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Brazilian lightweight fighter Manoel Sousa made a perfect debut at UFC Vegas 114, knocking out Bolaji Oki in the third round. The victory earned him a bonus, and his first plan was to give back to his mother in Brazil.
The fighter, nicknamed "Manumito," who also secured a win against Richie Miranda at UFC Vegas 120 earlier today, received a $100,000 Performance of the Night bonus for his devastating knockout on March 14th. This check is a dream come true for a man who once earned $5 a day husking coconuts in his hometown of Acaraú, Ceará.
"This money is going to change my life tremendously, man. A really huge change," Sousa told MMA Fighting. "For someone who used to open 2,000 coconuts for 25 Brazilian Reals... It's crazy. It's like a movie playing in your head, something you can't even explain."
Sousa worked from 6 AM to 6 PM on coconut plantations in Acaraú. It would have taken him 54 years to husk 40 million coconuts to earn the amount he received as a bonus for his knockout at UFC Vegas 114. Buoyed by the victory, Manumito returned to Acaraú to visit his mother, Maria da Conceição, and provide her with a more comfortable life by furnishing her entire house.
"I renovated my mother's house to give her a better life and more comforts, something she never had," Sousa said. "The feeling is incredible. It brings me immense satisfaction that I can do this for her. She is my biggest motivation. Without her, I am nobody. God comes first, but without her, I am nobody. She was incredibly happy. She was even happier because I showed up as a surprise (laughs). I told her I would come, but not when. I hadn't been there in four years because I was entirely focused on my career."
"My father isn't alive to see the success I'm achieving," he continued. "I'm sure wherever he is, with Lord Jesus, he's happy with the son he left on Earth. I'm very proud of him because he was a man who fought hard to raise us. He passed away, but he left us well-prepared for life in this world."
The path to the UFC wasn't easy, including brief stints in Bellator and PFL, before he defeated Christian Perez in Dana White's Contender Series and earned a contract with the organization. A professional MMA fighter since 2019, Manumito had to find the strength to keep going.
"I'm not ashamed to say that many times on Fridays, sparring day, I would come home from work, sit on the edge of my bed, and cry," Sousa shared. "I cried because I didn't want to go, and I knew the pressure was high. But when you go to the gym and start training, exchanging blows with your teammates, the energy is completely different. Despite everything, I went, and I knew that somehow this would bring me an opportunity. It's all about faith."
In the end, it was all worth it, and now he is a two-fight winner in the UFC.
"When we start fighting, we're actually paying to fight," Sousa said. "It's hard work to make it all worthwhile in the future. If you believe in yourself, pursue your goals, and keep working. Even now, fighting in the UFC, a movie is playing in my head. Look where I started and where I am today. I never imagined I would be here, but when you believe and work hard, things happen."
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