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Billy Quarantillo returns to action at UFC Vegas 120, moving up a weight class at the end of a long layoff that saw him rehabbing from knee surgery.<\/p>\n
Quarantillo (18-7) hasn\u2019t fought since a December 2024 loss to Cub Swanson, meaning he\u2019s been out of action over a year and a half. For a fighter known to stay active, it wasn\u2019t easy.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt was a weird thing. It\u2019s very strange, taking so much time off, this is obviously my main job, my career,\u201d stated \u201cBilly Q\u201d during this week\u2019s UFC Vegas 120 media day. Luckily, Quarantillo also runs his own gym, and had plenty of fight camps to assist with. Still, he added, \u201cit\u2019s exciting to finally have my own training camp and my own Fight Week underway.\u201d<\/p>\n
The decision to move up in weight came after Quarantillo found himself \u201cpuking the night before, pretty much all night\u201d ahead of his bout with Youssef Zalal. \u201cAnd then the Cub Swanson fight, the last fight that I had, I made the weight, and it was a long process of making the weight. And then I never felt normal again. Even heading over to the venue I still felt like I was drained, I still felt like I was sucked out.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cThe decision had to be made. I was like, I can\u2019t just keep doing this to my body. Fighting is brutal enough, and to keep torturing myself making the weight, I\u2019d rather go in there and have a slight size disadvantage than just to kill myself before the fight.<\/p>\n
That said, Quarantillo added, \u201cI\u2019m still cutting weight. Don\u2019t let that fool you, it\u2019s still going to be a bit of a weight cut. But it\u2019s just been good. I\u2019ve got a little bit extra meat on my bones.\u201d<\/p>\n
Quarantillo squares off against Brazil\u2019s Carlos Diego Ferreira this Saturday. \u201cIt\u2019s a fun match-up,\u201d stated the American, calling it an \u201cexciting fight.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI was worried that they were going to give me someone that, I didn\u2019t know who they were. I\u2019m familiar with Diego\u2019s game. Especially now, the last few weeks we\u2019ve been watching him. We both fought Alexander Hernandez, we both fought Kyle Nelson. He\u2019s been around a long time, I\u2019ve been around a long time. We\u2019re the co-main event. I think the fans know, I think the UFC knows it\u2019s going to be just an absolute barn-burner, it\u2019s going to be a great fight. I\u2019m looking to go out there and deliver.\u201d<\/p>\n