Mauricio Ruffy has opened up about the darkest period of his life, revealing how a divine encounter transformed his career and personal struggles into triumph.
The Brazilian, who is set to face Arman Tsarukyan at UFC 331, recently shared the profound spiritual experience that he credits with saving his life during a time when injury setbacks and fertility challenges brought him to the brink of despair.
“I was in bed for three years practically,” Ruffy recalled during an interview. “I would break my knee. I would break my hand. Surgery after surgery. I would come to the gym and ask God to bring a car to run me over. I didn’t have the courage to”
The turning point came through an unexpected visitor. While living in a hotel and dealing with the compounding stress of repeated injuries and his wife’s inability to conceive, Ruffy hired someone to cut his hair at his residence. What happened next defies ordinary explanation.
“The guy came to my house and said, ‘Hey, where’s your wife?’ I said, ‘What are you talking about?’ He said God brought me here to heal her,” Ruffy recounted. “I said, ‘What do you mean?’ He said, ‘She doesn’t have a pregnancy problem?’ I almost fell back. It was a very intimate thing. Just me and her knew about it.”
The stranger then addressed Ruffy’s professional struggles with equal precision, asking why someone so talented remained unsuccessful. After speaking with the couple, the man delivered a prophecy before leaving.
“God is going to send a child for you.”
“Ten days later, my wife was pregnant,” Ruffy said. “In one year, God gave us two children.”
The UFC star attributes this spiritual awakening to a breakthrough in understanding forces beyond the physical realm.
“I discovered something in the spiritual world,” he explained, suggesting that his transformation involved more than just medical or psychological healing.
Now with a 14-2 record and preparing for one of the biggest opportunities of his career, Ruffy’s journey from the pits of sadness to competing at the highest level of mixed martial arts stands as a testament to his faith and resilience.
Ahead of UFC 331, Ruffy has enjoyed what he describes as one of the most intense yet rewarding training camps of his career. Working alongside UFC featherweight champion Alexander Volkanovski in Los Angeles, the Brazilian has seen childhood dreams materialize.
“It was very special, to be able to train with Alex, Brad, Frankie, and everybody,” Ruffy said during Wednesday’s media day. “Israel [Adesanya, former UFC middleweight champ] came towards the end of the camp when we were finishing, but he spent his time with me, and just gave me some of his time to go through some things.”
The experience held particular significance for someone who once simply dreamed of meeting these elite athletes. Volkanovski would stay an extra hour after training sessions to work on specific positions with Ruffy, a gesture the Brazilian doesn’t take lightly.
“So many dreams came true. I feel very grateful,” he said.
Asked why this camp ranked among his toughest, Ruffy dropped his translator to emphasize his point.
“Five rounds, my brother. It’s different.”
