
When he steps into the cage on Saturday, Diego Ferreira will be 40 years old. Despite competing around this milestone, Ferreira is firmly in the middle of a solid run. He’s not only finished back-to-back opponents, but he’s won performance of the night bonuses for each of those efforts.
The key to getting better at his current age? Ferreira says it has to do with finally eating right.
“My last loss was more about my diet. I think the way that I was being and trying to adapt that into me cutting the weight was too drastic,” he explained. “Trying to look full, but being weak at the same time. I think it took me a while to understand – took me a while to prepare my body.”
The Brazilian now walks around between 170lbs and 168lbs in order to make the weight cuts easier. Not only has it made that part of his game easier, but now he’s been able to train harder in the lead up.
“I don’t have to drastically cut weight [anymore],” he said. “Now I can prepare myself for the performance. Having more fuel, being more mentally prepared – because before I was just draining cutting weight. Now I can actually enjoy the camp.”
Those gains have translated to the cage as well. Not only does he have the aformentioned victories and bonuses under his belt, but he’s also having more fun. That fun allows him to let loose and put on the best version of himself, even as he cracks 40 years old.
“That’s why I don’t feel much pressure [anymore]. Like ‘I need to make weight’, ‘I need to do this’. Now I enjoy more,” he said. “I feel more enjoyment in the fight. I love to fight, I always do… but now I feel more happy in the cage.”
You can catch the 40-year old Ferreira for the first time at UFC 311 this Saturday. He faces Grant Dawson as part of the prelims which will air on ESPN+.
You can hear the entire audio of this interveiw below at 2:09.