B. Armored faces W. Turman in the UFC Las Vegas 29. Photo: Reproduction/Instagram
Average weight (up to 83,9kg.) Bruno Blindado fulfills his dream of debuting for Ultimate this Saturday (19), when he faces his compatriot Wellington Turman on the main card of UFC Las Vegas 29. After being suspended for two years for doping, the Brazilian finally debuts in the company.
See too
In an exclusive interview to SUPER FIGHTS, Blindado says he is happy to perform in his new organization, but says he is used to the pressure as he was already M-1 Global champion.
“I'm very happy to make my dream come true after so much struggle to debut in the UFC. But I'm very calm. I'm more worried about my fighting rhythm. It's been two and a half years without fighting and anyone who plays any sport knows that training is one thing and fighting is another. The pressure, I don't think so. In Russia (M-1 Global) the pressure is already very great”, stated Bruno.
Asked about how the period of inactivity of two years and seven months can make a difference in combat, the Brazilian guarantees that the period helped him evolve as a professional and in his private life. He, however, says he doesn't know if he will feel the 'fighting rhythm' in the duel in front of Wellington Turman.
“I'll only know if it got in the way or not after the fight. If the Bruno Blindado today take the Bruno Blindado in Russia, he killed. I have evolved a lot as an athlete and as a person. This was the first camp I did with jiu-jitsu. I trained a lot on ground and wrestling before I even knew I would fight against Wellington Turman”, said the fighter.
PROBLEMS WITH THE USED
On the eve of making his Ultimate debut by replacing Markus Maluko against Deron Winn, in June 2019, Bruno received the worst news of his career to date. He had tested positive for anti-doping by USADA (US Anti-Doping Agency) and was unable to prove his innocence. Now, he guarantees that he spent more than R$40 and was unmotivated to fight.
“I spent more than R$40, in the middle of the pandemic, to prove my innocence. But do you think if I were guilty I would spend all that? So, I felt really bad. I no longer felt the desire or pleasure to fight. I had an injury to my pubis and it took two months for physiotherapy. We didn't try it, but I don't regret spending the money.
Blindado, however, states that he does not regret the amount spent and sleeps peacefully with his conscience.
“If I lie, the sentence would be reduced to six months, but my conscience would not be deceived. Today, I sleep peacefully. But it's a wound that hasn't healed yet. I became the laughing stock of several Facebook pages. People don’t know the truth, but they don’t forgive”, he highlighted.
DIFFERENCE IN STYLES
The duel that marks the debut of Bruno Blindado is seen as a big difference in styles versus Wellington Turman. The native of Paraíba is based on striking, while Turman focuses on jiu-jitsu. Now, he reveals that he trains only thinking about how he can win the fight and doesn't care about his opponent's strategy.
“I don't know exactly what Turman's strategy is. Even though I don't train focusing on my opponent. It's my preference. I have to sharpen my 'sword', instead of waiting for what comes from there. But I have some things in my head that could hinder his game. If I manage to put him on the ground at the beginning of the fight, I will mess with his head”, revealed the man from Paraíba.
HISTORY OF THE FIGHTERS
Bruno Blindado, 30 years old, has a record of 19 wins and six losses. The native of Paraíba was middleweight champion of M-1 Global, in Russia, before signing with the UFC. Now, he has a record of 19 positive results and six negative results in professional MMA.
At 24, Wellington Turman wants to get back on the winning track after being knocked out by Andrew Sanchez, UFC Las Vegas 6. Currently, the Curitiba native has a record of 16 triumphs and four setbacks in his career.
Comments