Jefferson Nascimento is stepping into the UFC on short notice, making his promotional debut against Tahir Abdullaev in a welterweight bout at UFC Baku on June 27.
Nascimento received the call on June 16 and will move up from lightweight to face Abdullaev. He enters the Octagon after defending his LFA lightweight title by fourth-round knockout to improve to 13-0 and secure a UFC contract.
"It’s going to be a war," Nascimento said of the matchup. "He’s the kind of guy who comes to fight, and so am I. I never back down. I’m really happy about this opportunity. He might underestimate me a little because of the weight class, thinking he’s stronger, but I can see my right hand landing on him, and it could very well end in a knockout."
The Brazilian prospect has been vocal about wanting to reach the UFC and face a lightweight veteran, and was named one of the top Brazilian prospects to watch in 2024. He once even posted a fake social media announcement of a UFC fight with Chase Hooper, who is now scheduled to meet Mitch Ramirez on July 18 in Oklahoma City in his 14th UFC bout.
Nascimento plans to return to lightweight after UFC Baku but is open to future short-notice opportunities at welterweight. Reflecting on his arrival, he said, "my game is different now." and "I’m calmer," adding, "and this is the right moment for me to shine and build a long career here."
