After three impressive victories in one night, Iuri Fernandes delivered an unforgettable performance at SENSHI 33 Grand Prix in Varna, Bulgaria. The Portuguese fighter dominated the 95 kg elimination tournament and left the beach arena as the SENSHI light heavyweight Grand Prix champion and winner of the “Knockout of the Night” award. With his calm and precise style, dancing walkout and uncompromising technique, he became the brightest star of the SENSHI tournament.

In an interview with sports media outlet ChampsTalk, Fernandes spoke about the pressure of fighting three times in a single night, the strategy behind his impressive Grand Prix victories and the personal transformation that led to the greatest achievement of his career.

“I’m really, really happy. Winning an eight-man tournament is a big achievement for any athlete. You have three fights in one night – you win one, then you need to win another, and finally you’re in the final. The anxiety is real. When you win the final fight, it’s like: ‘Oh, I made it. I really made it,’” the champion shared.

From the moment he began his walkout, Iuri Fernandes captured the crowd’s attention with his dancing and visibly upbeat mood. Behind his smile, however, lies an important part of his mental preparation – a way to control the pressure and enter the fight as relaxed as possible.

Once the referee starts the bout, his mindset changes completely. Fernandes describes his fight mode not as ruthless aggression, but as a state of total relaxation, concentration and precision.

“My fight mode is not about being ruthless – it’s about being relaxed, calm and precise. I want to see everything. When the referee says, ‘Fight,’ there’s a switch – everything disappears and you focus only on hurting your opponent. It may not sound good, but during the fight, that’s what matters,” he revealed.

In his opening bout, the Portuguese fighter knocked out Alexandru Burduja in the first round, allowing him to conserve energy for the next stage. He scored another knockout in his semifinal against Yuri Farcas, using movement, distance and counterattacks to neutralize his opponent.

The two first-round knockout victories gave him a valuable advantage ahead of the final against Ramon Quirini. During his final walkout of the night, Fernandes already viewed the championship belt as something that belonged to him.

“When I walked out for the final, I relaxed again, but I had a plan. I thought: ‘This is mine.’ I looked at the belt and said: ‘You’re going home with me.’ In the first, second and third fights, I did it – and I brought the belt home,” the champion said in the interview.

The trophy holds a much deeper meaning for Fernandes than simply being another sporting accolade in his career. According to him, the achievement is the result of major changes not only in his preparation, but in his entire way of life.

“This belt represents the person I am today and the athlete I am today. Being a professional athlete is not just about training – it’s a lifestyle; it’s everything. You need to change everything. This belt represents all the sacrifices I made. It’s not just a belt – it’s the trophy of how I changed my life,” Fernandes emphasized.

The Portuguese fighter thanked his team for their support and admitted that the atmosphere at the beach arena in Varna had turned his participation into a truly special experience. Fernandes highlighted that SENSHI is a special place for him – a combination of strong organization, a unique location and a crowd that lives through every strike. He described the venue as a dream place to fight and was impressed by the Bulgarian audience’s passion for kickboxing.

“Fighting next to the beach is a huge experience. What they created here is beautiful. The crowd is huge and loves the sport – people here really love kickboxing. It was a dream place to fight, and I truly loved it,” the fighter added.

Following three knockouts and his emphatic title triumph, Iuri Fernandes now has a clear goal – to return to the ring of the international combat sports organization and defend his SENSHI championship belt.

The full interview with Iuri Fernandes is available on the YouTube channel of Dutch sports media outlet ChampsTalk.