Pedro Dantas promises fireworks in ONE Championship debut: “I want to showcase some great knockouts”

Pedro Dantas has waited his entire life for this moment. Now he’s ready to make the most of it.

The undefeated Brazilian prospect makes his ONE Championship debut against #4-ranked featherweight MMA contender Ilya Freymanov at ONE Fight Night 33 on Friday, July 11, inside Bangkok’s Lumpinee Stadium. For the 22-year-old, the opportunity represents validation of everything he’s worked toward.

Dantas brings a perfect 6-0 record with a 100 percent finishing rate into his promotional debut. No opponent has lasted beyond the second round against the Brazilian powerhouse.

His path to ONE Championship began in the tough streets of Fortaleza, Brazil, where he learned early lessons about resilience and determination. Growing up as the eldest of four siblings after his parents separated presented challenges that shaped his character.

But Dantas had guidance that kept him on the right track. His father Paulo “Guerreiro” Dantas was an MMA pioneer who compiled 25 professional victories and trained several successful fighters.

“I had a difficult childhood. My parents separated a few years after I was born, and I stayed with my mother and grandmother. My mother traveled a lot and my grandmother was quite liberal, so I spent all day on the streets with my friends and cousins,” he said.

“Many of my friends chose the wrong path, but my father and mother always corrected me at the right time so that I would not follow the same path.”

Pedro Dantas motivated by father’s legacy and global ambitions

Pedro Dantas faced his most difficult moment at age 13 when his father suffered a heart attack while preparing for an MMA bout. Watching the man he considered invincible struggle for his life strengthened his resolve to carry on the family legacy.

That experience taught him valuable lessons about resilience and the importance of family support during adversity. His father made a full recovery and remains active in his training today.

Now Dantas is ready to showcase his skills on the global stage. He sees his promotional debut as an opportunity to inspire others with his journey from the streets to ONE Championship.

“I said I would be a fighter myself after my father had a heart attack while training for a fight. I felt it was my duty to continue his legacy and, with his help, go even further than he did,” he said.

“It has always been a dream to compete among the best. I want to showcase some great knockouts and moves never seen before in the organization.

“I’m sure I’ll be one of the biggest stars of this great company, bringing everything the public likes.”