Brandao braced for the fight of his life

Hot Sauce. Al Capone. 2Tap. Uncle Creepy. The Notorious.

They love their nicknames in the UFC, the mixed martial arts (MMA) phenomenon that pitches its tent in Ireland for the first time in five years tomorrow when the last of those referenced stars tops the bill at Dublin’s O2.

You may know him better as Conor McGregor.

It takes more than a catchy ‘nom de guerre’ to qualify as a character, of course, and Diego Brandao certainly qualifies as that, even if McGregor’s opponent in tomorrow’s five-round featherweight bout goes by the less memorable pseudonym of ‘DB’.

Brandao is a 27-year-old Brazilian. Born in Fortaleza, he moved to Manaus as a five-year old and it was there in the Amazon where he began a 13-year love affair with jujitsu that morphed into a career in MMA.

Now based in San Antonio, Texas, Brandao has been parachuted to the top of the bill after McGregor’s original opponent, Cole Miller, suffered ligament damage to his left thumb and pulled out.

The replacement has been described as a loose cannon, a wild and aggressive fighter with an 18-9 record and one whose sheer unpredictability makes him a man worthy of attention this weekend.

“I prepare mentally like I am going to the war, like I am going to fight a hundred Talibans,” he told the Irish Examiner. “You are prepared to die. This is how I prepare myself. I enjoy the armies, the air force, because I know this is the type of guy I am. I tell everybody this, everybody. Conor is a great fighter, he is a great talent. I want to see who can take more pain in this fight. This is about pain. It is going to be about five rounds.”

McGregor, for his part, predicted a first round knockout — in his favour, of course — and most other pre-fight predictions skirt along a similar line of thought. The big question is what shape will Brandao be in when he weighs in today? His last fight, against the US’s sixth-ranked featherweight Dustin Poirier, was more memorable for the pre-fight events than the night itself when the South American checked in 8lbs over the 145lb limit and had to forfeit 25% of his purse.

Just as notable was the conversation he shared with the American on the scales when he threatened to cut his neck. The result was a first-round knockdown for Poirier against a man who looked out of sorts mentally as well as physically. That was just eight months ago, but Brandao is adamant he’s a changed man, that he can once again be the force that won TheUltimate Fighter — a reality TVprogramme like the X-Factor with blood and sweat rather than tears — in 2011.

“I have grown as a man. I know what is good for me and what is bad for me … Now is the time to fight and to grow. My daughter is 11 years old and I need to show her who I am.

“I don’t want her to grow and think that ‘oh, daddy is a fighter but he has been partying too much’ or things like that. Your daddy is a humble fighter, he is an amazing fighter and he is this and that. That’s how I want my daughter to look at me.

“This fight has put me back on track … Back in Brazil, people have said to me that they are going to boo you, but that after this fight is done they are going to love you and come to you and say ‘bro, you a crazy guy’. This is how it is.”

His jujitsu skills are the main source of danger to McGregor for whom defeat would derail his bid to fast track through the UFC’s ranks to a potential title shot at Jose Aldo. Dennis Bermudez would attest to that. The American was forced into submission by Brandao in the final of The Ultimate Fighter three years ago with a move that earned the Brazilian a €60,000 bonus and one he put to very good use at the time.

“Yeah, I buy a house for my mum. I give her a better life in Manaus and I have my daughter as well. My mama, she say she fine, she don’t need food, she just need a place to stay. My mama is very humble.

“Now I have my daughter and I need to take care of my girl. I need to put her in my heart. Every time I see her picture it makes me emotional. I am ready for this fight. I can’t wait.”