Fighting Nerds coach calls Mauricio Ruffy the ‘Ronaldinho’ of MMA

Flavio Alvaro, coach at Fighting Nerds, has offered glowing praise for lightweight Mauricio Ruffy ahead of the UFC co-main event against No. 2-ranked Arman Tsarukyan on Saturday. Alvaro, who worked with Ruffy from age 18 to 24 before Ruffy joined Fighting Nerds, called him the most skilled fighter he has ever seen in MMA, comparing his talent to that of Brazilian soccer legend Ronaldinho.

"He's a genius," Alvaro told Sherdog, emphasizing Ruffy's exceptional technical abilities. The coach credited Ruffy with bringing him into the Fighting Nerds organization, describing him as a lasting brother despite no longer training together.

Despite his confidence in Ruffy's abilities, Alvaro acknowledged that Tsarukyan presents a formidable challenge. The No. 2 lightweight is favored due to his experience, warrior mentality, and unwillingness to quit. However, Alvaro believes Ruffy's outcome depends on several factors: his mental state, confidence level, and cardio conditioning heading into the bout.

"If Ruffy is at 100%, I don't believe this fight will make it to the third round. It will be a massacre," Alvaro predicted, suggesting that a fully healthy and focused Ruffy could dominate the matchup decisively.