The Combating Nerds took the UFC by storm in 2024 with 12 wins and $400,000 value of post-fight bonuses in 13 octagon appearances, they usually intention to determine themselves as a power within the sport in 2025.
Bruna Brasil is the primary longtime member of the group to enter the UFC cage this yr, transferring up a weight class to tackle Wang Cong this Saturday at Sydney’s UFC 312. Brasil is seeking to maintain the momentum going after a choice win over Molly McCann.
A pure strawweight, Brasil went 1-1 final yr within the UFC. Her fellow Combating Nerds skills Caio Borralho, Carlos Prates, Jean Silva and Mauricio Ruffy mixed a document of 12-0 with eight bonuses claimed within the octagon. For Brasil, the nice yr from the Sao Paulo group “lifts you up” when it’s time to compete.
“Whenever you stroll with those that work laborious, you routinely work laborious too,” Brasil instructed MMA Combating. “And the other can also be true. In the event you stroll with folks which can be common, you grow to be common with out noticing it. That’s the massive key right here, that’s what motivates us. We had been named greatest group of 2024 so we’ve got to work laborious to point out we are able to consolidate that. Everyone works laborious there. The key of Combating Nerds is dedication, technique, research and fervour, and that’s what strikes all people to overcome extra.”
Brasil had Borralho in her nook in opposition to England’s personal McCann in Manchester, and once more referred to as her pal and teammate to be outdoors when she faces Wang. The final win was an important one for the strawweight, who was 1-2 getting into what may find yourself being her final shot within the UFC.
“I used to be extra anxious as a result of it was the final struggle of my contract and preventing a fighter at her stage was a danger as a result of it was all in her favor, in her house,” Brasil mentioned. “She’s very talked-about in England and that makes a distinction as nicely, however all of the preparation we had helped me go in there with a cool thoughts to take advantage of each alternative the UFC provides us. We enter the octagon and there’s a crowd watching, we really feel just like the rockstar of the second.
“The Molly struggle was nice as a result of it made me really feel able to successful nice challenges, dealing with nice fighters. I’m dealing with this struggle now as an ideal problem. The circumstances round it makes it a much bigger problem, too. The opponent, the actual fact it’s in Australia, a weight up and brief camp, however I feel all that motivated me to be prepared and ready for something that occurs within the struggle.”
Brasil mentioned she anticipated McCann to be act cocky throughout struggle week in Manchester, and as an alternative noticed somebody “a bit extra pleasant.” As for Wang, who was on an increase within the sport with a number of knockouts, Brasil wonders how she is going to react after a stunning upset to Gabriella Fernandes in November.
Wang went along with her conventional Joker moniker for the face-off, and Brasil got here in ready with a Batman masks.
“I don’t assume she is going to change a lot the best way she fights,” Brasil mentioned. “She may change her character a bit and be extra critical as a result of she must win. Which may pump her up, but it surely may also add extra strain over her and he or she’s overexcited and expose herself extra due to these feelings. Like, ‘I misplaced a struggle I used to be speculated to win and now I’ve to show [something] to the world. I’m preventing somebody who’s transferring up in weight and took the struggle on brief discover.’ She has to win this struggle, and I’m going there to shock and present it received’t finish like that.”
