Marco Tulio out to prove that fight IQ, not hype, speaks louder in the UFC

Marco Tulio had to go through “the world’s most difficult job interview” twice to earn a contract in the UFC. Now he’s focused on showing his skills inside the octagon.

The Chute Boxe Diego Lima middleweight debuts against Ihor Potieria at UFC Vegas 101 on Saturday after a pair of Contender Series wins over Yousri Belgaroui and Matthieu Duclos and feels extra confident after surviving the pressure of performing for a deal in front of UFC CEO Dana White and company matchmakers.

“I’ve fought guys with names in the past, like ex-UFC Glaico [Franca] and even Yousri, who has all this hype because of his name and proved that hype doesn’t make any different,” Tulio told MMA Fighting. “It’s two men in there and what speaks louder is fight IQ and skills. I was never impressed by hype. You see guys that are hyped in the UFC but don’t deliver all that when it’s time to fight.”

Tulio has won eight in a row with five knockouts since 2021 while Potieria, his opponent at UFC Vegas 101, looks to regain momentum after four losses in his past five appearances since retiring legendary veteran Mauricio Rua with a first-round knockout in 2023.

“I think it’s a perfect matchup because he already has a name and a career inside the UFC,” Tulio said. “He has fought some Brazilians and that’s something I want to work on, especially when look eye to eye. I remember him dancing over ‘Shogun’ and now people saying he only fights with Brazilians, but I respect him.”

Potieria has shared the octagon with three other Brazilians since his win over Rua, losing to Rodolfo Bellato, Michel Pereira and Cesar Almeida. Tulio sees him as a skilled opponent, but guarantees he has the ideal gameplan to “neutralize him” and win.

“I see many holes in his game, both on the feet and on the ground,” Tulio said. “I’m a MMA fighter. I have a background in striking but my wrestling and jiu-jitsu are getting better every day more. I’ve been working on becoming more well-rounded. I’m sure I’m better than him on the feet, but if I have the opportunity to take him down and go for a submission, I’ll be open to that. That said, my standup will make all the difference.”