Season 9 of Dana White’s Contender Series is here! And the hunt for the UFC’s next big star is on. In the main event of Episode 2, on August 19th, Brazil’s dynamic 15-3 featherweight José ‘Ze’ Delano steps into the spotlight, ready to leave it all in the cage and punch his ticket to the UFC.
José Delano’s MMA Journey
José ‘Ze’ Delano (15-3) at just 28 years old, is one of Brazil’s most promising featherweights. A versatile finisher with the skills to win anywhere the fight goes. Born in Recife, Pernambuco, and now sharpening his craft at the highly famed Brazilian Top Team in Rio de Janeiro, Delano has built an impressive résumé: 15 wins, with 4 coming by knockout and 5 by submission. He turned pro in August 2014 at just 17 years old, enduring a rocky 1-2 start before hitting his stride with a dominant seven-fight win streak. That momentum carried him to his first championship in November 2020, when he captured the Shooto featherweight title.
LFA
After more than a year away from competition, José Delano made his LFA debut with a statement win over highly regarded Brazilian prospect Jonas Bilharinho. His next bout was set to be for the LFA featherweight title, but after missing weight, the championship was taken off the line. Delano still secured the victory, then followed it up with a highlight-reel first-round knockout courtesy of a vicious knee, earning himself another crack at the belt.
That second title shot came against Gabriel Santos, now a UFC featherweight, but Delano’s 11-fight win streak came to an end in a hard-fought loss, dropping his record to 12-3. Since then, he’s bounced back in emphatic fashion, earning three straight wins against some of the LFA’s top 145-pound talent. Most recently, Delano delivered another statement, stopping undefeated prospect Abu Muslim Alikhanov with a first-round KO. This streak has propelled Delano to the biggest opportunity of his career… a shot at earning a UFC contract.
His Opponent: Manuel Exposito
Standing across the Octagon will be Argentina’s Manuel Exposito (13-2). The 25-year-old featherweight from Córdoba, Argentina, has made waves with a submission-heavy record, securing 7 of his 13 wins on the mat. Exposito enters this bout aiming to cement his place among the new wave of exciting Argentine talent breaking into the UFC. He burst onto the scene with a flawless 10-0 start, quickly earning a reputation as one of Argentina’s brightest prospects. However, 2023 proved to be a turning point, suffering his first professional defeat to another unbeaten contender on the regional circuit, followed by a second loss later that year via second-round stoppage. Determined to rebound, Exposito returned six months later with a gritty decision victory, sparking a resurgence that has since grown into a three-fight winning streak. Now, he faces José Delano with momentum firmly on his side.
I had the pleasure of speaking to Jose Delano, just over a week out from the biggest fight in his young career.
José Delano Interview
Introduction to MMA, and Training Camp
“Hey José, thanks for taking the time to chat with us. You’re about to fight for a UFC contract at DWCS. You’ve got an impressive 15-3 record. For MMA fans who might not be familiar with you yet, can you tell us a bit about yourself and how your journey in MMA began?”
“I started practicing Muay Thai for my health. I was a little fat boy haha, and in the first month I lost 10kg, and after a few months my master, Marcel Ferreira, started to train me with more interest in competition. Sometime later, my parents broke the relationship. My brothers and I returned to our state in the Northeast of Brazil (We were living in Rio when I started Muay Thai). In the state of Pernambuco, I met Master Antonio Javali, and he introduced me to other martial arts, such as Karate, Boxe, Taekwondo, another style of Muay Thai, and another style of Jiu-Jitsu too, Capoeira, and mixed everything. In Recife, I made my debut in the cages and I won but I lost alot of fights too haha. In my state (Pernambuco) I’ve fought a lot, but most of the fights were not official. A lot of “Clandestine” fights haha. And when I lost 2 times in official events, I started to think… I’ve got to be more professional, I want this to be my life. So I’ve moved to Brazilian Top Team in Rio to be more focused!”
“Preparing for a fight like this must be intense. What’s your training camp looked like leading up to this huge fight?”
“The same bro, nothing’s changed! We train at the same intensity all year round, because I wanted to be ready at any time. So when I was called to this fight, I was ready!”
Preparation and Experience
“You’re running on a 3 fight winning streak coming into this fight, the most recent two wins both being first round finishes. What aspect of your game are you most confident in right now?”
The finishes in the first round was a consequence of my evolution, every fight I’ll go forward and every time I search for combat, but now I’m stronger and faster than ever, and that’s the consequence of my training. And yes, this makes me more confident in the work of my team and I.”
