| Carlos Diego Ferreira | |
|---|---|
| Born | Carlos Diego Ferreira Neves (1985-01-18)January 18, 1985 (age 40) Careiro da Várzea, Amazonas, Brazil |
| Residence | Pharr, Texas, U.S. |
| Height | 5 ft 9 in (1.75 m) |
| Weight | 155 lb (70 kg; 11.1 st) |
| Division | Lightweight (2012–present) Welterweight (2012) Middleweight (2011) |
| Reach | 74 in (188 cm)[1] |
| Style | Brazilian Jiu Jitsu |
| Fighting out of | Pharr, Texas, U.S. |
| Team | Team Ferreira (2010–present) Atos Jiu-Jitsu Fortis MMA (2015–present)[2][3] |
| Rank | 3rd degree black belt inBrazilian Jiu-Jitsu[4] |
| Years active | 2011–present |
| Mixed martial arts record | |
| Total | 26 |
| Wins | 19 |
| By knockout | 5 |
| By submission | 7 |
| By decision | 7 |
| Losses | 7 |
| By knockout | 4 |
| By decision | 3 |
| Other information | |
| Mixed martial arts record fromSherdog | |
| Medal record | ||
|---|---|---|
Representing Brazil | ||
| Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu | ||
| Nogi World Jiu-Jitsu Championship | ||
 | 2008California, USA | -79.5 kg |
 | 2009California, USA | -79.5 kg |
| Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu | ||
| Pan American Jiu-Jitsu Championship | ||
| 2009California, USA | -82 kg |
Carlos Diego Ferreira Neves[5] (born January 18, 1985) is a Brazilianmixed martial artist, currently competing in theLightweight division of theUltimate Fighting Championship. He is the former Legacy FC lightweight champion,[6] and vacated the championship in May 2014 to sign with UFC.[7]
Born inCareiro da Várzea,Amazonas, Brazil, Ferreira grew up playing soccer, and his first martial art wascapoeira.[8] At the age of 10 Ferreira started training Brazilian jiu-jitsu. He moved to the United States in 2008 to make a career out of jiu-jitsu like his idolRonaldo Souza.[9]
Despite faring fairly well in jiu-jitsu competition, he never captured gold in big tournaments and was forced to start teaching the sport to make a living.[9] Subsequently Ferreira made his professional mixed martial arts debut on April 15, 2011, when he faced Joseph Daily at STFC 15. He won the fight via a split decision.[10] Following this, Ferreira would compile an undefeated record of 9–0, also capturing the Legacy FC Lightweight Championship fromJorge Patino at Legacy FC 25.[11] Ferreira would vacate the title in May 2014, when he signed with theUltimate Fighting Championship.
In his debut, Ferreira facedColton Smith atUFC Fight Night: Swanson vs. Stephens on June 28, 2014.[12] He won the fight via submission (rear-naked choke),[13] winning aPerformance of the Night bonus for the victory.[14]
For his second fight in the promotion, Ferreira facedRamsey Nijem atUFC 177 on August 30, 2014.[15] He won the back and forth battle via technical knockout due to punches,[16] winning another bonus (this time asFight of the Night).[17]
Ferreira next facedBeneil Dariush on October 25, 2014, atUFC 179.[18] He lost the fight via unanimous decision.[19]
Ferreira facedDustin Poirier on April 4, 2015, atUFC Fight Night 63.[20] He lost the fight via knockout in the first round.[21]
Ferreira facedOlivier Aubin-Mercier on January 30, 2016, atUFC on Fox 18.[22] He won the fight by unanimous decision.[23]
Ferreira was expected to faceAbel Trujillo on May 29, 2016, atUFC Fight Night 88.[24] However, Ferreira was removed from the fight on May 13 after it was announced that he had been flagged for a potential anti-doping policy violation.[25] He was replaced by promotional newcomer Jordan Rinaldi.[26]
On December 21, 2016, Ferreira accepted a 17-month sanction by the US Anti-Doping Agency for an anti-doping violation after declaring the use of a product that listed and contained a prohibited substance and testing positive for another prohibited substance.[27]
Ferreira facedJared Gordon on February 18, 2018, atUFC Fight Night: Cowboy vs. Medeiros.[28] He won the fight via TKO in the first round.[29]
