Brunno Ferreira believes Ikram Aliskerov is overhyped, only needs 1 punch to knock him out at UFC Baku

Middleweight knockout artists Brunno Ferreira and Ikram Aliskerov will meet on the main card of UFC Baku this Saturday, with Ferreira confident he can exploit what he sees as overblown hype surrounding the Russian prospect.

Aliskerov has won four of his five UFC fights, highlighted by three first-round knockouts over Warlley Alves, Andre Muniz, and Phil Hawes. His only losses came before joining the UFC, to Robert Whittaker and Khamzat Chimaev. Ferreira, who has made 10 UFC appearances with six wins, has defeated notable opponents including Gregory Rodrigues, Marvin Vettori, and Armen Petrosyan.

Ferreira believes Aliskerov's reputation exceeds his resume. "I think [his hype] is a bit overblown," Ferreira told MMA Fighting. "This will be my 10th fight in the UFC and I've faced guys with much more justified hype than him." The Brazilian "Hulk" acknowledges Aliskerov's danger but feels his fighting style is predictable. He notes that Aliskerov lost to elite competition in Whittaker and Chimaev, both of whom finished him cleanly—evidence Ferreira plans to replicate.

Only one of Ferreira's 18 MMA fights has gone the distance, and he backs himself to land a decisive blow. "I have an arsenal of submissions and the power in my hands to put him away," he said. "I only need one clean shot, just like Whittaker and Chimaev did." Ferreira, rebounding from a March knockout loss to Gregory Rodrigues, says he feels mentally reset and physically sharper entering the bout.