LFA 133 features a great main event between two of the best featherweight prospects who are vying for a UFC call up. On one side of the cage is Michael Stack, the 7-1 prospect fighting out of Colorado in his home town. On the other side, Jose Delano is putting his 10-2 record on the line and looking to prove that he’s ready for the big show himself. With inspiration from all around the world of combat sports, Delano thinks he can go out therer and perform at a level to put him in the UFC!
Early in his life, Jose Delano had a sedentary lifestyle. He started gaining weight and wanted to pick up something that would get him more active and in shape. He found fighting and, as it turns out, had a knack for it. His coach, Marcel Ferreira, saw that promise. He encouraged Delano to become the best martial artist he can be.
“I started because of health issues when I was 15 to 16 years old, I was already becoming obese. In the first few months, my Muay Thai Master Marcel Ferreira, who is also a jiu-jitsu Black Belt and world champion, saw that I was good and started to encourage me to train more seriously in order to compete.”
For his inspiration, Jose Delano looks up to some of the best in the game. But he doesn’t look up to them the same way as most do. Instead, Delano likes what makes them unique as fighters, what separates them.
“Fighters, I am inspired by some, José Aldo, McGregor, Charles Oliveira, Khabib, Murilo Bustamante and Leo Leite. They inspire me in different ways because of their individual characteristics as fighters, history in the sport and as people.”
Weight cuts, the UFC and lessons learned the hard way
As mentioned above, Jose Delano has the tough task in front of him in Michael Stack. But, as is accustomed in LFA, with the title up for grabs, the UFC isn’t far off. The vacant featherweight belt is on the line at LFA 133 and while it’s known by Delano and his team that a win could get him to the big show, Delano thinks he needs to show the upmost professionalism.
“I believe it’s more than just winning, I need to win this fight well and this time make it to weight to get the LFA belt, so yes, I believe I have a chance to enter the UFC.”
That missing of his weight at LFA 126 probably cost Jose Delano a shot in the UFC. While he won the fight for the vacant title, he wasn’t given the title nor the shot at the UFC. He missed weight and wants to make no excuses. But it was short notice as he took over the main event for LFA after an aneurysm forced Rafael Barbosa out of the fight.
“It bothered me a lot, it’s not an excuse, a fighter always has to be ready for a fight, even more so the Brazilian who doesn’t have so many expressive events. So when the opportunity knocks on the door we need to be ready.” Continuing, he says, “Anyway, I had spent 2 months on vacation in another city and when I returned to training at BTT a few days after my arrival they called me to fight the LFA 126 against Gabriel Braga, I would have to beat 66.3 kilograms and unfortunately in the main fight for Rafael “Coxinha”, he discovered a brain aneurysm that forced him to leave the fight and that’s why I was invited to the main fight. I accepted without thinking twice.”
Unfortunately, it was too short notice and once Jose Delano go to the day of the weigh ins, his body was finished. He needed to stop for his own safety.
“The issue was the weight, this time instead of 66.3 kilos I needed to hit 65.8 kilos, it’s 500grams that makes an absurd difference in the end I couldn’t even beat the weight limit of the category. I planned poorly, I thought I would make it but the weight stopped at 66.75 kilos. I still tried to force it but I started to feel pain in the kidney regions, I was already feeling pain to urinate and I thought it was better stop there otherwise I wouldn’t even have the chance to fight.”
For Delano, it was a learning lesson for him. He now knows what kind of effort he can put out for making weight, one of the most mentally strenuous aspects of fighting. Delano says that it’s that commitment to making weight that got him this opportunity to fight for another title despite missing weight for the first time around.
“I was extremely embarrassed by the situation. The fighter has to be committed to the event and it shows. However, all the LFA organizers saw my effort until the last second, my desperate act of shaving my head and everything else that I was trying to do to lose the final grams and they didn’t judge me for my failure. But this time I have a specialist accompanying me, I had more time to prepare myself physically for the fight, you can rest assured that this time I’ll be able to fight for the belt!”
Jose Delano vs. Michael Stack: LFA 133
As for his opponent, Michael Stack is a tough fighter. But Jose Delano knows this and knows exactly what type of fight he’s getting into. He promises that this fight at LFA 133 will be one that will be pleasing to the fans.
“The fight will be a war, you can expect it to be the fight of the night. Michael is a fighter who goes forward, I am also a fighter like that and we are both flamboyant and we have the will. The only ones who have to win are the LFA fans.”
So what to expect? Why tune in to LFA 133 and watch Jose Delano do what he does best? Well according to him, Jose Delano says that this will be the best version of himself he’s ever seen. While Michael Stack may be fighting in his home state of Colorado, Delano will be right at home himself, ready to put on a show that will be one for the ages.
“You can expect a more athletic Delano, even more conditioned, with more desire to show work and especially a Delano willing to deliver everything he has inside the Octagon with a lot of love for what he does and with great joy. It will be an unmissable show! Denver I’m coming!”
So don’t miss Delano and Michael Stack throw down on LFA 133. While there is a good bit riding on this event, it will be a good fight even without all the stakes currently attached to the fight. Catch LFA 133 on June 6th live on UFC Fight Pass.
