Mutante spoke about everything in an interview (Photo: Reproduction Facebook Cezar Mutant)
*By Laerte Viana
You may not be the most hardcore MMA fan, but you've probably heard the name Cezar Ferreira, the Mutant. Middleweight champion of the first edition of The Ultimate Fighter Brasil, pupil of Vitor belfort, owner of a strong personality and, due to the resounding success of the UFC reality show, the first on Brazilian soil and broadcast on national television by Rede Globo, one of the main faces representing the new generation of Brazilian fighters. These were some of the elements that shaped Mutante's status in 2012, at the beginning of his career in Ultimate.
Success, however, was slow to come. After winning TUF Brasil 1, he alternated ups and downs in the organization, to the point where he was threatened with dismissal after being knocked out on three occasions, all in the first round. The tide began to turn for Cezar in April 2016, when he defeated then favorite Oluwale Bamgbose to survive in the house. Since then, he has added three more victories in four fights, achievements that place him close to the top 15 middleweights.
In an exclusive interview, he opened up about the irregular start in the UFC, the turnaround in his career, the new rivalry created with Paulo borrachinha, plans for the future, friendship with Vitor belfort and more. Check out:
SL: Your arrival in the UFC was surrounded by expectation, especially because you were champion of TUF Brazil 1 and were a pupil of Vitor belfort. Has the charge around your name hindered you in any way?
MUTANT CEZAR: I don't think it got in the way, I don't see that time as something negative. It was very good for my career, even for becoming the first champion of TUF Brazil, a program responsible for helping to popularize MMA in our country. When I say popularize, I'm referring to the fact that it was shown on (Rede) Globo, it entered everyone's homes, all ages started to follow the UFC. I believe that my participation in the program did a lot for the sport in Brazil, so I am very happy to have contributed in some way to elevating MMA.
SL: You went through a delicate moment, suffering three knockout defeats in four fights. What was the key change to turn things around?
CM: Victory teaches a lot, but defeats teach much more if the person is humble enough to understand what happened and try to improve. At the time I had several external factors that really hindered me. I had several injuries, and one of them almost retired me. I had a huge surgery on my spine, I had to fix my spine with eight screws, I spent 10 days in bed in the hospital, just using morphine. Given all that happened, I look back and think: 'Wow, how did I manage to go through everything and still be fighting, doing what I love?'. So I say that this was a blessing in my life. I always say that a fighter shows that he is a good fighter through the resilience he demonstrates. When something negative happens, something that wasn't expected, you can't despair and think it's the end, you always have to try again, go in search of what you really want. I always did my best.
I had a low moment in my career, but thanks to God, firstly, and to my desire to fight, this passion for the sport, I managed to turn things around and today I'm here, there are already four wins in five fights and a performance bonus for the night. I'm very happy to be able to give back and leave this motivational message for people who are starting out or facing any type of problem.
SL: Your acting style has changed in the last few fights, you are more strategic. Do you consider this adaptation essential for good performances?
CM: Absolutely. There is that desire to fight, to knock out, but the main foundation of the martial art is to hit and not be beaten. Last year I changed teams, I came to train at MMA Master with Cesar Carneiro, Daniel Valverde, these are guys who arrived and told me: 'Wow, you have a different game, you're a capoeirista, you need a coach who understands your style and make an adaptation to further enhance your game'. They 'got' me with a lot of affection, a lot of attention. This was decisive for the success we are having now, we managed to show a good improvement.
SL: In February 2018 you will turn 33 years old. Do you feel like you are at the peak of your career?
CM: It is very complicated to evaluate the peak. I think the peak hasn't arrived yet, I have a lot to learn. Every day I get up to go to the gym motivated. I get there with the feeling of being a white belt, you know? That guy who learns an arm lock and even wants to do it to his wife when he gets home (laughs). That's how I feel when I learn a new technique. Thank God I'm healthy, without injuries, wanting to improve every day. I still have a lot to show in the UFC.
SL: You've always been a very calm guy, you never liked to provoke anyone, but lately you've been vehemently asking to face the Paulo borrachinha. Why this challenge to him?
