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, and so they goal to determine themselves as a pressure within the sport in 2025.
Bruna Brasil is the primary longtime member of the crew to enter the UFC cage this 12 months, shifting up a weight class to tackle Wang Cong this Saturday at Sydney’s UFC 312. Brasil is trying to preserve the momentum going after a call win over Molly McCann.
A pure strawweight, Brasil went 1-1 final 12 months within the UFC. Her fellow Combating Nerds abilities 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 12 months from the Sao Paulo crew “lifts you up” when it’s time to compete.
“Whenever you stroll with people who work laborious, you routinely work laborious too,” Brasil informed MMA Combating. “And the alternative can also be true. In case you stroll with individuals which might be common, you develop into common with out noticing it. That’s the large key right here, that’s what motivates us. We have been named greatest crew of 2024 so we now have to work laborious to indicate we will consolidate that. Everyone works laborious there. The key of Combating Nerds is dedication, technique, examine and keenness, and that’s what strikes everyone 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 buddy and teammate to be exterior when she faces Wang. The final win was a vital one for the strawweight, who was 1-2 coming 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 combating a fighter at her stage was a threat as a result of it was all in her favor, in her dwelling,” Brasil stated. “She’s extremely popular in England and that makes a distinction as effectively, however all of the preparation we had helped me go in there with a cool thoughts to benefit from each alternative the UFC offers 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, going through nice fighters. I’m going through this struggle now as an important problem. The circumstances round it makes it an even bigger problem, too. The opponent, the very 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 stated she anticipated McCann to be act cocky throughout struggle week in Manchester, and as a substitute 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 together with her conventional Joker moniker for the face-off, and Brasil got here in ready with a Batman masks.
“I don’t suppose she is going to change a lot the way in which she fights,” Brasil stated. “She may change her persona a bit and be extra severe as a result of she must win. That may pump her up, however it may also add extra strain over her and she or he’s overexcited and expose herself extra due to these feelings. Like, ‘I misplaced a struggle I used to be purported to win and now I’ve to show [something] to the world. I’m combating somebody who’s shifting 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 gained’t finish like that.”
