Brazil has at all times been identified 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 at all times 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 combating as a customer.
“I’m going to beat him. He’s not superior to me. I’m approach higher than him, and I’m able to battle wherever the battle goes. If he takes me down. I’m going to stand up and do my job, and that’s it. There received’t be any surprises. There’s nothing that he can do that can 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 started his skilled MMA profession there. That’s why Borjas (9-2 MMA, 0-1 UFC) doesn’t assume Costa can have the backing of the Brazilian crowd.
Though Borjas is from Peru, he thinks he’ll have help from the followers come Saturday. His coach, Ivan Iberico from Pitbull Martial Arts Middle, is well-known within the Brazilian martial asrts group given his lengthy historical past in coaching Luta Livre, a Brazilian type of combating.
“Right here in Rio de Janeiro, it’s mainly the birthplace of Luta Livre, which is my coach’s experience. I’m representing Luta Livre and lots of coaches and other people right here help 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.
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