CM: Borrachinha is a guy who is being very disrespectful in the world of MMA. These kids nowadays have lost a little of the notion of respect, something essential that martial art preaches. Borrachinha is a guy with no personality at all, he's challenging everyone, calling his opponents weak, but that's not the case. Everyone thinks I took this action because he challenged Vitor (Belfort), but it's not true, I would come to the defense of any legend of the sport. You can challenge whoever you want, because that's our job, we're ready to receive challenges and put on great fights, but how do you get to a guy with the caliber of Vitor, the Anderson Silva, (Rodrigo) Minotauro, Fedor (Emelianenko), whoever, and calls him a coward and a big yellow guy? That does not exist. Where's the respect? For those who don't know, he was a guy we gave an opportunity to when he was starting out. We brought him here to the United States to train with our team, we gave him a job, and he started saying this nonsense. For me he is a 'creon', as Carlson Gracie would say. He is a guy who is completely arrogant, without personality, changing his nickname all the time. One minute it's 'Golden Boy', one minute it's 'Borrachinha', one minute it's The Eraser… soon it'll be 'The Notorious', because he thinks he's the Conor McGregor. So it's a personal struggle, I'm really wanting it. If the UFC wants to get married, I'm ready to accept it at any time.
SL: Did you have any kind of response from Borrachinha or even the UFC, in showing interest in marrying this fight?
CM: I don't think it's up to him (to decide). People treat Borrachinha as if he were a champion, but he's a guy who hasn't done anything yet. I invite anyone to look at his record. His fights were all inside the gym, if you check (the cartel) there are no known names, it's all gym gatekeepers. The only exception is Johnny Hendricks, but he is practically retired. The media is putting him on a pedestal, but he hasn't been tested against a real fighter yet. And I repeat again: it's not up to him to decide whether to accept it or not, because he works for a company in the same way as me. If the UFC decides this fight will happen, it will happen. I'm ready for any call the UFC makes.
SL: If the duel with Borrachinha doesn't happen, have you already thought of another name to face next?
CM: The fight I really want is this one with Borrachinha. I was never one to challenge anyone, I never chose to fight. I want to see now. Doesn't he keep calling the other fighters weak? He didn't call the Derek Brunson loose? Let's see if he responds to me, if he agrees to face me. If he says he's not a slacker, he'll want to fight me, otherwise he'll be choosing to fight. He is a fake fighter, one time or another this mask will fall, I'm warning you about this before it happens. Many will say that I'm envious, but I'm warning you.
SL: Why do you think they haven't put you in the rankings yet? And what position do you see yourself in there in the middleweight division?
CM: I don't worry too much about it, because the ranking is a complicated thing to understand. If you analyze what (Thiago) Marreta has been doing, he's beating everyone up, and he was in 15th place, but they took him out (of the ranking) and put Borrachinha, who only has three fights in the UFC, it's not possible to understand. But it's not something I care about, I always work to have great fights, without worrying about the ranking. God willing, I'll continue beating whoever the UFC gives me to face. My focus is to deliver great performances and climb one step at a time to reach the top. How long this will take, we don't know because there are always external factors that don't just depend on us, but I'm willing to do my best.
SL: Who do you think will be the next to fight for the middleweight belt?
CM: Man, I don't know... that's a good question. It's a bit complicated to understand, because theoretically the Georges St Pierre He would have to defend his belt, it was in the contract, but we have to wait for the organization to make a statement. My focus is on when I will get to the top (laughs).
SL: Will you help prepare for the next fight in the Vitor belfort, January 14th, against the Uriah Hall?
CM: I trained with Vitor belfort a few times here in Florida (USA), recently we even talked on the phone, but everyone knows that we don't train together that often anymore. Today I have my own team, while he is doing his work there at Tristar Gym, in Canada. By the way, it's a great team, they've been doing a great job. Like him, I am also a fan of evolution. In the same way that he gave me a lot of support when I went to train at Master MMA, I did the same for him. Our friendship goes beyond sport, we are personal friends, we will always be together, regardless of where we are training.
SL: Do you think Vitor will renew his contract with the UFC?
CM: I didn't talk to him about this issue, but I read that this is the last fight on his contract (with the UFC). Let's see how this fight goes, I believe she will have a good performance, she has everything it takes to win the Uriah Hall. We can never underestimate the skills of a guy who was once a champion, he will always be dangerous. Let's see what the future will show us.
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