Lerryan Douglas impressed UFC CEO Dana White with a violent 36-second knockout over Cam Teague to win a contract with the promotion through the Contender Series, and feels ready to do the same to longtime octagon veteran Julian Erosa in his debut Saturday at UFC Seattle.
And “Gunslinger” says the sky is the limit after that.
“Every fight teaches you something and helps you evolve,” Douglas told MMA Fighting. “In my case, now fighting a very experienced guy in Julian Erosa, what comes next? If I beat someone with nearly 20 UFC fights, what’s my next step? That’s when I start climbing towards the top. They put me in my first UFC fight in an arena, already on the main card, so they clearly have something planned for me. They’re giving me this opportunity and I’m not going to let it slip.”
The former LFA featherweight champion said he felt more pressure going into his DWCS bout than he does entering an official UFC fight against a veteran like Erosa, but being ready for this is only possible because he had the help of stars like Cub Swanson and Anderson Silva in his journey to the UFC.
Born in Paranagua, Brazil, Douglas grew up watching Anderson Silva shine in rings and cages around the world after training in Curitiba, just 55 miles away from home. He decided to try his luck in the sport while “The Spider” reigned as UFC middleweight king, and later got the chance to move to the United States and train alongside another veteran in Swanson.
“When I first got here it was just me and three others,” Douglas said. “They really value who you are, your character, more than what you have, where you fight, or your ranking. We have a great relationship, always helping each other. We’re constantly pushing one another in training. It’s an amazing energy, man. Living the dream.”
It’s been a busy few weeks for Bloodline Combat Sports in the UFC. Danny Silva was first to get the job done at UFC London, knocking out hot prospect Kurtis Campbell. Swanson has a fight scheduled for April 11 against Nate Landwehr and Lando Vannata faces Darrius Flowers a week prior on April 4.
Right now, it’s Douglas’ turn to represent.
“He’s an experienced guy and gives me a sense of calm,” Douglas said of Swanson’s help in his career. “If he says something, you trust it. It’s a different vibe. He’s been fighting his whole life, since the WEC days. He’s been at it for over 20 years now, with 40-something fights in his career. That’s someone you trust, not a guy who calls himself a coach but doesn’t even know what it’s like to get punched in the face. This is real. He’s a fighter too, has been one his whole life, and he’ll give you the real talk. I value experience more than the title of ‘coach,’ you know?”
Living in the United States for a few years now, Douglas was invited by “the greatest of all time” Anderson Silva to train with him ahead of his LFA 200 clash with Elijah Johns, where he unified the 145-pound titles and earned a spot on DWCS.
“[Silva] gave me a lot of insights, tips that came from someone I used to watch as a kid and defending his [UFC] title 10 times,” Douglas said. “That gives you confidence that nobody can stop you.”
With that confidence high, Douglas chases another highlight-reel finish inside the octagon against Erosa.
“He’s experienced, has 18 fights, but if he stands and trades with me, he’s going to go down,” Douglas said. “That’s how I see this fight playing out. If he wants to test it, if he thinks he can strike with me, box with me, unfortunately, he’s going to get knocked out stiff. I’m very confident in my level right now. If you had asked me this three years ago, I would’ve been honest and said I still needed to improve, to train more, that I wasn’t at the level of those guys yet. But now, I can say it: I’m ready for anyone in my division, and I’m going to prove it.”
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