Diego Ferreira looking for shot at next level with UFC 246 win over Anthony Pettis

Diego Ferreira is on the most impressive and important run of his career, and he’s hoping a sixth straight win will take him to the next level.

If it comes next week, it will be against his most accomplished opponent yet, which certainly would help his case to be considered among the next standouts in the UFC’s lightweight division.

Ferreira (16-2 MMA, 7-2 UFC) fights former lightweight champion Anthony Pettis (22-9 MMA, 9-8 UFC) on the main card at UFC 246, which takes place Jan. 18 at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas. The main card airs on pay-per-view following prelims on ESPN and early prelims on UFC Fight Pass/ESPN+.

“I’m also very focused on this next bout after five wins,” Ferreira told MMA Junkie. “I want to fight well against Anthony Pettis, who’s a former champion. I can hardly wait. I hope we’ll have a great fight. It’s what I always hope for so I can show my country and my fans that I’m among the very best. To simply be in the UFC means I’m already one of the best, but I wish to be among the top fighters in the promotion.”

Ferreira, a Texas-based Brazilian, started his pro career 11-0, including bonus-winning stoppage wins in his first two UFC bouts in 2014. After he submitted Colton Smith in just 38 seconds and knocked out Ramsey Nijem, he picked up a tough test in Beneil Dariush.

But at UFC 179 in Brazil, he dropped a unanimous decision. Hoping to rebound six months later, he took on eventual interim lightweight champ Dustin Poirier. But Poirier knocked him out in the first round, and suddenly Ferreira found himself with back-to-back losses.

After a decision win over Olivier Aubin-Mercier in January 2016, Ferreira found himself on the wrong end of a U.S. Anti-Doping Agency test for a banned substance and wound up with a 17-month suspension.

Upon his return, though, he has won four more in a row for a five-fight winning streak ahead of his showdown with “Showtime.”

“I’d like to think this is the start of something great,” Ferreira said. “I never imagined, when I was in Manaus (Brazil), that one day I’d be living in the U.S. and fighting MMA. This has been a blessed life. I want to enjoy the ride. I want to give my best and show my true potential. After this fight, I’d like to rank in the top 10. I’m happy with my achievements so far.”

Pettis might be the household name in the MMA world compared to Ferreira, but it’s Ferreira who is a fairly sizable betting favorite in the fight. He checks in around -250.

But that doesn’t mean the Brazilian jiu-jitsu black belt, who will turn 35 on the day of the fight, is taking anything for granted against Pettis.

“He’s very well-rounded,” he said. “He performs very well on the ground and on the feet. I plan to implement a high-pressure punching and kicking game. I know that he’ll come at full force. I know he’s defeated top fighters in the past, despite a few recent losses. I’m sure he’ll be trying to win as much as I’ll be. I feel I’m hungrier. He’s been a top fighter for a long time. I need this opportunity to achieve my dreams. He fights very well from every position. He’s clocked a lot of time in the octagon, so I’d never underestimate him.

“I always like to bring something new and unexpected. For this particular fight, I have to be ready for anything, especially his acrobatic kicks. He moves very well. That’s what I’m ready for.”