UFC lightweight Mauricio Ruffy’s life-changing win at UFC 313 was due in part to a Brazilian soccer legend.
Mauricio Ruffy entered UFC 313 with some hype on his name and left the Octagon as a bonified superstar in the making for the lightweight division. But it might not have happened without the indirect help of a fellow Brazilian world-class athlete.
Ruffy knocked King Green unconscious with a spinning wheel kick in the first round at UFC 313. It was one of the most brutal head kick knockouts in recent UFC history and further propelled Ruffy towards the lightweight Top 15.
Ruffy is one of a slew of top talents out of the Fighting Nerds team, featuring names like Jean Silva and Caio Borralho. He’s drawn comparisons to Conor McGregor with his style, stance, and skillset.
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Mauricio Ruffy credits ‘Neymar Feint’ for UFC 313 head kick knockout
As Ruffy approaches potential UFC superstardom, his finishing sequence at UFC 313 was inspired by Neymar, one of the greatest soccer players of all time.
During a recent appearance on The Ariel Helwani Show, Ruffy explained how Neymar played a role in his UFC 313 knockout.
“You had the feint there, the added bonus with the feint. I like to say that Neymar helped me out with that one, that was the ‘Neymar Feint, ‘” Ruffy said. “He helped me get that guy because it was his feint…I don’t watch much soccer, but I like to watch the moves because I think he’s a very skillful player. There’s a moment in the fight that I see myself as a skillful guy, a guy that has to bring skills. I use a lot of skill and what I see Neymar do a lot is a dribble, over a dribble, a double move/compound.
“What I wanted to do was the same thing, a feint over a feint,” Ruffy continued. “I threatened him with the cross, went with the overhand and followed it up with a kick. Feint over feint…and that’s Neymar, that’s why I call it the ‘Neymar Feint.”
Neymar is an avid UFC fan and is present at many high-profile events. He’s won numerous awards during his athletic career, including his role in multiple La Liga championships for FC Barcelona.
Ruffy practiced the spinning kick repeatedly ahead of UFC 313, as he shared in a recent social media post. After knocking out Green, Ruffy turned his attention to Top 10 lightweight mainstay Beneil Dariush.
Mauricio Ruffy’s UFC 313 callout answered by top lightweight
It didn’t take long for Dariush to respond to Ruffy’s callout. Dariush was ‘very impressed’ with Ruffy’s finish and seemed interested in making the fight happen at a later date.
Dariush was supposed to return against Renato Moicano at UFC 311 before a last-second shakeup forced him off the card. Moicano was promoted to the main event slot, and Dariush wasn’t rebooked against a new opponent but was financially ‘taken care of’ by the UFC brass.
Dariush was then called out by UFC 311 winner Grant Dawson during his post-fight interview. But as of this writing, a timeline for Dariush’s return remains uncertain.
Ruffy vs. Dariush could come to fruition in the coming months, and after Ruffy’s jaw-dropping knockout, all eyes are on the Dana White’s Contender Series alum.