Respected cutman Jacob ‘Stitch’ Duran reveals what it was like soaking up the rays and soaking up the action at UFC 134 in Brazil.

I fly all over the world and have been to many amazing places.

I’ve now worked on five continents and more countries than I can count. Any time I get to visit a new country and city there is always a little bit of extra anticipation. And a few days before UFC 134, my anticipation level was especially ramped up. I was flying to Brazil!

Vitor Belfort has always told me that I was very famous in his home country. He wasn’t the only Brazilian to say this either.

It’s a nice compliment, but I took it with a pinch of salt. I mean how popular could I really be in Brazil? Then I landed in Rio. 

It was instantly obvious that the city, and the entire country, was pumped up for UFC 134. Just minutes after exiting the plane I was taking photos with fans, and it continued throughout the entire trip.

Upon arriving at the hotel I saw the legend Royce Gracie. Now here I am talking to Royce. I knew seeing him was a sign of good things to come. He asked me how I liked Rio, gave me a hug and said: “Welcome.” That moment added more fuel to the energy I was already feeling.

I decided to go to the weigh-ins with my friend Pedro. As soon as I got out of the cab I was recognized and the pictures started. Vitor was right, I felt like a rock star. At any other city I would have had enough time to take pictures with everyone.

Not in Rio! Pedro is a member of the fan club and he was in a hurry to get inside for the question-and-answer session hosted by none other than Vitor Belfort, