AFC's Rodolfo Marques says you give up dreams or fight a friend in big shows

Nova Uniao veteran Rodolfo Marques has seen his team turn from a bustling gym to a conveyor belt for UFC and Bellator talent. But he also sees the price paid with success.

“The way I see it, it’s a pity to see certain organizations disappear like Strikeforce and WEC,” Marques (14-2), who fights Rob Lisita (11-5) at Australian Fighting Championships 6, told MMAjunkie.com (www.mmajunkie.com). “Those organizations could be bigger today.

“Guys like Marlon Sandro have no desire to be in the UFC and face their childhood friends. By signing up, you find out if you’ll give up your own dreams, or defeat a friend. That happened with Marcos Galvao and Eduardo Dantas. In Bellator, that’s even more likely to since the tournament winner gets to fight for the belt.”

Australian Fighting Championships 6 takes place Saturday at Melbourne Pavilion in Australia.

Right now, Marques is making a name for himself in Australia, where he moved after receiving an offer from Nova Uniao’s head coach, Andre Pederneiras. But he also longs to fight in the UFC, like every fighter that makes fighting a profession.

That puts him on an eventual collision course with his teammates, but it also could delay his career. He’s seen how conflicts have delayed others’ careers.

“In the UFC, the road is a bit longer for a guy like Hacran Dias, who’s in the same weight class as (Jose) Aldo,” said Marques. “Right now we have three athletes in the UFC at 185 pounds: Caio Magalhaes, Thales Leites and Ronny Markes. They’re all doing well.

“Sooner or later they’ll face each other. No one wants to step over their friend. Hacran’s time may come when Aldo is no longer champion.”

Although Marques said he’s still under contract with the World Series of Fighting, he’s unsure exactly how he’ll break into the U.S. MMA market.

“I guess my contract will expire eventually, though I would gladly fight for [WSOF],” he said. “I have never fought in the U.S. before. It’s a dream of mine. And I would come back if they called me since. I wish to continue fighting in high-profile cards and climb up the rankings so I have a chance to get into the UFC.”

In the meantime, he’s established a niche Down Under.

“In Brazil, there are tons of Brazilian jiu-jitsu academies,” Marques said. “In Australia, you are a very rare and desirable commodity.”