Ahead of his PFL debut on this year’s Challenger Series later this month, Quemuel Ottoni, the only man to beat Alex Pereira in MMA, is “kind of over it.”
Yes, he’s the first and only man to defeat Periera, the UFC’s new middleweight champion, in mixed martial arts. But he’s ready to display his own talents to new fans, in a “new house,” as he put it in a recent interview with Cageside Press.
“It’s just a great feeling of excitement. And I guess what makes it even more exciting, it’s my PFL debut,” Ottoni (12-3) said of his January 27 bout against Jozef Wittner. “It’s my first time getting to show my work at a new house.”
The questions about Ottoni’s 2015 fight with Pereira continue to flow ahead of the match-up. It was Ottoni’s fourth fight as a pro, with the Brazilian sporting a 3-0 record to start the night. Pereira, also from Brazil and at that point a world-class kickboxer, was trying his hand at MMA for the first time.
“A lot of questions about it. It’s all the time. I’m beginning to feel kind of over it at this point,” Ottoni told Cageside Press.
As a motivational tool, however, “I feel great looking at what I’ve accomplished, and knowing what’s ahead of me and the opportunities that I have in store,” Ottoni told us. “And then just looking at Alex, he’s had great success recently. He has a great manager, and his manager does wonders. I feel like he took a shorter route to where he is right now, based on the track record and history behind things.”
Ottoni’s opinion would seem to mirror that of many fight fans, who believe Pereira was brought in as a foil for Israel Adesanya, his kickboxing rival. Quemuel Ottoni himself, meanwhile, has his own fight to prepare for.
When it comes to Wittner, a Slovak who has competed for Oktagon MMA among other regional organizations, Ottoni sees an experienced fighter. Albeit one who has been competing on a lower level.
“He’s got a lot of experience, but I feel like we have very different experiences, right? He’s fighting on the European circuit. Different levels, different opponents really. But nonetheless, an experienced guy and someone I look forward to showcasing my skills and testing myself against him.”
Ottoni’s long road, as opponent to Pereira’s short path to the title (and there’s that name again; at least for now, that chance early career meeting has ensnared the two) has had its benefits.
“I feel like iron sharpens iron. Having forged myself here in the Brazilian MMA circuit, there’s a lot of tough guys to fight against here. Only the best rise to the top,” stated Ottoni. “I’m sure there’s a lot of great talents in Europe, but I just don’t think the talent is as deep as it is here in Brazil.”
Lest you think Quemuel Ottoni is all business, keep in mind that he once competed in Professional Pillow Fighting. The mention of that brings a smile to his face even weeks out from his PFL debut.
Of that experience, Ottoni said “it was great, it was tons of fun. I enjoyed myself doing it, and I’ve got to be honest with you: those guys pay well.”
Should he be successful against Jozef Wittner later this month, Quemuel Ottoni could line up an even bigger payday for himself. A spot in the PFL regular season, and a shot at a million dollars, is on the line. There’s no added pressure to perform, he said.
“I don’t feel pressure. I want to just go out there and do my job and be successful. I’ll be happy with the outcome as long as the job I’m training for gets done,” Ottoni said. “Winning is the main goal. Putting on a great show and winning a spot in the tournament, that will come with that. I’m just looking forward to fighting and fighting with a smile on my face.”
Watch our full interview with PFL Challenger Series welterweight Quemuel Ottoni above. Translation courtesy of Eduardo Cunha Lima.
