Victor Hugo: A Study in Perseverance

Perseverance certainly appears to have paid off for Victor Hugo, who was north of 30 and nearly 30 bouts deep into his mixed martial arts career by the time he made his Ultimate Fighting Championship debut. His appears to be a case of better late than never.

UFC 308: Topuria vs. Holloway Saturday at 2 PM ET on ESPN+. Order Now!

The surging Brazilian bantamweight will put his remarkable 14-fight winning streak on the line when he collides with the unbeaten Farid Basharat as part of the UFC 308 undercard this Saturday at Etihad Arena in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. While Hugo has not lost in more than a decade, he heads into his showdown with Basharat as a significant underdog. “Striker” expects to be tested.

“He’s tough,” Hugo told Sherdog.com. “He’s very active and has great cardio. We’re getting ready for that. I believe 100% in our victory.”

Basharat, 27, steps back into view armed with a perfect 12-0 record. He last competed at UFC Fight Night 234, where he laid claim to a three-round unanimous decision over Taylor Lapilus on Jan. 13. A London Shootfighters product, Basharat has gone the distance in three of his past four appearances.

“Farid is not a knockout or submission artist,” Hugo said. “He’s a sporty guy. We put our strategy with that in mind. We’ll chase after him.”

Hugo trains with the Astra Fight Team in Balneario Camboriu, Brazil, where he sharpens his skills under the tutelage of coaches Tim Ruberg, Marcelo Dos Santos Martins Gomes, Marcelo Brigadeiro and Alexander Guerra. His preparation fuels his confidence.

“We’re working hard with various training partners,” Hugo said. “We’re a small team, but we have many notable fighters.”

Hugo, who turns 32 in November, earned his way onto the UFC roster via Dana White’s Contender Series a little more than a year ago. He was successful in his first Octagon assignment on April 6, when he outpointed Pedro Falcao—a short-notice replacement for Heili Alateng—to a three-round unanimous decision at UFC Fight Night 240. Hugo denied 12 of his opponent’s 13 takedown attempts and outlanded him by a 68-42 margin in significant strikes.

“You can tell that he showed up in great condition,” Hugo said. “He worked hard to try and take me down for three rounds.”

Hugo views his pairing with Basharat as a potential springboard at 135 pounds.

“I foresee a bright future for myself in the organization,” he said. “I won’t accept any less. I’m betting on myself. I’ve dedicated my life to this. Even though I started a little late, I’m at the right age now. We’re off to win another fight.”