Ferreira was expected to faceJohn Makdessi on December 8, 2018, atUFC 231.[30] However, on November 28, 2018, it was reported that Makdessi was removed from the card and was replaced byJesse Ronson.[31] However, on December 4, 2018. It was announced that Ronson was pulled out of the fight due to being too heavy to safely make Lightweight and was released from UFC.[32] Ronson was replaced by newcomerKyle Nelson.[33] Ferreira won the fight via TKO in the second round.[34]
Ferreira facedRustam Khabilov on February 23, 2019, atUFC Fight Night 145.[35] At the weigh-ins, Ferreira weighted at 157 pounds, 1 pound and over the lightweight non-title fight limit of 156. He was fined 20% of his purse which went to his opponent Khabilov.[36] He won the fight by unanimous decision.[37]
Ferreira was scheduled to faceFrancisco Trinaldo on May 11, 2019, atUFC 237.[38] However, Ferreira was forced out of the bout on weigh-in day as he was deemed medically unfit due to a weight cutting issue. As a result, the bout was cancelled.[39]
Ferreira facedMairbek Taisumov on September 7, 2019, atUFC 242.[40] He won the fight by unanimous decision.[41]
Ferreira facedAnthony Pettis on January 18, 2020, atUFC 246.[42] Ferreira defeated Pettis by submission in the second round.[43] This win earned him aPerformance of the Night award.[44]
As the first fight of his new five-fight contract, Ferreira was scheduled to faceDrew Dober on May 2, 2020, atUFC Fight Night: Hermansson vs. Weidman.[45][46] However, on April 9,Dana White, the president of UFC announced that this event was postponed to a future date[47] The bout with Dober was rescheduled and was expected to take place on November 7, 2020, atUFC on ESPN: Santos vs. Teixeira.[48] In turn, Ferreira pulled out on October 22 due to an illness.[49]
A rematch withBeneil Dariush took place on February 6, 2021, atUFC Fight Night 184.[50] He lost the fight via split decision.[51] This fight earned him theFight of the Night award.[52]
Ferreira facedGregor Gillespie on May 8, 2021, atUFC on ESPN 24.[53] At the weigh-ins, Ferreira weighed in at 160.5 pounds, four and a half pounds over the lightweight non-title fight limit. His bout proceeded at catchweight and he was fined 30% of his purse, which went to Gillespie.[54] He lost the fight via technical knockout in round two.[55] The bout was namedFight of the Night, but Ferreira was not eligible to receive the award after missing weight and the full bonus went to Gillespie.[56]
Ferreira was scheduled to faceGrant Dawson on October 2, 2021, atUFC Fight Night 193.[57] However, Ferreira pulled out of the fight in early-September citing an injury.[58]
Ferreira facedMateusz Gamrot on December 19, 2021, atUFC Fight Night: Lewis vs. Daukaus.[59] He lost the bout in the second round after verbally tapping due to a knee to his ribs.[60]
Ferreira was scheduled to faceDrakkar Klose on July 30, 2022, atUFC 277.[61] However, Ferreira was forced out the event due an injury.[62]
Ferreira facedMichael Johnson on May 20, 2023 atUFC Fight Night 223.[63] He won the fight via knockout out in round two.[64] This fight earned him thePerformance of the Nightaward.[65]
Ferreira facedMateusz Rębecki on May 11, 2024, atUFC on ESPN: Lewis vs. Nascimento.[66] He won the fight by technical knockout from ground punches at the end of the third round.[67] This fight earned him anotherPerformance of the Night award.[68]
Ferreira facedGrant Dawson on January 18, 2025, atUFC 311.[69] He lost the fight by unanimous decision.[70]
Ferreira was scheduled to faceKing Green on August 16, 2025 atUFC 319.[71] However, Green suffered an undisclosed injury and the bout was cancelled.[72]
Ferreira facedAlexander Hernandez on September 13, 2025, atUFC Fight Night 259.[73] He lost the fight by technical knockout in the second round.[74]
Ferreira worked as a salesman in a mattress store before getting signed to the UFC. He is married to Yvonne Ferreira, and has five children, with his youngest daughter being born in September 2023.[9][75][76][77]
| 26 matches | 19 wins | 7 losses |
| By knockout | 5 | 4 |
| By submission | 7 | 0 |
| By decision | 7 | 3 |
| Res. | Record | Opponent | Method | Event | Date | Round | Time | Location | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Loss | 19–7 | Alexander Hernandez | TKO (punches) | UFC Fight Night: Lopes vs. Silva | September 13, 2025 | 2 | 3:46 | San Antonio, Texas, United States | |
