UFC 312 light heavyweight Rodolfo Bellato wants to regain momentum in the octagon after a scary diagnosis had him sidelined for longer than he wanted in 2024.
“Trator” scored a wild comeback victory over Ihor Potieria in his octagon debut in December 2023, rallying to finish the Swedish talent from the brink of defeat in Austin, Texas, but then saw his a match with Oumar Sy get pulled from a May Fight Night event in Las Vegas due to a bacterial infection.
“I had to stay away for some time,” Bellato told MMA Fighting ahead of his clash with Jimmy Crute this Saturday in Sydney. “It was good that I got to evolve in other stuff, spiritually and mentally. I think everything happens for a reason and a purpose.”
Bellato’s doctors advised him to bow out of the Sy fight after being diagnosed with a kidney inflammation caused by acute glomerulonephritis a month before the event. He had no idea what the doctor was talking about.
“I had to do a biopsy because all the exams I did came back negative, and I was peeing blood and feeling back pain and had no idea what it was,” Bellato said. “I had never heard of that in my life, but thank God it’s now gone.”
Bellato said he had to stop training and doing any physical activity for two months because the need of rehydration could overload and shut down his kidneys.
“I could not travel, waterload and dehydrate, otherwise I would be at serious risk of death,” Bellato said. “I did nothing for two months or I would start to sweat and then drink water and then end up overloading my kidneys.”
Now 100 percent cured, Bellato said he was told by his doctor that the disease is unrelated to weight-cutting and overtraining, so he hopes to never deal with it again. Once cleared to resume training, Bellato said he made the most of his time to evolve as a martial artist until he had a fight booked with Crute at UFC 312, and now feels free to “risk things when you’re not worried about an opponent.”
Bellato said he wrote down his goals for 2025, a list that includes fighting at least three times this year and winning a $50,000 bonus in the UFC, getting closer to the top 15 of the light heavyweight division, and being the best father he can be for his five-month old son.
At UFC 312, he just wants to get the job done against Crute.
“I’ll be honest with you, this fight can play on the feet or on the ground because we’re both well-rounded,” Bellato said. “I haven’t trained focused on just one area. I’m the type of MMA fighter that likes to see how the fight plays out and mix things up. If I’m comfortable on the feet, I’ll stay aggressive there and hurt him little by little.”
“He usually comes out strong in the first round and he’ll be overexcited to fight at home, trying to perform for his people,” he continued, “And if he makes the mistake of going to the ground with me, that’s where I feel at home. I saw a lot of openings on the feet and on the ground watching his fights, and I’ll work hard to get there. The only thing his fans can do for him is cheer and scream. Once the cage door closes, it’s just the two of us in there. If his head is not completely in this fight, then that’s going to be a problem for him.”
