Friday night, the second semifinal bout of the LFA heavyweight title four-man tournament continues.
In the main event, Brazilian big man Renan Ferreira (5-1 MMA) battles Brett Martin (7-1 MMA). The winner will square off with Daniel James in the tournament final later this year.
LFA 70 takes place Friday at The Sylvee in Madison, Wis. The main card airs on AXS TV.
Get to know Renan Ferreira ahead of his LFA 70 headliner:
Full name: Thales Renan Ferreira
Nickname: Problema
DOB: 11.23.89
Height/Weight: 6-foot-8, 260 pounds
Birthplace: Santa Tereza de Goias, Goias, Brazil
Team: Team Nogueira
How’d you get into fighting? What can you say about your professional record?
I’ve always enjoyed fights. I started in jiu-jitsu in 2013. I have six bouts on my record, with a single loss to Vinicius “Mamute” Moreira. I always look for a knockout, despite originally coming from ground fighting. I come from jiu-jitsu and every day I look to improve my striking. Whenever I see an opening, I look to finish by KO.
Why do you only have six pro bouts in six years?
Heavyweight fighting in Brazil is still very lacking. Few promotions have heavyweight fights. Sometimes we wait for opportunities, and time flies by. The main reason why I haven’t fought more often was the lack of opportunities.
How do you feel about fighting in the LFA, which is often a ticket to the UFC? Are you thinking ahead, to the next bout in the heavyweight tournament final?
I’m very happy to be able to participate in a great promotion like the LFA. Several great names in our sport went through there. I’m not worried about the next bout yet. I’m only focused on the battle in front of me. I’m very happy with this opportunity.
How’s your preparation going?
I’m training hard. I’m very focused. My coaches at Team Nogueira are giving me the best possible training, so I have (brought) several weapons into this bout.
What can you say about your opponent? How do you see things playing out?
We always study our opponent’s game. I’m very happy to be facing Brett Martin. He seems very strong. We’ll have a good fight. I’ll be able to showcase my work.
The LFA 70 lineup includes:
MAIN CARD (AXS TV, 9 p.m. ET)
- Renan Ferreira vs. Brett Martin
- Mark Lemminger vs. Isaac Steele
- Askar Askar vs. Jake Childers
- Gonzalo Ponce vs. Elias Garcia
- Asef Askar vs. Collin Anglin
- Alex Polizzi vs. Pierre Walters
PRELIMS (DARK)
- Jamey Simmons vs. Taylor Moore
- Austin Lutchen vs. Andrew Kauzlaric
- Devon Seitz vs. Rodney Alexander
- Julian Valencia vs. Wyatt Barber
- Jordan Schulte vs. Peter Kulibert
- Peter Lo vs. Cody Linne
For more on LFA 70, check out the MMA Rumors section of the site.
