Felipe Colares is yet to have a statement performance in the octagon, but he’s hoping to change that at UFC Fight Night 194.
Colares (10-2 MMA, 2-2 UFC) meets Chris Gutierrez in the featured prelim Saturday, and the former Jungle Fight champion, who finished his first seven professional fights, is ready to put on the type of showing that brought him to the dance.
“I was molded for this life since the early days in my home state of Amapa, under coaches Kenny Dias (jiu-jitsu) and Vicente Sales (muay Thai),” Colares told MMA Junkie. “I have a warrior’s heart. On this next bout, I want to show why I was brought in from the best promotion in South America (Jungle Fight). I’ll be putting on a show for Dana White and for all the fans in attendance and watching at home. I’m bringing a new striking and takedown game. I won’t just win the fight, I’ll be winning hearts.”
He takes on Gutierrez (16-3-2 MMA, 4-1-1 UFC), who’s unbeaten in his past five fights. So with an impressive win over Gutierrez, the Brazilian hopes to be on the cusp of the UFC bantamweight rankings.
“He’s really tough,” Colares said. “The UFC doesn’t give you easy opponents. I feel that the winner of our fight will find himself near the top 15 of our weight class. I’ve been working daily to make sure no mistakes happen so I can bring another victory back home to Brazil. I am looking forward to starting a new win streak. I have plans to eventually be the bantamweight champion.”
He continued, “I’d like to take things one step at a time. I’m still young at age 27. I’d like to fight again as soon as possible, hopefully by December or January. I want the promotion to know that I’m ready at all times. My goal is to win now, make it to the top 15, and keep climbing up the rankings. All athletes dream about being champion. That’s my dream too.”
Felipe Colares: ‘I won’t just win the fight, I’ll be winning hearts’ at UFC Fight Night 194
