Davi Ramos doesn't have to think about moral victories after UFC-Fresno

FRESNO, Calif. – Davi Ramos may have started his UFC tenure with a loss, but he never treated it that way.

After Saturday’s performance at UFC Fight Night 123, though, Ramos won’t have to worry about moral victories. Ramos (7-2 MMA, 1-1 UFC) tapped out Chris Gruetzemacher (13-3 MMA, 1-2 UFC) with a rear-naked choke 50 seconds into the third for his first UFC victory.

UFC Fight Night 123 took place Saturday at Save Mart Center in Fresno, Calif. The card aired on FS1 following early prelims on UFC Fight Pass.

“You can’t describe how I’m feeling now,” Ramos told MMAjunkie after the fight. “It’s a dream of every fighter. It’s my dream to come here and fight, and I won. I feel amazing.

“After that loss (in my UFC debut), I wasn’t feeling much. I didn’t feel I lost that fight. I took the fight with (one week’s notice). In my mind, I fought very well – so I won the fight. But this is the game. It’s the UFC, the best (promotion) in the world. I’m here to fight against the best guys.”

Ramos said he expected a little bit easier of a fight against the gritty Gruetzemacher, who often gave him a bit of a test on the feet – though Ramos won the first two rounds from all three judges on the scorecards.

But when he took the fight to the ground in the third, it quickly was the beginning of the end for Gruetzemacher.

“I thought would be easier because I trained very well,” Ramos said. “My camp was perfect. I came in here with a lot of confidence in my performance. But the fight kept going, and it was a tough fight. But in the third round, I said, ‘You know, I have to take the fight down and submit him,’ so I did. It’s my favorite move. I have very good back control. I train it a lot.”

To hear more from Ramos, check out the video above.

And for complete coverage of UFC Fight Night 123, check out the UFC Events section of the site.