Fighting Nerds coach defends Maurício Ruffy's wrestling skills after criticism

Jean Silva, Caio Borralho, Mauricio Ruffy and Carlos Prates represent Fighting Nerds. Photo: Reproduction/Instagram

Maurício Ruffy suffered a severe blow in the UFC. In September, in Paris (FRA), the Brazilian was submitted by Benoit Saint-Denis and suffered his first defeat in the company. Since he offered no resistance to the hometown athlete, the Fighting Nerds representative was harshly criticized by fans. However, Flávio Álvaro, the team's grappling manager, defended his fighter.

In an interview with Laerte Viana's YouTube channel, the coach emphasized that Ruffy possesses a distinct quality in takedown defense, minimizing the exposure he suffered during the fight. It's worth noting that, before facing BSD, the Brazilian was considered by some in the MMA community to be one of the most prepared athletes to deal with wrestlers and ready to be a champion.

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However, in the Octagon, Luffy was easy prey for the Frenchman. Besides being consistently taken down by Saint Denis, the Brazilian also proved defenseless on the ground, being quickly submitted. This performance raised concerns among fans about Maurício's future in the UFC lightweight division (up to 70,3 kg). In any case, Flávio Álvaro assures that One Shot has wrestling knowledge, despite his poor performance.

"Ruffy is an incredible takedown defender, a giant. But this isn't a gift you're born with. No one is born a good takedown defender, a good striker, a good jiu-jitsu fighter. This has to be trained daily, reviewed, reprogrammed, guided, and worked on, because if you stop doing it, you end up losing your timing," the coach stated.

Luffy's UFC Fighters

Maurício Ruffy, 29, is a promising MMA fighter and a member of the UFC's lightweight division (up to 70,3 kg). Discovered by the reality show Contender Series in 2023, the Brazilian debuted in the sport's biggest organization a year later and competed in four fights, winning three (two by knockout) and losing one.