The 12 months was 2015, and Quemuel Ottoni was coming into the Jungle Battle cage to face a person known as Alex Pereira. “Poatan” was a gifted kickboxer making his MMA debut, and Ottoni received through third-round submission after an thrilling contest. Pereira would go on to ultimately develop into two-division champion in GLORY and the UFC, which additionally modified Ottoni’s life.
Ottoni returned to Jungle Battle after touring round his native Brazil — and a visit to Chechnya — and captured the welterweight title earlier than signing with PFL. Accidents led to the cancellation of that deal, and he’s now combating for a serious alternative Tuesday night time, going through undefeated Kody Steele at Dana White’s Contender Collection on the UFC APEX.
These huge alternatives had been undoubtedly helped by the actual fact he has tapped out a person that has develop into one in all UFC’s largest stars in 2024, however Ottoni says it has additionally introduced negatives.
“It has clearly helped me, however I don’t know if [that win] is sweet or unhealthy,” Ottoni mentioned in an interview with MMA Combating. “The previous two years had been filled with criticism, a variety of unhealthy issues got here with it. It was good, after all, as a result of it has given me this opportunity [at DWCS], but it surely has introduced a ton of unhealthy weight together with it.
“Alex has a variety of followers, and there are good and unhealthy followers. They couldn’t see a spotlight or any of that, a MMA web site posting about me, that they tagged and attacked me. Or somebody from my household would touch upon my submit and they’d reply with prejudice. It’s not ‘Poatan’s’ fault, however one in all his followers attacked my brother with prejudice. And that has bothered me for years. I used to be very upset about it.”
“However I managed to get one in all them,” he continued. “My mother commented on a photograph I posted and this man began to assault her. I used to be born on the East Zone [of Sao Paulo], brother, and we all know lots of people. I used to be not born a playboy, you recognize?. Some folks there mentioned, ‘We’ll discover the man and speak to him head to head.’ He apologized, however a variety of it upset me. These previous two years had been a mixture of feelings.”
Ottoni is now a light-weight, distant to Pereira by 50 kilos, however the UFC hopeful doesn’t count on that on-line hate to ever go away. Ottoni mentioned there’s no in poor health will in direction of Pereira — nor friendship both —, however he’s engaged on being “extra mature” on how he offers with fan interactions.
The dream of combating on U.S. soil will come true Tuesday night time in Las Vegas, and Ottoni mentioned he welcomed all challenges at DWCS — and identical for a attainable future UFC, if he convinces Dana White to award him a cope with a victory.
“I by no means picked straightforward opponents,” mentioned Ottoni, who received his previous 5 on the Brazilian circuit. “The primary opponent they gave me on the Contender was an 8-0 man that was beating all people up however he pulled out, and now they gave me this [Steele]. I can’t select. We’re going to the world’s largest promotion and I can’t select. I do know lots of people that picked fights in Brazil and made it to the UFC however couldn’t keep there. I do know I’ll impress them with a win. If it’s a knockout or a submission… I do know he’s a jiu-jitsu man however I’ve fought grapplers earlier than and caught them once they made errors. I do know it’s an excellent combat and I followers will love watching it.”