Marcio Barbosa breaks down TKO win for UFC contract, talks future
DWCS 79 winner Marcio Barbosa talks to MMA Junkie and other reporters after being awarded a UFC contract from Dana White for his TKO victory.
LAS VEGAS – When Marcio Barbosa fights, he’s likely to end the show quickly.
Barbosa (17-2) has finished 14 of his 17 professional wins in the first round. At Dana White’s Contender Series 79, he earned a UFC contract by finishing Damon Wilson in the opening round. His finishing ability is what caught UFC CEO Dana White’s eye.
“You are another guy I can’t wait to see in the UFC. Get over here,” Dana White said to Barbosa during the DWCS 79 broadcast just before announcing him as a contract winner.
The 27-year-old Brazilian featherweight was one of five fighters to receive contracts at the end of the show, although he stood out as the most experienced.
For Barbosa, every fight is an opportunity to represent his family and pay homage to his dead grandmother, who passed away on his birthday. He doesn’t know exactly how he’s been able to finish so many fights in the opening round, but he chalks it up to his love for the game and perhaps as a gift from a higher power.
“This gift that God gave me, this instinct, this feeling that I have – I love doing this,” Barbosa said through an interpreter during a post-fight news conference. “When that gate closes in that octagon, that’s all I want to do is crush the guy in front of me. There’s some words that (my coach says) pumps me up. When he says some things, I’m locked in. I’m in the zone.
“… I had a grandma that she just kind of made my bed and helped. That day she made my bed in my room and just passed away. She passed away on my birthday. I have a tattoo of her on my arm. I carry her and everyone that’s with me on the edge of that glove. So, when I put that on, I just want to knock people’s heads off. It’s a vibe. It’s also a positive energy that everybody brings. I just represent a lot of people. I just love doing this.”
