That meant two months away from his wife and two daughters, and when he celebrated his 33rd birthday on February 17, he said his birthday cake was a leafy green salad.
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“We know that once you get in the UFC, things start getting tougher,” Muniz told UFC.com. “The path to victory is not easy; it takes a lot of work. It requires a lot of hard work and discipline, and that’s what I’ve been doing. I’ve been working very hard in every aspect – dieting, strength and conditioning, training sessions. I’ve been sacrificing a lot of things, being far from my family, but it’s all for a greater purpose, for a dream that my wife, my daughters and I have, which is to become a UFC champion and to be able to give them good life conditions. I just have to keep dreaming and working towards the top of the division.
“Of course, I don’t like being away from my family, and not to able to celebrate some occasions with them, but I’m very happy.”
The sacrifices have paid off big-time for “Sergipano.” He is undefeated through his first five UFC bouts and collected three first-round submissions along the way.
Although Muniz is operating a little under the radar in the middleweight division, his presence looms large on the precipice of the Top 10. Last time out, he impressed against Uriah Hall, controlling the majority of the fight on the feet and on the ground while picking up a unanimous decision win over the dangerously dynamic striker.
For Muniz’s next test, he gets fellow Contender Series alumnus Brendan Allen. Muniz admits he hoped for a Top 10 opponent, but he understands the dangers the 27-year-old presents.
“Brendan is a great athlete,” Muniz said. “He’s on the same team as Derek Brunson (Kill Cliff FC), so we know the difficulties we have ahead of us. He’s coming motivated to fight with a ranked guy and we know how good his technique is…but I’m building great momentum and I think we’ll remain on the winning path on Saturday.”
Allen’s best performances have coincidentally all showcased his skills on the ground – submission wins over Kevin Holland, Karl Roberson and most recently against Krzysztof Jotko come to mind.
While Muniz tapping out Allen could make a particular statement about his well-regarded jiu jitsu game, the Brazilian eyes another path to victory this time.
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“I think the first one who makes a mistake can lose the fight,” he said. “I think this Saturday, this is a very special moment in my career. I have a feeling the KO is about to happen. I hope I get a great KO for the crowd on Saturday.”
Should Muniz’s hopes come true, it’ll be his first knockout victory since December 2017 and first in the Octagon.
Even though an outsider’s opinion would likely lean toward Muniz playing toward his grappling strengths, Allen’s lone UFC losses came via knockout to Sean Strickland and Chris Curtis, so one could argue Muniz is onto something.
“At this level, you have to keep evolving and this is what I’ve been trying to with my coaches,” he said. “I believe our next step is to show the world my knockout power.”
An impressive win against a fellow middleweight riser certainly bolsters Muniz’s campaign for a crack at the Top 10. It might not break him out of the dark horse mold just yet, but it’s a crucial step toward accomplishing his ultimate dreams and making those sacrifices all worth his while.
“I’ve been working my whole life to be fighting in the UFC,” he said. “I’m very thankful for the opportunity to be fighting on the 25th. It’s a special month for me since it was my birthday. I hope to give myself a great win this Saturday.”
