UFC-Sao Paulo's Derek Brunson doesn't care about villainy or ring rust – but knockouts? Maybe

SAO PAULO – Derek Brunson knows he’s fighting in hostile territory Saturday, and he knows he’s fighting an opponent coming off a seriously long layoff.

But neither of those things seem to matter to him. Instead, Brunson (17-5 MMA, 8-3 UFC) plans on just fighting his fight against former light heavyweight champion Lyoto Machida (22-7 MMA, 14-7 UFC) when the two meet in the UFC Fight Night 119 main event in Brazil.

UFC Fight Night 119 takes place Saturday at Ibirapuera Gymnasium in Sao Paulo. The main card airs on FS1 following prelims on FS2 and UFC Fight Pass.

“It doesn’t bother me at all,” Brunson told MMAjunkie about being perceived as the bad guy against one of Brazil’s national MMA heroes. “And I love when everyone always hits on the long layoff. Because I’m not a guy who really believes in ring rust. If you’ve got it, you’ve got it.”

By “it,” Brunson doesn’t mean he thinks Machida will have ring rust. Instead, he means that famous “it” – that certain something that sets someone apart from the pack. In essence, Brunson is saying Machida’s been The Man before, and there’s no reason he won’t be again on Saturday just because he’s been away for 28 months.

“The guy has shown over and over again he has the skill set to compete,” Brunson said. “Has he lost the edge? Has he got a little bit slower? Has his cardio decreased a little bit? I don’t know – we’ll see. But as far as the skill set, it’s still there. That’s what I’m paying attention to.”

And as for embracing is inner bad guy, Brunson said he’ll leave that for someone else – like Colby Covington. Covington marched into Sao Paulo for his welterweight fight against Demian Maia and went into full-on verbal onslaught mode.

Being the bad guy works for Covington, Brunson said. And he can have it.

“As far as the villain role, Colby loves it and he’s playing it up,” Brunson said. “Me? I’m just coming to fight. That’s it. Each fight, I come to fight. There’s not much to be said. Some opponents, I don’t really like, and some don’t bother me – he’s just in my way.”

Brunson got back on the winning track in June when he knocked out Dan Kelly in 77 seconds in New Zealand. That erased the memory of a two-fight skid that included a questionable decision setback to Anderson Silva.

But before those two losses, he had five straight wins – and four straight knockouts. He knows any time he steps in the cage, he’s a threat to end the fight with his hands. And he’ll go into the fight with Machida believing that could happen again, regardless of his opponent’s potential ring rust, and regardless of where they’re fighting.

“That’s been my whole focus – just trying to mature and grow in the sport,” he said. “I’m just trying to find better ways and more strategic ways to get the finish. If I touch a guy one time, I could end the fight.”

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