As the Ultimate Fighting Championship prepares for its upcoming card at the state-of-the-art UFC Apex facility in Las Vegas, newcomer Marcos Degli is wasting no time making his ambitions clear. The hard-hitting Brazilian flyweight is stepping into the Octagon with a reputation for absolute violence, and he intends to bring that exact finishing mindset to his promotional debut.
Degli is scheduled to square off against Mitch Raposo at UFC Vegas 124, officially known as UFC Fight Night 293 (headlined by a matchup featuring Bonfim vs. Brady), on November 7. As he enters the biggest opportunity of his professional mixed martial arts career, the 26-year-old standout is not just looking to secure a standard victory; he has his sights firmly locked on a stoppage and an extra $50,000 performance bonus to mark his arrival on the global stage.
Speaking in an exclusive interview with the Brazilian media outlet Sexto Round on Tuesday, Degli pointed directly to the stylistic clash between his own high-percentage finishing rate and the recent Octagon experience of his opponent. Raposo has carved out a gritty path in the UFC, but his resume under the promotion’s banner tells a story of distance-fights rather than early conclusions. All four of Raposo’s appearances in the UFC have ultimately gone to the judges’ scorecards, a trend that Degli believes sets the stage for a dramatic collision of styles.
The numbers certainly back up Degli’s assessment of his own fighting philosophy. The dynamic Brazilian flyweight carries an impressive 15-3 professional record into Las Vegas, and nearly all of his victories have come by way of a decisive finish. Out of his 15 triumphs, an astounding 14 have ended before the final bell, broken down into nine victories by knockout and five by submission. For Degli, mixed martial arts is a sport designed to end in a stoppage, and he expects to maintain that tradition inside the UFC Apex.
“All of his four UFC fights (two losses and two wins) went to a decision. I fight to finish,” Degli told Sexto Round during his Tuesday media appearance. Emphasizing his aggressive, crowd-pleasing approach to the sport, the promotional newcomer laid out his immediate game plan for fight night. “Of my 15 MMA wins, nine are by knockout and five by submission. He better be ready, because my focus is to debut with both feet in the door, taking the bonus and asking for a big name in the Octagon.”
Marcos Degli Brings 14 Finishes in 15 Wins into His UFC Fight Night 293 Matchup with Mitch Raposo
The anticipation surrounding Degli’s debut stems from more than just his finishing rate; it is deeply rooted in his long-term vision for the flyweight division. The 125-pound weight class has long been home to some of the fastest, most technical athletes in combat sports history, and Degli believes he possesses the skills and the killer instinct to shake up the rankings rapidly.
However, the Brazilian’s ambitions extend far beyond merely breaking into the top 15 or securing a spot on the main card. Degli is already mapping out the steps that will follow what he hopes is a spectacular performance on November 7. True to his word about making a massive splash right out of the gate, he revealed that he has already singled out a prominent contender to call out immediately following the bout, assuming he gets his hand raised.
For Degli, a victory at UFC Vegas 124 is merely the opening chapter of a much larger legacy he aims to write within the organization. When discussing his ultimate aspirations in the sport, the 26-year-old made it clear that he is not just fighting for temporary accolades or a single championship belt. His goals touch the historical records of the division, driven by a deep admiration for one of the greatest mixed martial artists to ever compete under the UFC banner.
“When I win on Saturday I’ll already be calling out a big name — I came to make history,” Degli stated, looking past his immediate opponent to the broader landscape of the division. As he outlined his trajectory toward the top of the weight class, he acknowledged physical comparisons to a former divisional kingpin while establishing his own distinct, highly ambitious benchmarks for greatness. “A lot of people say I look physically like Demetrious Johnson, who for me is one of the great legends of the sport. And my focus isn’t just to be champion, I want to break his record.”
Demetrious "Mighty Mouse" Johnson stands as a towering figure in the history of the flyweight division, having dominated the weight class for years with a record-setting number of consecutive title defenses and a legendary skill set that blended speed, wrestling, and unprecedented finishing ability. For a relative newcomer like Degli to publicly state an intention to surpass Johnson’s historical milestones demonstrates a level of confidence that is rare even among elite athletes.
As the calendar ticks closer to November 7, the focus returns to the canvas at the UFC Apex. Mitch Raposo will undoubtedly present a stern, durable test, having already tasted the highest level of competition and proven his ability to grind out full fifteen-minute bouts against tough opposition. Raposo will look to use his Octagon experience to weather early storms and frustrate the debuting finisher, turning the contest into a tactical battle of attrition.
Yet, Marcos Degli remains unwavering in his conviction. Armed with a 93 percent finishing rate in his victories, a fierce ambition to claim a performance bonus, and a stated desire to call out a major contender before the post-fight interview even concludes, the Brazilian flyweight is ready to test his high-octane style on the sport’s biggest stage. Whether he can translate his regional success and staggering finishing stats into a statement win over Mitch Raposo will be answered under the bright lights of Las Vegas, as Degli looks to take the first definitive step toward his ultimate goal of rewriting the UFC flyweight record books.
