Ryan Gandra will be part of UFC 329, where “legendary” Conor McGregor makes his long-awaited return to action against Max Holloway on Saturday in Las Vegas, and admits it’s kind of surreal to be in this position so early in his MMA career.
Gandra made his amateur MMA debut in his hometown of Belo Horizonte, Brazil, back in October 2021, less than four months after “Notorious” fractured his leg against Dustin Poirier at UFC 264. The Brazilian built his full career while the former two-division champion was out, competing once more as an amateur before going 9-1 as a pro, which includes first-round knockouts under the Dana White’s Contender Series and UFC banners.
“While the guy was away, I was just some random athlete, coming from where I came from, building my story so I could end up fighting on the day of McGregor’s return,” Gandra told MMA Fighting. “Man, that’s incredibly emotional. When I got the news, I said, ‘This can’t be real’ [laughs]. It was kind of unexpected, [fighting on] the day of the return of the legendary McGregor. I’m really happy. I wasn’t expecting to fight on a numbered card, especially one like this, not this soon. It comes with a lot of responsibility and requires a lot of hard work.”
Gandra’s UFC 329 opponent is Zach Reese, a name he was already familiar with, having studied “Savage’s” style when preparing to face Jose Medina in his UFC debut.
“[Reese] fought Medina and went the distance, and was knocked him down a couple of times in the third round,” Gandra said. “It was a 15-minute fight, but it took me two hours to watch it because I went through it in slow motion, paying attention to every detail [laughs]. He also fought Michel Pereira, and I was rooting for Michel without ever imagining I’d fight this guy one day. It’s crazy when you think about it. Without even realizing it, I was already studying him.
“When you’re in the UFC, you have to stay ready at all times. Opportunities come to those who are prepared. I see this as a fight that came early in my career, and it’s going to be a tough one against a guy who already has nine UFC fights under his belt. It’s going to be a war. The UFC is betting on me.”
Gandra’s UFC debut only lasted 41 seconds, enough time to send Medina down with a flurry of punches in Mexico City. “Problema” came up short in pocketing a performance bonus that night despite the quick finish and knows competition will be bigger this time around, “but I’m going to try.”
“He’s tough. He’s no joke,” Gandra said of Reese. “I’m not going to underestimate him, just like I didn’t underestimate Medina. But my style is only going to change if the fight starts going in a direction that’s different from our strategy. What you saw against Medina, you’re going to see again against Zach. I think the UFC has made it pretty clear these days that they want exciting fights, and we’re ready to put on a show. No boring fights. Somebody’s going to have to pay the price.”
Inspired by the superstar that tops UFC 329, Gandra said he’s down to be fast-tracked into the top of the middleweight division and call his shots.
“I’m hungry,” Gandra said. “I know it’s still too early for me to be saying this, and maybe I’m even getting ahead of myself, but I want that belt. I want to hold it. A lot of people want what I want, but one day I want to have that belt in my hands and say, ‘I did it.’ Not just for myself, but for so many people. I’m representing a lot of people. My family has always believed in me and still does. They turn their lives upside down to help me chase this dream. I don’t have the luxury of taking easy fights or building hype against unranked opponents. I’m hungry to climb, to test myself, to be among the ranked fighters. I want the middleweight title.
“I told my wife, ‘I’m going to make it.’ I don’t know if it’ll be today, tomorrow, or years from now. I don’t know when, how, or against whom, but somehow I’m going to make it. I used to hear McGregor say, ‘When you say it, it happens.’ I’ve carried that mindset long before I got to the UFC, and now I’m fighting on the same card as a guy whose example I followed.”
