Ryan Gandra performs this Tuesday (26) at the Contender Series. Photo: Reproduction/Instagram @ryangandra_mma
The long-awaited day has arrived! This Tuesday (26), Ryan Gandra, a fighter from Minas Gerais, is preparing to finally have the biggest fight of his career, the long-awaited appearance in the Dana White Contender Series. With only four years of professional experience, the Rules MMA representative will face Trent Miller in front of the UFC president and his allies. Previously, the middleweight (up to 83,9 kg) was scheduled to face Vitor Costa, but his compatriot had visa issues and had to withdraw from the fight.
At 30 years old, with a successful run in the LFA and boasting seven wins and one loss on his professional record, Ryan was chosen to headline the event, which features four more fights. Known as "Problema," the Minas Gerais native expresses confidence in the fight and expects to sign the contract after his arm is raised.
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Ryan Gandra (2020) in one of his first MMA fights. Photo: Reproduction/Instagram @ryangandra_mma
In an exclusive interview to SUPER FIGHTS, the Brazilian spoke about his beginnings in the sport and highlighted how dreams are important in his mind and decisions.
"I was in the UFC interview and heard that there are people there who have the same path as me. But I say, 'It's not a sad story,' they're people who have the same dream, who have gone through hardships. I used to work in garbage truck maintenance, and I had to quit. It's a profession where you evolve with each job change, earning more each year. I reached a point where I was making a good living, getting paid well, and I even started working at city hall."
"But I had a dream, and when you have a dream, you leave everything behind. I had the dream of experiencing the tension, of being in the biggest octagon in the world, which is the UFC. From the moment I put this in my head, it became a priority. I dropped everything, and from the moment I said I wanted to learn, I started to focus and look at MMA with different eyes. Like Anderson Silva "Speak, you have to be like water. I wasn't good at jiu-jitsu or striking, and I adapted to everything in my life," he declared.
Ryan Gandra has seven wins and one loss in professional MMA. Photo: Reproduction/Instagram @ryangandra_mma
Curious career in MMA
New to the sport, Ryan had his first amateur fight in 2021. Without much understanding of how to use stand-up strategy, the athlete ended up seeing signs that he was in the right place after quickly knocking out his rival.
"When I was 24, I discovered MMA, real MMA. I was a judo fighter, then I moved on to jiu-jitsu, and I hadn't had any experience with any striking martial art. I had my first opportunity to fight without knowing anything (about striking), and I've always been very brave. The adrenaline rush of fighting is there, but it's very controllable. I feel more joy than adrenaline. The opportunity arose, and I said I was ready, without knowing how to throw a punch. Then, within 15 seconds, I knocked out the amateur. I thought I had a knack for this."
Paulo Borrachinha's training partner
Based in Minas Gerais, Ryan also has a significant amount of experience under his belt: he's been Borrachinha's partner when the former title challenger prepares for fights. Despite participating in exchange programs at his friend's academy, 'Problema' represents CT Rules.
"I currently train at CT Rules, owned by Johny Vieira. Johny is my coach today, my mentor. Training with Paulo, training with Borracha, was an experience I had not only at this camp, I also participated in Paulo's other camps, Sean Strickland, Robert whittaker, the people always open doors for me. They are amazing people, who always try to call me so I can help and for them to help me too.”
Ryan Gandra is a training partner of Paulo borrachinha. Photo: Reproduction/Instagram @borracinhamma
Adrenaline: least of the problems
Contrary to what many fighters say about the experience of competing on the Contender Series, Gandra sees his upcoming appearance as something happy and enjoyable. Despite his feelings, the Minas Gerais native assures he's prepared to step into the octagon as aggressively and seriously as possible.
"It makes me very happy. It's a huge opportunity. I prepared myself both subconsciously and physically for this day. I'm too calm, I have to go in warmer, so I warm up more firmly when I'm concentrating, so I go in more alert. Experiencing that is very good, pleasurable. I work with a psychologist who says it's about imagining the place you want to be, so I've always done that."
"We have to go in consciously, that's a fact. I'm not going to say I'm going in careless or unfocused; that's not it. But the tension, the adrenaline, it can be good or bad, we have to have that control. And talking to my coach Johny, I think I fit in very well with that. I listen to him. Johny is a very intelligent guy, he was a key player in Borrachinha's fight. I was able to follow his strategy closely, he has an incredible fighting IQ, so I feel comfortable being there with people I love and care about."
Ryan Gandra alongside his coach Johny Vieira. Photo: Reproduction/Instagram @ryangandra_mma
Optimal outcome
When asked how he sees the end of his fight, Ryan promised a performance above expectations and didn't hesitate to explain that tonight, the UFC contract is the most important thing for his career.
"I see the fight stopping there in the first round. In my prayers, I pray that nothing happens to me and nothing happens to my opponent. That we come out of it safe and sound, and that the best fighter wins, the one who trained the most. I want to win this victory, not the victory, the contract. The victory comes from the bonus, the contract, which is important. I want to give the best performance I've ever had in all my fights, in my entire life, so that's my dream there, we're going to give it our all, Ryan, whom I really don't know. I'm preparing something that will even surprise me, I expect something very big from me," he concluded.
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