Ryan Gandra built MMA career during McGregor hiatus, lands UFC 329 slot

Ryan Gandra went 9-1 as a professional during Conor McGregor's injury layoff and will now fight on the same card as the returning superstar at UFC 329 in Las Vegas on Saturday.

The Brazilian middleweight made his amateur debut in Belo Horizonte in October 2021, less than four months after McGregor broke his leg against Dustin Poirier at UFC 264, MMA Fighting reports. Gandra had one more amateur bout before turning pro and reeling off nine wins in 10 fights, including first-round knockouts on Dana White's Contender Series and in his UFC debut against Jose Medina in Mexico City.

Gandra draws Reese after 41-second debut finish

Gandra faces Zach Reese on Saturday's card, an opponent he already studied when preparing for Medina. Reese fought Medina to a decision and also met Michel Pereira during his nine-fight UFC run. "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," Gandra told MMA Fighting. "When you're in the UFC, you have to stay ready at all times."

The 185-pounder dismissed his debut opponent in 41 seconds but did not receive a performance bonus. He expects a tougher test against Reese. "He's no joke," Gandra said. "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."

Gandra cited McGregor's influence on his mindset and ambitions. "I used to hear McGregor say, 'When you say it, it happens,'" he said, per the MMA Fighting story. "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." Gandra said he wants the middleweight title and is willing to skip unranked opponents to get there. UFC 329 airs Saturday from T-Mobile Arena.

Original reporting:

• mmafighting.com — Ryan Gandra built entire MMA career during Conor McGregor’s absence, gets ‘unexpected’ call to share UFC 329 card | MMA Fighting