before the fight. We ended up denying it. I was sad about that, I really wanted to fight. But I also know that I really trust in God’s plans,” said the fighter from Fighting Nerds.

Signed by UFC through Contender Series in 2023, Mauricio Ruffy debuted with the organization in UFC 301. Since then, he has accumulated three wins in three fights, two of them by knockout.