“He’s my biggest idol, but not just in the sport, but in life,” said Douglas da Lapa, paying tribute to Cristiano Ronaldo at the post-fight press conference following Week 10 of Dana White’s Contender Series (DWCS). The Brazilian stopped Davi Cabral inside the distance, earning the UFC contract. While his striking helped him inside the cage, da Lapa credited Ronaldo as an inspiration.
“I think a guy who is just obsessed with success, someone who trains so hard, someone who is just so zoned in and focused, someone who is 40 years old and still chasing a thousand goals—I always tell people he’s an inspiration not just to athletes and soccer players, but to people in life,” he added.
“To be doing that, the way that he approaches games and the way he gets into training and never stops going, he’s obsessed with this. It’s having the goal in mind, keeping yourself always in shape, and being obsessed with glory. He feels like glory has a price, and he’s willing to pay it every day.
“The fact that this was a magical moment, the fact that I was able to do this today and finish it off with a celebration, means a lot to me. So what better way to do it than a fight like that?”
Ronaldo’s life and career reflect the dedication, discipline, and persistence that have made him an inspiration beyond soccer. His commitment to training and recovery has helped him sustain a high level of performance into his forties.
Having also overcome a heart-rate condition at age 15, Ronaldo’s journey offers a compelling example of perseverance, which helps explain why athletes such as da Lapa look up to him
da Lapa’s tribute followed his performance at the Meta APEX on Tuesday night. Fighting on the main card, he faced Cabral, a fellow Brazilian middleweight. The opening round between the two prospects witnessed competitive exchanges.
As it progressed to the second round, da Lapa began to take control, putting Cabral on the backfoot. He increased the pressure in the final round. With more than four and a half minutes remaining, da Lapa’s dropped Cabral with a right hook.
da Lapa pressed for the finish. Sensing Cabral was unable to defend himself, the referee quickly intervened and stopped the fight. The victory extended da Lapa’s winning streak to seven, with his last four wins coming inside the distance. Most importantly, he earned a UFC contract.
Winning on MMA’s biggest stage and earning the chance to showcase his skills in the UFC left da Lapa ecstatic. As the crowd cheered, the Rio de Janeiro native celebrated with Ronaldo’s recognizable goal celebration: the “Siuuu.”
The image of the Portuguese national team captain running towards the corner flag, leaping in the air to perform a 180-degree spin, landing with his feet wide open, and arms thrust downward and back has now achieved a cult status. As he completes the sequence, Ronaldo lets out a shout: “Siuuu.” The word is commonly associated with the Spanish “si,” which roughly translates to “yes, I made it” in English.
Beyond da Lapa: When the sporting world took flight with Cristiano Ronaldo’s iconic Siuuu
It was not the first time da Lapa had celebrated his victory with “Siuuu.” On May 29, 2026, the 6’3″ fighter, who has gained widespread attention for his striking skills, faced Emerson Richard. It was his final fight with LFA (Legacy Fighting Alliance).
da Lapa won the bout four minutes into the second after applying relentless pressure on Richard with a series of punches. As it happened in Cabral’s case, the referee had to jump in and stop the fight. After the stoppage, da Lapa circled the stage and performed Ronaldo’s signature celebration.
da Lapa is not the only fighter to celebrate a win with “Siuuu.”
Top-ranked flyweight contender Manuel Kape performed Ronaldo’s signature celebration after knocking out Bruno Silva at UFC Tampa in December 2024.
Even in soccer, many players are known to have celebrated their goals with Ronaldo’s “Siuuu. ” Stars like Kylian Mbappe and Rasmus Hojlund, for example, have imitated the Portuguese soccer legend’s iconic leap and turn on the field.
Against that backdrop, for someone like Da Lapa, taking inspiration from a Ronaldo carries added weight. Coming from the suburbs of Rio de Janeiro, he never expected that he would receive an opportunity to compete in Las Vegas, the capital of MMA.
It was the first time he was traveling outside Brazil and visiting the United States. Although he had worked hard and believed he would eventually reach this stage, where he will now be competing in the UFC, to Da Lapa, the achievement still felt unreal.
While he views it as a dream come true, a “mission accomplished,” and is happy, the real test only lies ahead as the 27-year-old will now be competing in one of the UFC’s stacked weight classes.