| Loss | 19–6 | Grant Dawson | Decision (unanimous) | UFC 311 | January 18, 2025 | 3 | 5:00 | Inglewood, California, United States | |
| Win | 19–5 | Mateusz Rębecki | TKO (punches) | UFC on ESPN: Lewis vs. Nascimento | May 11, 2024 | 3 | 4:51 | St. Louis, Missouri, United States | Performance of the Night. |
| Win | 18–5 | Michael Johnson | KO (punch) | UFC Fight Night: Dern vs. Hill | May 20, 2023 | 2 | 1:50 | Las Vegas, Nevada, United States | Performance of the Night. |
| Loss | 17–5 | Mateusz Gamrot | TKO (submission to knee to the body) | UFC Fight Night: Lewis vs. Daukaus | December 18, 2021 | 2 | 3:26 | Las Vegas, Nevada, United States | |
| Loss | 17–4 | Gregor Gillespie | TKO (elbows and punches) | UFC on ESPN: Rodriguez vs. Waterson | May 8, 2021 | 2 | 4:51 | Las Vegas, Nevada, United States | Catchweight (160.5 lb) bout; Ferreira missed weight. Fight of the Night. |
| Loss | 17–3 | Beneil Dariush | Decision (split) | UFC Fight Night: Overeem vs. Volkov | February 6, 2021 | 3 | 5:00 | Las Vegas, Nevada, United States | Fight of the Night. |
| Win | 17–2 | Anthony Pettis | Submission (rear-naked choke) | UFC 246 | January 18, 2020 | 2 | 1:46 | Las Vegas, Nevada, United States | Performance of the Night. |
| Win | 16–2 | Mairbek Taisumov | Decision (unanimous) | UFC 242 | September 7, 2019 | 3 | 5:00 | Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates | |
| Win | 15–2 | Rustam Khabilov | Decision (unanimous) | UFC Fight Night: Błachowicz vs. Santos | February 23, 2019 | 3 | 5:00 | Prague, Czech Republic | Catchweight (157 lb) bout; Ferreira missed weight. |
| Win | 14–2 | Kyle Nelson | TKO (punches) | UFC 231 | December 8, 2018 | 2 | 1:23 | Toronto, Ontario, Canada | |
| Win | 13–2 | Jared Gordon | TKO (punches) | UFC Fight Night: Cowboy vs. Medeiros | February 18, 2018 | 1 | 1:58 | Austin, Texas, United States | |
| Win | 12–2 | Olivier Aubin-Mercier | Decision (unanimous) | UFC on Fox: Johnson vs. Bader | January 30, 2016 | 3 | 5:00 | Newark, New Jersey, United States | |
| Loss | 11–2 | Dustin Poirier | KO (punches) | UFC Fight Night: Mendes vs. Lamas | April 4, 2015 | 1 | 3:45 | Fairfax, Virginia, United States | |
| Loss | 11–1 | Beneil Dariush | Decision (unanimous) | UFC 179 | October 25, 2014 | 3 | 5:00 | Rio de Janeiro, Brazil | |
| Win | 11–0 | Ramsey Nijem | TKO (punches) | UFC 177 | August 30, 2014 | 2 | 1:53 | Sacramento, California, United States | Fight of the Night. |
| Win | 10–0 | Colton Smith | Submission (rear-naked choke) | UFC Fight Night: Swanson vs. Stephens | June 28, 2014 | 1 | 0:38 | San Antonio, Texas United States | Performance of the Night. |
| Win | 9–0 | Jorge Patino | Decision (unanimous) | Legacy FC 25 | November 15, 2013 | 5 | 5:00 | Houston, Texas, United States | Won the Legacy FC Lightweight Championship. |
| Win | 8–0 | Chris Feist | Decision (unanimous) | Legacy FC 24 | October 11, 2013 | 3 | 5:00 | Dallas, Texas, United States | |
| Win | 7–0 | Carlo Prater | Decision (unanimous) | Legacy FC 20 | May 31, 2013 | 3 | 5:00 | Corpus Christi, Texas, United States | |
| Win | 6–0 | Danny Salinas | Submission (rear-naked choke) | South Texas FC 24 | February 22, 2013 | 2 | 1:41 | McAllen, Texas, United States | Won the STFC Lightweight Championship. |
| Win | 5–0 | Jorge Cortez | Submission (kimura) | South Texas FC 23 | December 7, 2012 | 1 | 0:43 | McAllen, Texas, United States | Welterweight bout. |
| Win | 4–0 | Travonne Hobbs | Submission (arm-triangle choke) | Ultimate Warrior Fighting 4 | June 30, 2012 | 2 | 1:57 | Corpus Christi, Texas, United States | Lightweight debut. |
| Win | 3–0 | Hector Muñoz | Submission (armbar) | Ultimate Warrior Fighting 2 | May 4, 2012 | 1 | 3:38 | Corpus Christi, Texas, United States | Welterweight debut. |
| Win | 2–0 | Clint Roberts | Submission (rear-naked choke) | Ultimate Warrior Fighting 1 | November 26, 2011 | 2 | 0:39 | Pharr, Texas, United States | |
| Win | 1–0 | Joseph Daily | Decision (split) | South Texas FC 15 | April 15, 2011 | 3 | 3:00 | McAllen, Texas, United States | Middleweight debut. |