In his 13th year as a professional mixed martial artist, Joao Zeferino’s confidence has climbed to an all-time high. His self-belief comes from his faith in being a complete fighter. In his words, “If you don’t believe in yourself, you are in the wrong sport.”
The progression towards becoming a finely tuned mixed martial artist has been a gradual process for Zeferino, having taken 13 years and 31 fights to arrive at his desired destination. He finds comfort in the words of former trainer Duke Roufus. “Some guys mature earlier as fighters,” the four-time world kickboxing champion once told him.