Joanderson Brito and a Blip on the Radar

Bumps in the road only seem to embolden Joanderson Brito.

The 30-year-old Brazilian will look to get back on track in the Ultimate Fighting Championship featherweight division when he squares off with Pat Sabatini in the UFC on ESPN 65 co-main event this Saturday at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas. Brito steps into the spotlight having won five of his past six bouts. However, he finds himself on the rebound following a contentious split decision loss to William Gomis at UFC Fight Night 243 in September.

“Everyone knows that I won that fight, including him,” Brito told Sherdog.com. “My main lesson was that I can’t leave it to the judges. I committed several errors during that fight. I’m fully aware of that. I know that I have the potential to make it very far in the organization. Now, it’s just a matter of making those adjustments so the results won’t be up to the judges again.”

Sabatini does not figure to cooperate willingly. The two-time Cage Fury Fighting Championships titleholder has rattled off eight wins across his past 10 outings and last saw action at UFC Fight Night 244, where he put away Jonathan Pearce with a rear-naked choke a little more than four minutes into their Oct. 12 encounter. A Brazilian jiu-jitsu black belt under Daniel Gracie, Sabatini has secured more than half (12) of his 19 pro victories by submission.

“It’s going to be a very interesting clash,” Brito said. “I like his style. He leaves everything in the cage. He’s hungry to pressure his opponents from the very start of the first round until he finds the path to a submission. It’s great for me. He brings pressure from the first round, and it’s also what I do. By the second round, we’ll have an idea of how the fight will play out.”

Brito operates out of the Chute Boxe affiliate fronted by Joao Emilio in Bauru, Brazil. There, trusted coaches like Emilio, Joao Paulo de Carvalho, Lenny Lovato and Paulo Ledesma oversee his development alongside a host of proven stablemates, from Melquizael Costa and Marcirley Alves to Igor Severino.

“We’re all focused, pushing each other on,” Brito said. “I’m feeling great going into this bout.”

A win over Sabatini, particularly a convincing one, would perhaps allow Brito to reclaim a more prominent place in the 145-pound pecking order as he presses on toward bigger and better things.

“My plan is to remain in the UFC for years to come and make my way to the Top 5 in the featherweight division,” he said. “Everyone can see that I have what it takes to get a title shot. I see that the UFC is moving some pieces around. My goal is to have a great performance, and then we’ll see what they plan for me next.”