Elves Brener keeps his confidence intact ahead of UFC return

Despite the toughest stretch of his UFC career, Elves Brener insists his confidence has not changed. The Brazilian fighter will return to the Octagon this Saturday at UFC Vegas 121 after more than a year away, looking to snap a three-fight losing streak.

Although Brener has not fought in the UFC since August 2025, he says the layoff was far from inactive. The Brazilian continued training throughout the year and also stayed active by competing in grappling.

Elves Brener Believes He Evolved During UFC Layoff

Brener made his UFC debut in February 2023 and got off to a great start. The Brazilian won his first three fights in the promotion, finishing two of his opponents. However, things changed the following year. Since 2024, Brener has lost his last three appearances and now looks to turn the tide.

Expected to return to the Octagon after more than a year, the Brazilian admitted he missed competing in the UFC. Nonetheless, his period away was not in vain. According to Brener, the extended break gave him the opportunity to sharpen his overall game rather than lose momentum. Speaking to Ag Fight, the Brazilian said he feels stronger and is eager to show the improvements he made during the past year.

"For sure, I missed it," Brener said. "It was a year away from the UFC Octagon. But I was competing outside of it in grappling, I kept training, I stayed strong and healthy. I spent a year away from the Octagon, but I trained a lot, improved my game a lot, and I'm happy to show that on Saturday night."

Elves Brener Stayed Active Through Grappling

During his UFC layoff, Brener looked to maintain his competitive rhythm and accepted an invitation to compete in a submission grappling match. The Brazilian traveled to Russia, where he defeated fellow UFC veteran Zubaira Tukhugov.

"It was really good to compete again," Brener said. "I used to compete a lot back in Amazonas when I still lived there, and being able to stay active and beat Tukhugov again was important. They invited me to Russia to beat me up, but it happened the other way around."

At 28 years old, Brener enters UFC Vegas 121 with a 16-6 professional record. The Brazilian will look to end his losing streak when he faces Josiah Harrell on Saturday in Las Vegas.