Jose Delano | Chasing Dreams

One of the things that gave Jose Delano a sense of calmness heading into his UFC debut against Robert Ruchala was the fact that he had taken a longer road to reach the Octagon than his peers from Season 9 of Dana White’s Contender Series.

While the annual talent-search series has always been focused on unearthing rising stars, Delano claimed his place on the roster when he earned his 16th win in his 19th professional fight. Seven months later, as he readies to make his sophomore appearance inside the Octagon, the Brazilian admitted that his debut trip into the UFC cage came with more anxiousness than he was anticipating.

“I didn’t expect to be so nervous,” Delano said.