UFC 326 features an exciting runback between middleweight Bruisers
In 2023, in the preliminary portion of UFC 283, Rodrigues and Ferreira met in what could only be described as an absolute barn burner. The show took place in their native Brazil and saw many talented fighters from their hometown attempt to steal the show, but it was these two middleweights who ultimately set the stage for a stunning main card.
Act virtually identical significant attacks on each otherit was Ferreira who starched Rodrigues with a huge counter-punch in the first round, handing “Robocop” its first ever loss by promotion stoppage.
Now, the two will face off for the second time at the famed T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas for the chance to continue climbing the competitive 185-pound ladder in UFC 326. In the time since their first fight in South America, both Rodrigues and Ferreira have had their ups and downs in both of their UFC careers, achieving some monumental finishes but also suffering some heartbreaking setbacks. Known for their astonishing destructive power, their rematch at UFC 326 promises to be a truly violent spectacle.
Rodrigues popular fighter, has not been able to get over the hump of the Top 10 Before UFC 326
When Rodrigues entered the company from UFC 326 after winning the LFA middleweight title in 2021, he had had a very successful run through his first five fights in the UFC. Going 4-1 for the year, the highly active Brazilian looked set to be the next up-and-coming finisher to take the senior division by storm. His victories include knockouts over Park Jun-yong, Julian Marquez and Chidi Njokuani.
His victory over the latter was even more impressive after he took a nasty knee to the face, leaving a grizzly gash between his eyes. He then lost to Ferreira in dramatic fashion, halting his momentum.
Fortunately, however, Rodrigues would bounce back and secure victories in his next three Octagon matches, recording further wins over Denis Tiuliulin, Brad Tavares and Christian Leroy Duncan to hand the Englishman only his second ever defeat. This streak earned him his first match against a ranked opponent in the organization in a main event fight with then seventh-ranked middleweight Jared Cannonier. Although he looked fantastic early, Rodrigues’ gas tank eventually failed, resulting in “Tha Killa Gorilla” earning a fourth-round knockout victory.
While he may have missed out on his place among the elite in his division at the time, Rodrigues would get right back into the saddle and take two more wins at the time of this writing. In his first setback after his loss to Cannonier, “Robocop” defeated veteran Jack Hermansson at UFC 317 before eventually earning a number next to his name after defeating Roman Kopylov five months later at UFC 322, solidifying his spot as the 13th best 185er in the world. He now prepares to defend his place on the ladder at UFC 326.
Ferreira Stumbled in Rise of UFC 326 Begins to Showcase New Layers of the Game
The then-undefeated Ferreira forced his way into the Octagon after being emphatically signed to the 2022 Contender Series and dazzled fans around the world by flattening the equally hard-hitting Rodrigues with a single powerful shot in the opening stretch of his debut. At the time, it seemed like “The Hulk” would smash his way through the best the weight class had to offer as this virtually unstoppable wrecking ball of strength.
However, that idea was firmly squashed in his next fight, losing in devastating fashion to the veteran Nursulton Ruziboev, with Ferreira falling by knockout to the Uzbek native.
It didn’t take long for the Brazilian to fight his way back, however, as Ferreira scored two huge stoppages in his next two fights, defeating Phil Hawes and Dustin Stoltzfus both in the first round. Unfortunately, his progress was halted again when he met kickboxing specialist Abus Magomedov at UFC 308.
Despite shaking the German midway through their scrap, Magomedov managed an exciting and very unexpected submission victory over Ferreira, recording his first tapout win in four years.
Ferreira Rattles off wins ahead of booking at UFC 326
UFC 326’s Ferreira was pushed back to the drawing board for the second time in his UFC tenure, entering his meeting with Armen Petrosyan five months later as a slight underdog. While his striking seemed as dangerous as ever, “The Hulk” showed a more diverse skill set, defeating his Armenian opponent by submission and knocking out Petrosyan with a solid armbar in the second round. He then demonstrated even more progress as a wrestler by tagging out Jackson McVey with another armbar stop.
His success after defeating Magomedov landed him in a showdown with his most experienced foe yet at UFC 323 in Marvin Vettori. Although he lost a whopping three pounds during the fight, Ferreira put in a stellar performance, pelting the perennial contender with hard punches in all three rounds to earn the decisive victory.
In the aftermath of the event, Ferreira rose to the fringes of the middleweight elite, rising to fifteenth. In his upcoming second scuffle with Rodrigues at UFC 326, the Brazilian TKO representative can not only settle his rivalry with his compatriot, he can also further his conquest towards the coveted title picture.
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