Guilherme Pat will make his octagon debut Saturday at UFC Vegas 112, battling fellow undefeated heavyweight Allen Frye at the UFC APEX, but his toughest fight was the one for a visa.
Pat was offered a shot
at Dana White’s Contender Series this year and agreed to face Anthony Guarascio on Sept. 9, but left empty-handed after his first visit to the United States consulate in Brazil. He tried one more time weeks later, and was once again denied a visa despite having a contract signed.
The UFC had no option but replace him on the DWCS card. But instead of going back to the regional circuit, Pat was offered a straight deal in the UFC against Frye on Dec. 13.
Third time wasn’t the charm, and that didn’t solve the problem, with the U.S. consulate again denying him a visa with no explanation given.
“I had to give everything up to dedicate fully to fighting.” Pat told MMA Fighting. “I left my parents’ house and moved to Sao Paulo to live in a fighter’s dorm. We dedicate everything to training so there’s no way to get a steady job, a fixed salary, work documents, and they made things very difficult for me.”
Pat refused to give up, though, and requested another try.
“The woman [at the consulate] said, ‘It’s been two weeks since you were here and was denied. What are you doing here again?’” Pat said “I said, ‘Yeah, people at the UFC are insisting that my visa be approved, because I have a fight in December and they’re pushing for it.’ I told her, ‘I’m here to show you I’m not going to the U.S. to try to start a life, I’m already under contract. I have everything right here.’ She gave me a look, but in the end it worked out and the visa was approved.”
Pat is 5-0 as a professional fighter with only one decision. He was forced to sit on the sidelines after breaking his hand twice in his early MMA bouts slowed down his start, but feels at his prime entering the UFC at age 31.
Frys is also undefeated with a 100 percent finish rate in six appearances, four in the opening round, and Pat admits he doesn’t know much about the Derek Brunson protege.
“There isn’t much footage of him to study,” Pat said. “I saw he knocked out everyone he faced, watched his last fight and a few moments. I saw he’s also fast for the division, not that typical slow heavyweight. I think it’s going to be a good fight because of my experience and the style I bring. It will be striking — only if he feels my hand or something like that. The strategy is to feel the start of the fight, see what he’s bringing, and then impose my game.”
