The lightweight winner of The Ultimate Fighter: Brazil 4 wants to return to the Octagon in 2018.
Glaico Franca was released from the UFC in 2016 following decision defeats to James Vick and Gregor Gillespie just 13 months after he won TUF Brazil 4 with a submission victory over Fernando Bruno — and he’s made some major changes to his life since.
Since moving up to 170 pounds for his post-UFC run, Franca has won six fights in a row with five stoppages, and also captured the Aspera FC and Pancrase welterweight belts. He hopes that’s enough to convince the UFC to re-sign him.
“I’m really happy with everything we’ve done, and I believe that winning the Pancrase belt should earn me another chance in the UFC,” Franca told MMA Fighting. “This is the right time to return to the UFC.
“I was too young when I was on TUF Brazil, too inexperienced, and now I have the experience and am in the right weight class,” he added. “It’s not up to us, but I’m confident that we’ll receive good news soon.”
Franca fought twice already this year, defeating Hiroyuki Tetsuka and Takashi Sato under the Pancrase banner in Japan, and is campaigning for a slot at the upcoming UFC Fight Night card in Sao Paulo, Brazil, on Sept. 22.
“I went 6-0 with five finishes since I left the UFC,” Franca said, “and this is the message I wanna send to the UFC: I want to come back, and a perfect opportunity is the UFC Sao Paulo card on Sept. 22. I will train for that date.”