Like Morales, Brito punched his ticket to the UFC with a victory on Season 5 of Dana White’s Contender Series, where he was outworking the aforementioned Diego Lopes before the bout was halted due to an accidental eye poke and scored as a technical decision.

The Brazilian faltered out of the gate at the start of 2022, dropping a unanimous decision to veteran Bill Algeo, but since then, “Tubarao” has been outstanding, producing three straight first-round stoppage wins heading into his clash with Jonathan Pearce on Saturday.

Photo Gallery: UFC 295 In Pictures

That run began with a 41-second finish of divisional stalwart Andre Fili, and while the last two have come against short-notice opponents Lucas Alexander and Westin Wilson, all Brito can do is beat the guys that get put across from him, and he’s done that in emphatic fashion, showcasing his grappling, ground-and-pound, and general physicality along the way.

And now comes the step up in competition that everyone has wanted to see, Brito most likely included.