▁View ing ▁t apes ▁of ▁U FC ▁Hall ▁of ▁F amer ▁Roy ce ▁G rac ie ▁fighting ▁caused ▁his ▁interest ▁in ▁Brazil ian ▁j iu - j its u ▁and ▁M MA ▁to ▁grow . ▁However , ▁after ▁having ▁a ▁rough ▁home ▁life ▁and ▁having ▁to ▁leave ▁at ▁sevent een ▁years ▁old , ▁Mut ante ▁found ▁V itor ▁B elf ort ▁who ▁took ▁him ▁in ▁as ▁his ▁own ▁son , ▁helping ▁to ▁raise ▁him ▁and ▁take ▁care ▁of ▁him . ▁B elf ort ▁began ▁training ▁Fer re ira ▁in ▁M MA ▁at ▁his ▁g ym . ▁ ▁M ixed ▁mart ial ▁arts ▁career ▁ ▁Early ▁career ▁On ▁April ▁ 2 9 , ▁ 2 0 0 7 , ▁Fer re ira ▁made ▁his ▁professional ▁debut ▁in ▁a ▁one - night ▁middle weight ▁tournament ▁for ▁X tre me ▁Fight ing ▁Championships ▁in ▁Brazil . ▁He ▁fought ▁Andre ▁Sever o , ▁winning ▁via ▁T K O ▁at ▁ 1 : 2 9 ▁of ▁round ▁one . ▁In ▁the ▁next ▁round ▁of ▁the ▁tournament , ▁Fer re ira ▁suffered ▁his ▁first ▁defeat , ▁losing ▁to ▁Ant ô nio ▁B rag a ▁N eto ▁via ▁decision . ▁Fer re ira ▁took ▁a ▁long ▁leave ▁of ▁abs ences ▁from ▁fighting ▁after ▁his ▁wife ▁got ▁pre gn ant . ▁ ▁Three ▁years ▁after ▁his ▁debut , ▁Fer re ira ▁returned ▁to ▁active ▁competition , ▁fighting ▁on ▁the ▁Bit etti ▁Com bat ▁ 6 ▁card ▁against ▁F eli pe ▁Ar in elli . ▁Fer re ira ▁won ▁the ▁fight ▁after