Dozens of fighters enter the UFC every year through Dana White’s Contender Series, but Rodrigo Sezinando feels special that he’s doing so via the old-school way of The Ultimate Fighter.
The reality show finished its 33rd season recently and Sezinando will battle Daniil Donchenko, a fellow member of Team Cormier on the program, for the welterweight trophy at Noche UFC 3, Saturday night in San Antonio, TX.
“I think TUF is way more interesting [than DWCS] because I’ll watch the show again in 20 years, and I’ll still have the same feeling I have today,” Sezinando told MMA Fighting. “It’s in history. I think TUF is harder [than DWCS] because you know you have to fight more than once and you have to train with guys that can end up being your opponents, just like it happened to me. I fought a guy that was training with me, and now I’m fighting another teammate — and I had to fight twice in 13 days.”
The 170-pound prospect left Niteroi, Brazil for Canada after winning a fight “I was supposed to lose” in Vancouver in March 2023. Sezinando worked in construction while juggling his career before settling only for private martial arts classes, and went on to win three more fights in Canada — all for titles — to get a call from the UFC.
“I had already fought twice in title fights in Canada and got an offer to fight in Montreal, across the country and a division up,” Sezinando said, “but that’s like chopping a tree from top to bottom. Everybody’s head and chin are equal. I had a good fight, knocked him out in the first round, and that’s what brought me to the UFC.”
Sezinando said he was originally approached with a fight on DWCS but the UFC brass “liked my personality”, moving him to TUF instead. His dream was to be on Cormier’s team, and ended up being Cormier’s No. 1 pick at welterweight.
The welterweight final was originally scheduled for UFC 319 on Aug. 16, but Sezinando injured his ankle while running in the streets of Chicago during his weight cut.
“I’m fine mentally,” Sezinando said. “The body is already recovered. I know I won’t be 100 percent there, but the 50 percent will be more than enough because no one wants it more than I do. I’ll be ready, I’ll be willing, so let’s go for this.”
Regardless of the outcome at Noche UFC, Sezinando said his “main goal” is to cut down to 155 pounds for the future.
“I’ll win this fight and start to organize my life to fight at lightweight,” Sezinando said. “I think that’s my division. I think I’ll be a big, strong, fast and explosive lightweight. I’ll feel more comfortable doing what I want because my cardio will be better. I feel like I’m carrying a weight that isn’t mine when I fight at 170. I’ll either do some work to get stronger at 170, or cut down to 155 and get big there.”
