In a relatively short period of time, Mauricio Ruffy has impressed many with his exhilarating performances inside the Octagon. The former Fighting Nerds standout rose to prominence through his exceptional striking finesse and finishing ability. However, beyond his in-cage achievements, Ruffy’s body art has also become a point of intrigue, especially with the next big step of his career now ahead of him.

On June 14, the Brazilian standout will face former Bellator champion Michael Chandler on the UFC Freedom 250 card. Though the 29-year-old is heavily favored to win the matchup, his opponent’s years of experience inside the Octagon could make the fight far more interesting than many expect. But before Ruffy puts on a show for the audience this weekend, let’s take a closer look at the various tattoos on his body and the stories they tell.

All we need to know about Mauricio Ruffy’s chest tattoo   

For those who don’t know, the lightweight star’s actual name is Mauricio de Lima Santos, but the nickname ‘Ruffy’ comes from the popular anime character Monkey D. Luffy, the protagonist of One Piece. Noticing his love for the series, his brother gave him the nickname ‘Ruffy’ when he made his MMA debut. Because of that connection, he now carries a large tattoo of Luffy across his chest. However, it wasn’t always that way.

Originally, Ruffy’s chest tattoo featured his name, along with another phrase beneath it. However, the Brazilian’s old chest tattoo remained somewhat of a mystery to fans, who frequently tried to decipher its meaning on social media. Some believed it read “three strokes” or “true striker,” while others claimed it was a reference to the popular TV series Buffy the Vampire Slayer.

According to some Reddit users, the tattoo actually said “Three Stakes.” This may have been a reference to the three slayers from the aforementioned TV show, Buffy, Kendra, and Faith. However, nobody ever knew for sure. Now, though, the mystery has come to an end, as Ruffy has covered the tattoo up.

What do Mauricio Ruffy’s sleeve and other tattoos mean?

Besides his huge chest piece, there’s a full sleeve tattoo and a massive tattoo on his back. The tattoo on his back is a hyperrealistic skull, done in a detailed 3D style.

When it comes to his sleeve tattoo, he has an image of a mystic woman on his bicep and the face of an elephant below it. Ruffy also seems to have an affinity for skull-themed artwork because he has a large skull with a crown and a pocket watch tattooed on his forearm. He also has another tattoo on the outside of his forearm, but what it exactly represents remains a mystery to us.

Other fighters also have a fascination with skull tattoos. Former UFC bantamweight champion Cody Garbrandt is one of them, sporting a meticulously drawn skull tattoo that always grabs attention. However, perhaps the most notable example is UFC veteran King Green, who has an intricate skull-and-dragon tattoo inked across the entirety of his head.

As Mauricio Ruffy prepares to face Michael Chandler at UFC Freedom 250, he might actually consider getting a tattoo related to this day. After all, the event is a once-in-a-lifetime spectacle that the promotion is putting on.