Mauricio Ruffy and the Fighting Nerds used to feel unstoppable. With a strong team identity and a loud brand, this set of Brazilians carried themselves as if they were immune to momentum shifts. But 2025 was a year of rude awakening for the Brazilian fighting band. As the wins dried up, even the “invincible” guys had to deal with what the sport does best: humbling you publicly.

That is the backdrop for Mauricio Ruffy‘s arrival in Australia and camp with Alexander Volkanovski ahead of UFC 325. It isn’t part of a dramatic breakup or a betrayal of his roots, but a subtle adjustment by a fighter who understands that the next moment cannot be wasted. He’s coming off his first UFC loss to Benoit Saint-Denis, and his upcoming UFC 325 clash with Rafael Fiziev isn’t the kind of fight you want to enter half-prepared.

Mauricio Ruffy denies separation from Fighting Nerds

Mauricio Ruffy made it clear that the move doesn’t imply he is abandoning the team that helped him succeed. If anything, he seemed proud of his identity. “I’m still with Fighting Nerds. I’m always gonna be a Fighting Nerd,” Ruffy told Ariel Helwani through a translator, before revealing why he’s training with Volkanovski: “I’m here to train with Volk, to learn, and to help him, of course.”

According to ‘One Shot,’ the split is mostly logistical, but the benefit extends beyond that. With his normal corner unavailable, Ruffy took advantage of the opportunity to train in the same environment where Volkanovski lives every day. He also stated that he sees this as a long-term investment, not a one-time visit.

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“I know that I will come here many, many times more to get better on my game plan,” he said. And it wasn’t just about skill. Mauricio Ruffy spoke as if he wanted to absorb champion habits, not just sparring rounds, presenting Volkanovski as more of a blueprint than a mere training partner.

When a team’s myth collapses, you either crumble with it or evolve. ‘One Shot’ seems to have chosen the unpleasant path—venturing outside of his traditional system to sharpen himself where greatness is already the norm. He even linked it all together with gratitude and perspective. “I want to say I’m super grateful to God to open this door for me,” he said.

And in a year when Fighting Nerds found out what it’s like to lose, the decision to train with Alexander Volkanovski could be the key to Mauricio Ruffy’s escape from staying stuck in the same story. But what about his team? What do they feel about the move?

The Fighting Nerds’ take on Ruffy’s sudden camp switching

Well, it seems like there’s no bitterness from the home team. In a sport where switching camps is sometimes filled with turmoil, Fighting Nerds have viewed it as a normal professional move. They understand he took a loss, felt the pressure, and opted to enhance his skills in a different environment rather than cut ties completely.

Speaking on Diego Ribas’ Direto de Vegas podcast, Flavio Alvaro stated that their personal relationship remains even though the professional setup has shifted. In fact, he will always be ready to help him out in any way possible. “We get along very well on that personal level. Whatever he needs from me personally—him, his family—I’ll be ready.” And Pablo Sucupira fully supported that tone.

“When he chose to spend a season at City Kickboxing and sharpen his Muay Thai in Thailand, I understood and supported him. The doors of Fighting Nerds will always be open for him,” he stated, noting that he won’t be in Ruffy’s corner at UFC 325 due to other coaching obligations.

Most importantly, Sucupira rejected the old mindset that saw cross-training as betrayal: “There is no more room for the ‘creonte’ mentality.” In other words, Mauricio Ruffy can grow in another camp and still have a home waiting.