LAS VEGAS – Mauricio Ruffy vows to become a UFC champion after earning a promotional contract at Dana White’s Contender Series 65.
Ruffy (9-1) stopped Raimond Magomedaliev (10-2) by third-round TKO on Tuesday at the UFC Apex, keeping his 100 percent career finish rate intact.
Having competed at lightweight and welterweight throughout his career, Ruffy is open to both divisions in his pursuit of gold.
“I think any of the divisions, I can see myself in any of them,” Ruffy told MMA Junkie and other reporters through an interpreter at the DWCS 65 post-fight press conference. “I’m going to sit down, talk to my coaches, talk to my managers and see what’s going on. But I see myself in both of them.
“I just want to work, I came here to work. It’s such a long time to be able to be here, and that makes me want to work so much. File this to the UFC drawers and files, this guy said, ‘I want to be a champion of the UFC.’ I’m going to be a champion of the UFC. One day you’re going to look back, and I’ll say, ‘I told you so.'”
Despite the lackluster start to his fight with Magomedaliev, Ruffy was confident that his finish was contract-worthy, as he thinks the action picked up towards the end.
“I was very confident when the fight ended because it was an exciting fight,” Ruffy said. “I understand it was kind of lukewarm first round, then the second round things kind of got exciting, but I think people liked it. We were actually able to put on a show towards the end and I felt confident after it happened.”
For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for DWCS 65.
