Brunno Ferreira explains recent weight miss, guarantees problem solved for UFC 326: ‘That bothered me a lot’

Brunno Ferreira says he has fixed the weight-cutting issues that cost him a chance at entering the rankings after a December bout, and he promises the problem is solved ahead of his UFC 326 rematch with Gregory Rodrigues. The acknowledgement matters because the missed weight derailed a shot at greater standing in the middleweight division and prompted a significant change in his training and nutrition approach.

Brunno Ferreira on the weight miss and the changes he made

Ferreira acknowledged that his December fight with Marvin Vettori was marred by a weight miss when he stepped on the scale at 189 pounds. The miss left him frustrated; he described himself as an athlete who does not leave loose ends and resolved to correct the error immediately.

He traces the failure not simply to the mechanics of the weight cut but to a broader strategy shift that began in 2025. Ferreira increased muscle mass in his diet with the aim of handling greater training pace, but that approach ultimately backfired. In the days before the Vettori fight he attempted to cut 14 pounds in 24 hours and his body shut down.

Ferreira described the root mistake as a mindset of needing to be heavier and stronger. He said that earlier struggles to make weight at prior events signaled a problem: after efforts to bulk toward roughly 216 pounds, his body did not adapt to the new protocol. By contrast, he stated his normal trained weight is usually 205 pounds tops. Following the missed weight, he reverted to a lighter, healthier baseline and says he now feels closer to his old self.

What the UFC 326 rematch with Gregory Rodrigues looks like

The rematch with Gregory Rodrigues at UFC 326 is framed as a fresh start. Ferreira originally knocked out Rodrigues in the first round after replacing another fighter in January 2023. He arrives at the rematch riding a three-fight winning streak that includes two armbar finishes and a decision win over Marvin Vettori.

Rodrigues, meanwhile, has won five of his past six fights, including victories over Jack Hermansson and Roman Kopylov, and rebounded from a prior defeat in early 2025. The bout between Rodrigues and Ferreira opens the main card for UFC 326. The event begins at 5 p. m. ET, with the main card scheduled to start at 9 p. m. ET.

Statistical snapshots from betting and preview analyses show Ferreira averaging 3. 85 significant strikes landed per minute while absorbing 3. 99 per minute. Rodrigues projects higher activity on the feet, with 5. 60 significant strikes landed and absorbing 4. 84 per minute. Those figures highlight contrasting styles: Ferreira’s power and finishing ability against Rodrigues’s heavier strike volume and recent improvements in striking and the ground game.

Implications and what to watch at UFC 326

Ferreira frames this fight as a reset: he says pride and revenge mindsets can be limiting and that both fighters should treat the matchup as a new challenge. That mentality shift is meant to complement his revised diet and weight approach, and Ferreira insists he will make the improved condition obvious inside the cage.

On the other side, some analysts favor Rodrigues to finish the fight inside the distance, pointing to his activity, striking development, and recently improved ground work. The matchup promises to test whether Ferreira’s returned comfort at a lighter, healthier weight will translate into the same early finishing power that ended their first meeting.

Next steps for Ferreira after UFC 326

Ferreira had been aiming to parlay a strong performance into a shot at top contenders in the division. He had hoped to earn a title opportunity against established names in the weight class, but the missed weight in December halted that trajectory. With the changes he says he has made, the rematch at UFC 326 will be a pivotal moment for restoring momentum and reasserting his place among the division’s contenders.

Details may evolve as fight week approaches, but for now Ferreira’s message is clear: the weight problem that “bothered” him has been addressed, and he intends to prove it when he steps back into the octagon for the Rodrigues rematch.