Richie Miranda talks short notice UFC debut, killers at Bloodline Sports

Ten days. That’s all the time that Richie “El Machete” Miranda had before making the jump to the UFC Octagon for his debut against Manoel Sousa.

It all started whenever Miranda got the call from his coach, UFC veteran Cub Swanson, asking if he could make weight.

The 32-year-old Santa Ana native didn’t get the traditional confirmation for his call to the big show. While going on a run in Newport Beach, Miranda found out his UFC debut would be against another former regional standout in Manuel Sousa, spotting an Instagram graphic from the well-known MMA insider Marcel Dorff (AKA bigmarcel24 on social platforms).

“It was a hard cut, first cut,” Miranda told MMA Island’s Michael Luis Hernadez.

“But you know… definitely a lot of michelada and tacos,” joked the proud Santa Ana native.

A name long heralded as a shoo-in to the Lightweight division, the question came about whether Miranda was happy to get the opportunity to fight straight away into the UFC after an impressive 13-1 run on the regional scene which saw him capture the LFA lightweight title.

With a growing trend of talent getting signed through DWCS or The Ultimate Fighter in recent years, Miranda stated he was very happy to earn a straight-away shot at the promotion he had been waiting to fight in for so long.

“Getting straight in is what I’ve always wanted… it doesn’t always go your way, so just getting the shot, making weight, and guaranteeing my spot in the UFC. I mean, doesn’t get better than that.”

During the interview, the budding lightweight also gave a nod to his home gym of Bloodline Combat Sports, which has seen growing talent with the help of a new location.

Run by long-time UFC fan favorite Cub Swanson, the camp carries names such as Miranda, Lerryan Douglas, Chris Mecate, Danny Silva & Jacob Morales. The former aquatic center-turned MMA gym has also seen the likes of Raul Rosas Jr. & Payton Talbott stop by, seeking tutelage in one of Southern California’s growing gyms.

“It’s nice having other partners trying to pick their brain, see what we can help them… just a great training environment,” said Miranda.

When asked what he believed would be next for his career, Miranda pointed at a date towards the back end of the year to return to the Octagon. Although not shying away from any competition in the cage, “El Machete” mentioned recent Fight Of The Month recipient Gage Young as a potential opponent, with the Bloodline member also nodding at Mason Jones, who most recently fought at UFC Sacramento.”

No matter who is across from one of the UFC’s newest additions to the lightweight roster, let’s just hope that the Danny Trejo walkout figures itself out at some point before this is all said and done.