UFC title challenger's incredible ironman streak could end in this dangerous fight

Originally posted on MMA on SI | By Drew Beaupre | Last updated Aug 27, 2025 12:30 PM ET

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All-action UFC middleweight Brunno Ferreira will reportedly get a crack at the UFC rankings in a matchup with Marvin Vettori.

A contract winner on Dana White’s Contender Series in 2022, Ferreira joined the UFC with an undefeated record and made an immediate impact in his promotional debut when he knocked out his countryman Gregory Rodrigues in the first round at UFC 283.

Now riding the momentum of back-to-back wins via submission, Ferreira is due for a step up in competition and looks to be getting just that with a high-profile fight against a former middleweight title challenger.

Brunno Ferreira vs. Marvin Vettori Targeted For December

According to the report from Léo Guimares, Ferreira has signed on to face Vettori on December 6 at UFC 323, which is an event that hasn’t been formally announced by the promotion as of yet.

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As noted by Guimares, Ferreira was targeting a matchup with #9-ranked Brendan Allen after “Hulk” submitted short-notice replacement opponent Jackson McVey at UFC 318. The Brazilian may not get the chance to vault straight into the middleweight Top 10, but he can at least break into the divisional rankings against the #14-ranked Vettori.

"The Italian Dream" Has Never Been Finished

A member of the UFC roster since 2016, Vettori put together a five-fight win streak between 2019 and 2021 to earn a middleweight title shot against Israel Adesanya, who had previously bested Vettori via split decision at UFC on FOX 29.

“The Italian Dream” came up short in his title bid against Adesanya and alternated wins and losses over his next few fights before an extended layoff of nearly two years. Vettori returned in March and dropped a decision to Roman Dolidze, and after coming up short against Brendan Allen at UFC 318 the 31-year-old currently finds himself on the first two-fight skid of his career.

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Vettori turned pro in 2018 and has never been finished across 28 professional MMA fights. That durability presents an intriguing challenge for Ferreira, as “Hulk” has yet to see the judges’ scorecards in a 16-fight pro career that began in 2019.

The UFC already has UFC 321 locked in on the calendar for October 25 in Abu Dhabi and will reportedly return to Madison Square Garden in November for UFC 322, so fans should keep an eye out for news regarding a UFC 323 card that will presumably be the promotion’s final PPV offering of both the year and the ESPN era.