Diego Ferreira’s Renewed Sense of Commitment

Diego Ferreira can point to one primary factor behind his late-career resurgence in the Ultimate Fighting Championship lightweight division: discipline. It has led the soon-to-be 40-year-old Brazilian to back-to-back finishes and allowed him to keep Father Time at bay—for now.

“Some things needed correcting,” Ferreira told Sherdog.com. “I addressed my diet so I could have better weight cuts. I had to further grow in the sport. As an athlete, a clean diet and good sleep are a must. My daily habits have changed. Weight cuts are one headache I no longer have. I keep it well under control during my down time. I felt great during my last two fights. I love to scrap. I can bang it out with greater joy now that I don’t have to stress out and cut weight at the last moment.”

The Fortis MMA rep will set out in search of a third straight victory when he confronts Grant Dawson in a three-round UFC 311 prelim on Saturday at the Intuit Dome in Inglewood, California. Appearances have been sporadic for Ferreira. He did not compete at all in 2022 and drew only single assignments in 2023 and 2024.

“It’s frustrating,” Ferreira said. “I don’t have that much time left in my career. I don’t want to think about it, but I could be approaching retirement. The UFC hasn’t been booking me as frequently as I wish. I have to wait. What else can I do? Right now, I’m just going to focus on the opponent who’s in front of me and take advantage of this opportunity to put on another show. I do want to be more active.”

Dawson, 30, figures to be a difficult hurdle to clear. The American Top Team export has rattled off five wins in six outings, a 33-second knockout loss to Bobby Green his only misstep. Dawson last saw action at UFC Fight Night 244, where he buried Rafa Garcia with a volley of elbows and punches in the second round of their Oct. 12 pairing.

“He’s tough,” Ferreira said. “I’ve faced a lot of wrestlers. He likes to stay on the ground, as we saw in his last two fights. I’m comfortable facing someone who comes from wrestling. I want to show that my own wrestling is sharp. I had a very challenging training camp, but I’m feeling great. The last two fights were against guys who preferred to keep it on the feet. He’s tough but he doesn’t have as good of a submission game. When my fights go to the ground, I’m always trying my hardest to get a finish. There’s a big difference between us. I like to finish fights. He likes to stall. I’m ready to play my game, and if somehow things play out on the feet, that’s fine by me.”

Ferreira has not procured three consecutive finishes in more than a decade—a reality he would like to change at Dawson’s expense.

“I want to see violence and blood,” he said. “This will be my second fight in front of fans since 2020. It’s very motivating. I can’t wait to put on a show. I want to bang it out. I want to get the fans on their feet screaming my name.”