“He didn’t even watch my fight,” says Bruno Machado frustratingly as Dana White doesn’t pick him for the UFC


“He didn’t even watch my fight,” says Bruno Machado frustratingly as Dana White doesn’t pick him for the UFC
Bruno Machado and Dana White

Bruno Machado is an MMA fighter based in Abu Dhabi. He fights in the UAE Warriors. The fighter has been striving to impress the UFC president Dana White and tried to get signed to the promotion. Unfortunately, things didn’t go according to the plan for Bruno.

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On January 15th Bruno Machado fought Mickael Lebout in Abu Dhabi as he hoped to impress Dana. The UAE Warriors titleholder won that night via unanimous decision against the octagon veteran. Mickael Lebout is a UFC veteran who has a record of 16-7-1 in the octagon. Despite Machado’s victory over veteran, Dana has snubbed him off a signing.

Though the UFC President signed a couple of UAE talents, Machado wasn’t one of them. “By the time I got in there to fight, [White] wasn’t around the cage there anymore,” Machado told a reporter. “I believe he went there knowing which weight classes he was looking to sign fighters for, and he had already left with two fighters by the time I fought.

Bruno Machado feels that Dana was present just to meet Khabib Nurmagomedov. “He didn’t even watch my fight. When my fight was over, I looked around and couldn’t find him. Truth is, I think the only reason he went there was to talk to Khabib.”, he said.

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Machado still has his eyes set on UFC. “That’s my goal,” says the champion

Bruno Machado UAE Warriors

To impress the UFC executive, Machado put his lightweight title on the line against his bout with the French fighter on Jan 15. He agreed to a three-round catchweight to fight in front of White. “If you watch the fight, [Lebout] had more than 30 fights and a 20-10 record, and I made him look like a beginner,” Machado said.

“I dominated him from start to finish. I don’t think he would have gone past the fourth round. It was a bit frustrating for me that [White] hasn’t watched it, but it’s OK. The 34-year-old fighter still wants to fight in the UFC and is determined to do so.

Until then he stated that he will call out UFC veterans for the toughest fights. That’s my goal,” he said. “I want to keep this belt and, if possible, continue to score wins over former UFC fighters until I get that chance. I’ll make the most of my chance and prove my worth. I’ll call for the toughest opponents.”

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