Felipe Franco was a massive underdog on the night when he made his UFC debut this past March, and having that experience made him “a thousand percent” better as a fighter to pursue his first octagon victory Saturday night against Levi Rodrigues Jr. at UFC Oklahoma City.
Franco stepped in as a short-notice replacement against undefeated knockout artist Mario Pinto at UFC London, moving up from his original weight class to heavyweight. He wasn’t expected to last that long in the cage against a man that was 2-0 in the UFC with a pair of knockouts. Franco lost a decision, but looked at his performance as inspiring.
“A lot of people doubted me,” Franco told MMA Fighting. “I was the biggest underdog on the card, and making a striker who had been knocking everyone out turn into a grappler isn’t easy, but we worked on that every single day. Anyone who steps into the octagon with me is going to have a tough time.”
Pinto attempted 14 takedowns that night, the most of his UFC and DWCS career.
“Stepping into the UFC octagon for the first time was a magical experience,” Franco said. “It was something spectacular, a once-in-a-lifetime moment. And facing a guy who was coming off several knockout wins and finishing fights in the UFC, with all the hype surrounding him, then going all three rounds and showing that I have the potential and that I truly deserve to be in the UFC, it was very special. We didn’t get the win, but I received a lot of praise. I took those compliments, used them as motivation, kept working, and now I’m ready for my second UFC fight.”
Franco promises a better performance in Oklahoma City now that he had a full camp for Rodrigues Jr., this time in the light heavyweight division.
“I felt light going into my first fight with Mario Pinto not only because all the pressure was on him, but also because I was happy,” Franco said. “As long as I’m happy to be in the UFC and able to do what I love, I’m going to fight freely every time. This fight won’t be any different. I’ve trained hard over these last two months to make sure I’m fully prepared. I don’t feel any pressure at all. I’ll go in there relaxed and happy. Being in the UFC is amazing. All you have to do is go out there and show everything you’ve worked on.”
Rodrigues Jr. will be making his UFC debut after a long layoff, serving a suspension for a failed drug test following his Dana White’s Contender Series win in October of 2025, and Franco believes that “being active makes a big difference.”
“He hasn’t fought at all this year because of the doping situation,” Franco said. “We don’t know how he handled that news or whether he got frustrated, but the fact that I’ve stayed active makes me feel more confident. I believe that can be a factor that makes a difference when we step into the octagon.”
Franco scored all his MMA wins by stoppage with six knockouts and four submissions, and being versatile is exactly why he won’t make a prediction as to how he gets the job done against Rodrigues Jr.
“My goal has always been to become the most well-rounded fighter possible ever since I started training MMA,” Franco said. “I come from a jiu-jitsu background, but from day one I’ve worked to improve my boxing, my muay Thai, and my wrestling. I consider myself a complete mixed martial artist today, so the fight can end in any way. I don’t focus on just one path to victory. I can win by knockout, I can win by submission, or I can fight a smart in a strategic three-round battle. I feel confident in every area of the game, and I can dance any music that plays.”
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