“You had an amazing stint in LFA (6-1), and faced many of the top featherweights outside of the UFC. You’ve shown you can perform when the lights are the brightest. How important do you think the experience you gained from fighting on a big stage like the LFA will be for you in this high-pressure fight?”
“Well, this only shows to me and everyone that I am ready for it. I am ready to fight against the best in the UFC, and no matter the size of the fight, I will give everything in the cage. I was tested and this prepared me for this moment.”
“You’ve faced setbacks, like missing weight for the LFA title, and your KO loss to Gabriel Santos. How did you mentally and physically respond to those challenges, and what did you learn from them?”
“They showed me what I needed to correct. I am working with people now who are supporting me. At that time I was doing all things on my own, but now I have professionals in my team. Andriel Caruso is responsible for my weight loss, and Luiz Augusto is responsible for my mental health. These two guys started with me after my loss against Gabriel Santos. So after that loss, my results spoke for me haha, better performances every fight.”
Looking Ahead at Opponent and Game Plan
“Looking at your opponent, do you have any particular strategies or tactics in mind for this fight, or are you going to adapt to the situation as it unfolds?”
“I’ll go forward, and I’m thinking he does too haha, so let’s see what’s going to happen.”
“Manuel Exposito is a tough test. What stood out to you most when watching his tape, and how have you built a game plan around that?”
“He is really a tough guy and is what I already said, both of us search for combat, both of us go forward and I will go to finish in the first round and I’m thinking he will go to finish in the first round too. I will give you guys everything, every minute of the fight.”
Faith
“You often mention faith in interviews and on social media. How does your personal identity and spirituality play a role in your fighting career and mindset?”
“I live my life for Jesus, and everything I do, I do for Christ, and because of this I give my 100% on everything I am supposed to do. My training sessions and when I was simply washing my dishes or doing another simple homemade haha. Fighting for me is my job, and the will of God is my desire, if he wants me to be victorious, I will deserve it because I am training for this, but if my opponent deserves it more, then I will train more for next time. The result is not in my hands, but in the hands of my saviour, and my creator, Jesus Christ. My only work is to do my very best every single day, give to him EVERYTHING and the results is his will in my life, because I live for him.”
Future Plans and Goals
“Looking beyond this fight, where do you see yourself in 2-5 years? What are your ultimate goals in MMA, and how will you achieve them?”
“Well, for now I can only see myself in the UFC, the biggest event in MMA in the world for the rest of my life haha. And it’s as I said, the consequences of my evolution in the sport will show us what’s going to happen. If I will deserve to be champion one day? I don’t know haha, but the only thing I want it’s live like a real fighter, have a family and honor my god above everything.”
“Fighting for a UFC contract is a huge opportunity. The fans are passionate, and will be watching around the globe. What are you most looking forward to about fighting on the biggest stage of the sport?”
“Step by step haha, for now I’m only thinking about winning this contract haha. After that, I will think about it haha.”
Get to Know José Delano
“Aside from the fight, do you have any fun or quirky hobbies that fans might not know about? What do you do outside of the cage?”
“I am a simple guy, I play video-games, run with my dog, watch anime and read Bible, pray, go to church and I am a leader of two groups for Share the Gospel, here in Brazil, we call it “Cell”, a lot of cells makes the body (church) and Christ is our head.”
“What sets you apart from other fighters in your division?”
“I don’t know exactly, but I will say I trust 100% in the strategy of my team and I will do exactly what they say. I think this doesn’t happen with every fighter, but I don’t think it’s my exclusive haha.”
“What would you say has been the biggest challenge for you in your MMA career so far?”
The biggest is this fight haha, and after that will be the next, and the next, and the next haha.”
Final Comment
“Finally, what would you like to say to your fans and anyone who will be tuning in to watch your fight?”
“If you want to see good fights, you will like my style. I’m not a trash talker, I’m not a trouble maker, I’m a Christian fighter who wants to share the gospels to the entire world, and that’s it. Read the bible, your life and your families life depends on that. Start with the 4 gospels of the new testament, Matthew, Mark, Luke and John. God bless you, family!”
“Thanks so much for your time, Jose. We can’t wait to see you in action on August 19th. Best of luck in your training and in the fight!”
Go follow José Delano’s journey as he competes for a place on the UFC roster on August 19th in the Main Event of DWCS Season 9: Week 2. @zedelano on Instagram.
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