At the UFC 308 press conference in Abu Dhabi last October, undefeated MMA fighter Dorobshokh Nabotov seized the opportunity to directly ask Dana White for a chance in the octagon. However, it was Matheus Camilo who ultimately stole the spotlight and secured a contract with the promotion.
Instead of granting Nabotov a spot on Dana White’s Contender Series, the UFC head arranged a match for him at Z Fight Night in South Korea, a promotion founded by former UFC title contender Chan Sung Jung, “The Korean Zombie.” White observed the fight remotely and witnessed Camilo deliver a dominant performance in December, utilizing sharp calf kicks and effective submission attempts en route to a decision victory.
“Listen, this happens a lot,” White remarked on an episode of Lookin` For A Fight. “You get your opportunity to have your moment, where the world gets to see you, all this hype around him because he was at the press conference and everybody reported on it, and Matheus was the guy that came in and absolutely stole his moment from him.”
Camilo currently holds a professional record of 9-2. He is scheduled to make his highly anticipated UFC APEX debut this Saturday at UFC Vegas 106, facing Gabe Green.
Camilo reflected on the opportunity: “It was a show built for the guy, the media around him with the hype. It was a huge opportunity for me. I was watching when he asked Dana [at the press conference] and never imagined I would fight him. I was training in Vegas when they called me to fight, and I said absolutely yes. It was an opportunity to change my life.”
Despite winning by decision and initially fearing it might not be enough to earn a UFC contract, Camilo was thrilled by White`s visible excitement over his performance. White`s reaction, captured in a vlog, even suggested he might have been rooting for the 24-year-old Brazilian during the fight due to Nabotov`s defensive approach.
“Matheus, you looked unbelievable,” White told Camilo via video conference after the bout. “You were definitely more well-rounded. You started chopping that leg in the first round, damaged it, and pretty much, in our opinion, controlled the fight the rest of the night… As young as you are, 23 years old [at the time], you really impressed us tonight. Congratulations kid, you’re getting in the UFC. You flew over there to Korea, this guy was the A-side of this thing, all the hype behind him, and you took the opportunity and made the most of it. And you looked f*cking great tonight, so congratulations.”
Camilo shared his emotional reaction: “I was very emotional. I was a bit apprehensive [White wouldn’t sign me] because the fight didn’t go as I wanted. I never imagined he would try to hold me down the entire time. I wanted a war, an absolute banger, but it turned out different. But I was able to hurt him and was surprised when Dana said I was getting signed.”
After returning to his training base in Las Vegas, Camilo awaited the call for his octagon debut. His upcoming fight against Gabe Green takes place almost exactly five years after the death of his father, who was one of his most significant supporters from the beginning of his journey.
Camilo spoke about his father`s influence: “My dad was always very strict with me. At first he said I would only be able to leave Acre to train at Nova Uniao after I finished high school, and then there was no turning back. It was all good at first, I was very happy, but it all changed when the [COVID-19] pandemic hit. That’s when my father got sick and we lost him. He was my biggest supporter. He was there for me. When he passed away, that’s when my real fight began, if that’s what I really wanted, if I was willing to be away from my family this entire time. That’s when the desert began, and I’m still here.”
Following this profound loss, Camilo considered ending his fighting career, but his mother encouraged him not to give up. She sent him back to Rio de Janeiro to train alongside his idol, Jose Aldo, before he eventually moved to Las Vegas in pursuit of greater opportunities. His father passed away on May 15, 2020, making his first official week as a UFC fighter a poignant milestone.
“I get flashbacks from five years ago, when I was crying and lost,” Camilo stated, “And now I’m here to make my UFC debut, which was a dream for him, a dream for me. I’m very grateful for this moment.”
His first UFC opponent, Gabe Green, holds a 2-3 record within the organization, with losses to notable fighters such as Ian Machado Garry, Bryan Battle, and Daniel Rodriguez. Given Green`s experience at the highest level, Camilo anticipates a challenging night in the cage.
“I know I’ll only have tough fights in the UFC, it will always be a challenge,” Camilo affirmed. “I’m ready for this. This is what I’ve always wanted, so I wanna make the most of this moment. He’s a tough fighter, moving down from welterweight, and has some experience in the UFC, so I feel honored to be sharing the cage with this guy. It’s going to be a fun fight because he’s the type of fighter that always walks forward and likes to brawl, just like me. And I’m going there to finish this fight, brother. I’m very hungry.”
Marcus Blakely