Brazil has all the time been recognized to be a passionate and fiery crowd relating to MMA, and a few even assume the followers there are wild sufficient to provide their house fighters an edge over their overseas rivals.
From throwing issues to the famed ‘Uh, Vai Morrer!’ – “You’re going to die!” in Portuguese – the Brazilian crowd has all the time been a sight to see relating to UFC occasions. However Peru’s Kevin Borjas doesn’t assume the house benefit will probably be at play when he fights Alessandro Costa within the opening bout of UFC 301 in Rio de Janeiro.
“To start with, Alessandro Costa is now Mexican,” Borjas mentioned when requested bout his opponent in a Spanish interview with MMA Junkie. “He’s now Mexican, and he’ll be preventing as a customer.
“I’m going to beat him. He’s not superior to me. I’m method higher than him, and I’m able to struggle wherever the struggle goes. If he takes me down. I’m going to rise up and do my job, and that’s it. There gained’t be any surprises. There’s nothing that he can do that may shock me.”
Costa (13-4 MMA, 1-2 UFC) by no means has fought professionally in Brazil. Though he was born and grew up in Manaus, Brazil, Costa moved to Mexico in his late teenagers to pursue his MMA dream. Alongside UFC star Diego Lopes, Costa opened up an MMA gymnasium in Puebla, Mexico, and commenced his skilled MMA profession there. That’s why Borjas (9-2 MMA, 0-1 UFC) doesn’t assume Costa could have the backing of the Brazilian crowd.
Though Borjas is from Peru, he thinks he’ll have assist from the followers come Saturday. His coach, Ivan Iberico from Pitbull Martial Arts Heart, is well-known within the Brazilian martial asrts group given his lengthy historical past in coaching Luta Livre, a Brazilian type of preventing.
“Right here in Rio de Janeiro, it’s principally the birthplace of Luta Livre, which is my coach’s experience. I’m representing Luta Livre and plenty of coaches and other people right here assist me, so I really feel proper at house. I’m not a customer right here.”
For extra on the cardboard, go to MMA Junkie’s occasion hub for UFC 301.
Take a look at the Hablemos MMA YouTube channel for Spanish-language movies and interviews with MMA Junkie’s Danny Segura.
Be sure you go to the MMA Junkie Instagram web page and YouTube channel to debate this and extra content material with followers of combined martial arts.