Thiago Moises is eyeing a major turnaround when he meets Gauge Young at UFC Winnipeg, returning to action after a first-round knockout loss to Jared Gordon in May 2025.
Moises enters the bout with an 8-7 UFC record and a renewed setup in Sao Paulo, where he has moved full-time and now trains with the team Fighting Nerds. Young, meanwhile, is coming off his first UFC victory, a decision win over Maheshate in August 2025 that pushed his promotional record to 1-1.
"Now it’s time to get in there and put on a strong performance," Moises said. "Beat Gauge Young convincingly, keep winning, and I believe I have everything it takes to win the UFC belt. I have experience, I have technique. It’s just about going in with the right mindset."
Moises credits his current environment and his growing family for a surge in motivation. "This was the best training camp I’ve ever had in my life," he said. "I’m very happy here in Brazil, very happy with my team at Fighting Nerds, happy with my daughter and being close to my family."
He also sees danger in Young’s ambition. "He doesn’t have much experience, but he’s a big challenge for my career," Moises said. "He’s very technical and wants to make a name for himself, which makes him dangerous. He’s young, 25 years old, so that youth and hunger are probably his biggest weapons."
