Diego Brandao, a former UFC fighter and Ultimate Fighter winner, aims to return to the UFC by following matchmaker Sean Shelby’s advice to fight in his weight class and secure knockouts, having already achieved two viral wins and planning a third fight to prove his worth.
Diego Brandao’s got his sights set on the UFC again. After years battling it out in Russia and beyond, his record took a hit, dropping from 20-11 to 29-22. Enough was enough.
A veteran and former Ultimate Fighter winner, Brandao decided it was time to "fix my life." He left those promotions, aiming to prove he still belongs in the UFC. At 38, he’s ready to take on any prospect in the U.S.
In March, Brandao faced Jamie Siraj, a 12-2 featherweight talent, and won with a viral first-round knockout—a spinning wheel kick. He snagged the Tuff-N-Uff belt. Just last Sunday, he defended it, taking down Contender Series vet Canaan Kawaihae with another wheel kick.
“I think the UFC is going to call,” Brandao told MMA Fighting. Sean Shelby was at the event, but swamped by fans, he left early. Brandao credits Shelby for his decision to leave Russia.
“I asked Sean what I needed to do to get back,” Brandao recalled. Shelby’s advice? Knock out three opponents in his weight class. "First fight, killed the man. Second one, boom, it’s over."
Dana White’s given the green light, but Shelby’s the key. Brandao knows there’s a process. “Dana won’t just open the doors for me,” he said. “I’m not Conor McGregor.”
Brandao appreciates the challenge. “If I have to fight a third fight, I’ll go for it with hunger,” he said. “They know I need to work hard to value it.”
He’s matured since his old UFC days, both as an athlete and a man. If the UFC doesn’t call soon, he’ll defend his Tuff-N-Uff belt in November against Kai Kamaka III.
“Hawaii, BJ [Penn] is the only one from there that beats me,” Brandao claimed. “The others, no chance. I’ll finish him.”