Fighting Nerds coach: If Volkanovski is in Ruffy’s corner, I don’t feel comfortable
Mauricio Ruffy will have to figure out his corner situation for his next fight. | Getty/UFC
The fact that Jean Silva was invited to attend UFC London was viewed by some as a way to pressure Movsar Evloev and Lerone Murphy to finish their title eliminator before the fifth round.
That didn’t happen, however, as the Russian won a majority decision after 25 competitive minutes. That result kept Jean Silva’s hopes alive of getting the next featherweight title shot and greatly reduced Mauricio Ruffy’s chances of doing his training camp at The Fighting Nerds.
In an interview with Brazilian journalist Diego Ribas published on Ag.Fight’s YouTube channel last Thursday, Pablo Sucupira revealed details of his last conversation with Ruffy about his problems with Silva and the possibility of doing his camp for Michael Chandler at The Fighting Nerds. Sucupira said he wouldn't have any problem training Ruffy at Cornerman's facilities, which are often used by Fighting Nerds athletes.
A Company, Not a Family
“In modern MMA, a team is no longer a family, but a company, which has several families,” Sucupira said. “My role is to manage this company. I don't need Jean and Ruffy to be friends. The fact that their friendship is strained doesn't prevent them from continuing to respect each other.”
Sucupira, who revealed that he will have a more definitive conversation with Ruffy on that topic this week, made one condition clear: UFC featherweight champ Alexander Volkanovski can’t be part of his corner at the White House event
“If Volkanovski is in his corner in the next fight, I don't feel comfortable being there. After all, I'm preparing an athlete to fight him,” said Sucupira, who is rooting for a happy ending.
“I owe everything I've achieved as a coach to these four (Silva, Ruffy, Carlos Prates and Caio Borralho). It's been more than 10 years of working together. I have enormous admiration and respect for all of them and I would like to be by their side all the way to the belt, but I'm not going to change the rules to keep anyone on the team.”
