Mauricio Ruffy's One Piece obsession fuels UFC White House prep

UFC lightweight Mauricio Ruffy credits an unlikely training partner for his rise through the rankings: Monkey D. Luffy, the protagonist of the wildly popular anime series One Piece.

Ruffy sat down with MMA Fighting ahead of his Sunday bout against former Bellator champion Michael Chandler at UFC White House to discuss his deep obsession with the long-running manga and anime, which follows a pirate crew's quest for treasure and freedom. The Brazilian knockout artist, who currently trains alongside featherweight champion Alexander Volkanovski in Australia, said the show's themes resonate with his own journey in mixed martial arts.

From Contender Series to lightweight contender

The 13-2 lightweight won his first three fights after Dana White signed him off the Contender Series in 2023, including a spinning wheel kick knockout of King Green that landed on multiple Knockout of the Year lists. After dropping his first UFC loss to Benoit Saint Denis at UFC Paris last September, Ruffy bounced back with a knockout of Rafael Fiziev at UFC 325.

A win over Chandler would push Ruffy into the thick of the lightweight title conversation and cap a rapid ascent that mirrors the anime hero's own rise from unknown to legend. UFC White House takes place Sunday in Washington, D.C.

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• MMA Fighting — Anything but Fighting: Mauricio Ruffy loves One Piece, Monkey D. Luffy