Mauricio Ruffy was not supposed to win at UFC 325. He was ‘fraud-checked’ by Benoit Saint-Denis in his last bout, and Rafael Fiziev’s experience was supposed to be too much for him. But ‘One Shot’ defied the odds and finished Fiziev for the first time since 2019. His training partner Alexander Volkanovski‘s revelations add to how impressive this performance truly was.

Ruffy left no stone unturned in his preparation for the fight against Fiziev. He even joined Volk’s team to polish his skills. And those trainings reflected in his performance as Ruffy defeated Fiziev via second-round TKO at UFC 325. But what’s more interesting was the Brazilian’s serious health complications ahead of the fight.

Alexander Volkanovski reveals Mauricio Ruffy’s health issues

“You know what I will tell you something… We are lucky that Ruffy even turned up this week. If you knew half the stuff that he went through. He had legit Influenza A at the start of the week, like crazy fever,” said Volkanovski during the UFC 325 post-fight press conference.

He added, “I didn’t even think he would be able to do the weight cut, so I was like, ‘Oh man.’ So we’ve got to mentally try and get him through that, and then he had some troubles even today, big troubles today, and could have moved. But [we] just told him that he’s got to mentally get himself in there, get himself around it, and then he was able to go and do what he does against someone like Rafael. Incredible man. A lot of respect for him to just even turn up tonight.”

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But these challenges pale in comparison to what Ruffy revealed after the win.

Speaking to the UFC backstage, Ruffy said, “A few days ago, my brother passed away, so I was very emotional with this. A few weeks I got influenza, and today in the morning, I had so much pain in my back I almost can’t move, can’t walk, so I know that God is helping me today, so I’m super, super happy.”

The 29-year-old lightweight had also mentioned his brother died by suicide during the Octagon interview. He was visibly emotional and thankful to God for getting him through the ordeal and through fight night.

With a win over Rafael Fiziev, Mauricio Ruffy has surely earned a spot in the top ten ranks of the UFC lightweight division. Meanwhile, Fiziev’s mixed run of form continues as he now stands on a 1-4 record in his last five UFC fights.

Ruffy might also have the opportunity to fight some of the big names in the division. And, as it seems, he has a few names on his mind.

Mauricio Ruffy calls out Conor McGregor and Paddy Pimblett

Mauricio Ruffy is a striking-heavy fighter who has three out of his four UFC wins via knockouts. And considering his fighting style, he has put out the names of who he wants next.

“Hunter [Campbell], Dana White, you see me fight and know my style. How about Conor McGregor or Paddy Pimblett? Let me put on a show,” said Ruffy during UFC 324 post-fight interview with Daniel Cormier.

While Conor McGregor is an established name in the UFC community, Paddy Pimblett is a rising star. Ruffy believes a matchup against either McGregor or Pimblett would be loved by the spectators. But there’s a big cloud of uncertainty in it.

Pimblett recently fought Justin Gaethje for the interim lightweight title. Although the Scouser lost the bout, it will be interesting to see if he would love to face a prospect like Ruffy.

In his latest statement, Paddy Pimblett claimed that he plans to return to action soon, rather than take a long layoff to nurse his injuries. The Scouser wants a rematch against Gaethje and hopes to remain in the title picture. But that will be unlikely given his last performance.

So, a bout against Ruffy, who will probably debut in the top 10 rankings on Tuesday, seems like a reasonable option. That bout can even grace the White House card in June.

As for McGregor, after almost five years of absence, he is training to make his UFC return. And considering his stature and popularity, it is very unlikely that the promotion would book ‘The Notorious’ as Ruffy’s next opponent. Regardless, the Brazilian’s next fight will be one to look forward to. Do let us know your thoughts in the comments below!