UFC Oklahoma City’s Felipe Franco seeks first win after forcing Mario Pinto ‘into a grappler’ in debut

Felipe Franco enters his second UFC bout seeking his first octagon victory against Levi Rodrigues Jr. at UFC Oklahoma City on Saturday, armed with confidence built on a gutsy debut performance that defied expectations.

Franco stepped in on short notice in March at UFC London as a massive underdog, moving up to heavyweight to face undefeated knockout specialist Mario Pinto. Despite Pinto's 2-0 UFC record and pair of finishes, Franco pushed the fight the distance and lost a decision—but in doing so, forced Pinto to abandon his striking strengths and resort to grappling, attempting 14 takedowns, a career-high for the UFC prospect. The performance earned Franco praise and validated his belief he belongs in the octagon.

"Making a striker who had been knocking everyone out turn into a grappler isn't easy," Franco told MMA Fighting, "but we worked on that every single day."

Now moving to light heavyweight with a full training camp behind him, Franco sees clear advantages heading into his clash with Rodrigues Jr., who is making his UFC debut after serving a suspension for a failed drug test following his Dana White's Contender Series appearance in October 2025. Franco has stayed active in the interim, which he believes gives him an edge.

Franco, who has finished all 10 of his professional wins—six by knockout and four by submission—emphasizes his well-rounded skill set. Coming from a jiu-jitsu background, he has developed boxing, muay Thai, and wrestling to become a complete mixed martial artist. He refuses to predict how victory will come, comfortable winning any way the fight unfolds. "I can dance any music that plays," Franco said, approaching Oklahoma City relaxed and ready to prove his debut was no fluke.