The UFC 309 fight card at Madison Square Garden attracted many prominent individuals. Among the notable attendees were the newly elected President Donald Trump and Tesla CEO Elon Musk. Following an electrifying UFC 309 fight card, Musk gained attention online for wearing the infamous “Fighting Nerds” glasses.
Elon Musk made a grand entrance alongside UFC CEO Dana White and President Donald Trump. The first matchup involved Brazilian striker Mauricio Ruffy, a fighter from team Fighting Nerds. Ruffy is currently undefeated in the promotion and earned his place in the UFC through the Dana White Contender Series. The Brazilian fighter faced James Llontop in a catchweight bout.
The Fighting Nerds’ entertaining striker have come out to fight on two occasions. Ruffy’s UFC 309 fight marked his second outing in the UFC, where he defeated Llontop by unanimous decision. Interestingly, the Tesla CEO witnessed that fight. He appeared to be impressed by Ruffy’s performance, even donning their nerd glasses.
Guess who? pic.twitter.com/ExzlBOGSBz
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) November 17, 2024
There have been reports about a potential fight between Elon Musk and tech rival Mark Zuckerberg, with the UFC CEO being the front runner to promote the event. Additionally, Musk has a strong friendship with well-known UFC commentator Joe Rogan. The Tesla CEO donning the glasses has certainly brought in more attention for the group of fighters known as the Fighting Nerds.
The rise of the ‘Fighting Nerds’ in the UFC
The Fighting Nerds is an MMA gym located in Sao Paulo, founded by Caio Borralho and Pablo Sucupira. The gym has rapidly gained recognition for its unique name and its rising fighters. Currently, there are five representatives from the Fighting Nerds in the UFC: Caio Borralho, Carlos Prates, Jean Silva, Mauricio Ruffy, and Bruna Brasil.
Mauricio Ruffy donning the ‘Fighting Nerd’ glasses after his UFC 309 win (Image via Instagram)Interestingly, aside from Brasil, all four representatives from the Sao Paulo-based gym are currently undefeated in the promotion. Additionally, these fighters remain quite active, with little time off between their fights. Most recently, ahead of Ruffy’s UFC 309 match, Prates and Borralho made headlines as representatives of the Sao Paulo gym.
Carlos Prates recently competed at UFC Vegas 100, where he achieved a notable victory against the gatekeeper Neil Magny. Meanwhile, Caio Borralho has established himself as a contender in the UFC middleweight division after defeating veteran fighter Jared Cannonier. As time goes on, these Fighting Nerds continue to elevate their status within the promotion.
