Dana White has added an exciting hunter to the stacked UFC Lightweight Division.
The UFC -CEO handed out five contracts during the latest episode of his Contender Series Show.
Manoel Sousa earned his way to the UFC with a TKO victory on the third round on Cristian Perez.
The 13-1 Brazilian lost the first two rounds before a big blow faltered his opponent and everything changed. Sousa swarmed to force a finish and make an impression on Dana White, who immediately signed it at the UFC.
Photo by Chris Unger/Zuffa LLC
Manoel Sousa made Mauricio Ruffy
Manoel Sousa already has a victory over one of the most dreaded knockout artists of the 155LB division.
In 2019, the same year that he made his debut, Sousa Mauricio Ruffy defeated during striking Vechttoernooi 18.
'One Shot' had a 5-0 record and seemed to be intended for the UFC glory that he has reached since then.
Sousa, however, temporarily derailed his hype train to go to 4-0 as a professional MMA hunter.
Ruffy fell and cut his opponent early in the round. Sousa bounced back with her own knock-down during a five-minute wild frame that ended with the new lightweight signing of the UFC in the predominance.
In round two, Sousa Ruffy caught on the chin with a huge blow when he dropped his hands and walked back to the fence.
A few follow -up pons were sufficient for the referee to step in and to wave off the fight.
Mauricio Ruffy's UFC Run
Mauricio Ruffy has been perfect, with seven consecutive victories since his loss against Manoel Sousa.
Three of those victories came within the Octagon, where he was compared to a 'Giant Conor McGregor' by the UFC commentators after he had impressed a flying knee Ko in his promotion debut at UFC 301 in March 2024.
The same comparison was made after Ruffy James Llontop on UFC 309 had spoken last November.
A rotating Wheel-Kick KO victory on Bobby 'King' Green made Ruffy a star earlier this year.
On September 6, he will go from exciting prospect to real competition in UFC Paris.
Ruffy will be confronted with #13-ranged Benoît Saint Denis in a long-awaited Co-Main event collision.
Manoel Sousa has some work to do before a UFC brake match with Ruffy becomes a real possibility.