May 22, 2026. Sagres Campo Pequeno, Lisbon. For BDZ Management, this is more than just another fight night on the calendar. It is the kind of evening that reminds us why we do this work: three of our fighters stepping into the cage on the same card, in their home country, in front of a full arena, with gold on the line in the main event. WOW FC 30 is the biggest night in BDZ Management's young history, and we want to give you the full picture before the lights go up.
What is WOW FC, and why does this event matter?
WOW FC (The Way of Warrior FC) is one of Europe's most ambitious and fastest-growing MMA promotions, headquartered in Madrid. The organisation has built a reputation for high-quality matchmaking, strong television distribution via UFC Fight Pass, and a genuine commitment to elevating European talent. WOW FC 30 in Lisbon is a landmark moment: it is the promotion's first international event, taking place outside of Spain for the first time, and it lands right in the heart of the Portuguese capital.
Sagres Campo Pequeno is one of Lisbon's most iconic venues — a 19th-century bullring converted into a multipurpose arena that regularly hosts concerts, sporting events, and now, on May 22, an MMA card with 11 professional bouts. Doors open at 17:30 local time, with the show starting at 18:30. The event is broadcast live on UFC Fight Pass, giving our fighters global visibility on the sport's most-watched streaming platform.
This is Portuguese MMA stepping into the spotlight it has long deserved.
The main event: Zé Machado fights for the -66kg title
At the top of the card, in the main event, our own Zé Machado — "The Portuguese Boogeyman" — puts his unbeaten record on the line against Henrique Barbosa in a five-round championship bout at the -66kg (featherweight) limit.
Zé is 5-0 as a professional, with every single one of those victories coming by finish in the first round. That statistic alone tells you everything you need to know about how he operates: he does not need judges, he does not need to hear the final bell. He walks into the cage at Academia Unlimited in Barreiro, he does his job, and he walks back out. Before turning professional, he was crowned IMMAF World Champion in 2023 — a pedigree that speaks to the quality of his amateur foundation.
Standing across the cage will be Henrique Barbosa, a Brazilian out of the Chute Boxe gym — the legendary academy that has produced some of the sport's most dangerous strikers. Barbosa carries a 10-1 professional record and has six finishes to his name. He is experienced, he is dangerous, and he is not coming to Lisbon to take a loss. This fight has genuine championship-level stakes on both sides.
The community prediction data is clear: the overwhelming majority of fans are picking Zé Machado. But in a title fight, with a finisher on the opposite side, nothing can be taken for granted. That is the beauty of the sport, and that is exactly the kind of test a 5-0 prospect needs to cement his status as a serious contender in European MMA.
At BDZ Management, we built this fight week with one goal: put Zé in the best possible position to perform at his peak. Logistics, corner team preparation, weight management, media commitments — every detail has been handled so he can focus entirely on what he does best inside that cage.
Alex Rita: the debut watch
Every great fighter has a first night. On May 22, Alexandre "Alex" Rita has his. Our bantamweight prospect steps onto the WOW FC 30 card against Vincenzo Bussolotti in what will be his professional MMA debut at 135 lbs.
Alex trains out of Academia Unlimited in Barreiro alongside Zé Machado, which tells you something about the environment that produces these athletes. There is a culture of hard work and high standards at that gym, and Alex has absorbed it. Debut fights carry their own particular electricity — there is nothing quite like watching a fighter enter the professional ranks for the first time — and the fact that his first outing comes on a card of this magnitude, in front of a home crowd, on UFC Fight Pass, is a statement of intent.
We have watched Alex grow as a fighter, and we believe his time has come. Saturday night, Lisbon gets to see what we already know.
Mario Ferreira: the flyweight with a point to prove
At 125 lbs, Mario Ferreira takes on Alejandro Manzorro in a flyweight bout that has all the ingredients for a compelling fight. Mario trains at K.O. Team in Portugal and brings a 1-1 professional record — but do not let that tell the whole story. He is a two-time Portuguese National Champion and a 2024 IMMAF European Bronze medallist. His amateur credentials are exceptional, and his professional journey is one of refinement and development.
A win over Manzorro on a platform like WOW FC 30, broadcast globally on UFC Fight Pass, would do significant things for Mario's trajectory. The flyweight division in Europe is competitive but wide open for fighters who are willing to put in the work on the international circuit. Mario is exactly that kind of fighter: technically sound, mentally resilient, and hungry.
The full card: a night for Portuguese MMA
BDZ Management's three bouts do not exist in a vacuum. The full WOW FC 30 card is stacked, and context matters. Former UFC fighter Kris Moutinho makes his appearance on the card against Zebenzui Ruiz, bringing genuine name recognition to the event and a level of professional experience that elevates the entire show. The card also features Leandro Gomes vs Mamadou Bah at 135 lbs, Eduarda Santos vs Sara Viéitez at 115 lbs (women's strawweight), and Erasmo Silva vs Jesus Basco at 165 lbs among its eleven bouts.
Eleven professional fights, broadcast on UFC Fight Pass, in Lisbon's most famous arena. This is not a regional show. This is a major European MMA event, and having three fighters on the card — including the main event — is a position we are proud to be in.
What this card means for the Portuguese MMA scene
Portugal has a rich martial arts history and a growing pool of professional MMA talent, but the infrastructure for high-level domestic events has historically lagged behind what you see in the UK, France, or Spain. WOW FC's decision to hold its first international event in Lisbon — rather than another Spanish city — is a meaningful endorsement of the Portuguese market.
For Portuguese fighters, for Portuguese fans, and for the gyms and coaches who have been building this scene for years, WOW FC 30 is a statement: there is an audience here, there is talent here, and the international promotions are paying attention. When a card like this lands on UFC Fight Pass with Portuguese athletes in prominent positions — including the main event — it opens doors. Scouts watch. Promoters notice. Opportunities follow.
At BDZ Management, we have built our entire model around the belief that European fighters — and Portuguese fighters in particular — deserve access to the same career-building platforms as anyone else. WOW FC 30 is exactly the kind of event that makes that belief a reality.
Watching live: how to tune in
WOW FC 30 takes place on Friday, May 22, 2026, at Sagres Campo Pequeno, Lisbon. If you are in Lisbon, the doors open at 17:30 and the show begins at 18:30 local time. Tickets were available via Ticketline at prices ranging from €22 to €150. Check availability as the event approaches.
For international viewers, the event streams live on UFC Fight Pass. Wherever you are in the world, you can watch this card — and we strongly encourage you to do so.
The road ahead
May 22 is a milestone, but it is not a destination. It is a step on a longer road for each of our fighters. For Zé Machado, a title win puts him in conversation with the most ambitious promotions in European MMA and beyond. For Alex Rita, a strong debut sets the tone for a professional career that is just beginning. For Mario Ferreira, a victory continues a development arc that has already produced national and international amateur hardware.
Whatever happens inside the cage at Campo Pequeno on Friday night, BDZ Management will be in the corner — literally and figuratively. That has always been the point. When Peter "BadAzz" Ligier founded this agency, drawing on his own experience as a professional fighter with a 10-2-1 record, the vision was simple: build the kind of management structure that actually understands what a fighter needs, because we have been that fighter.
Fight week is here. The cage is ready. So are we.
Follow our fighters:
- Zé Machado — View profile
- Alex Rita — View profile
- Mario Ferreira — View profile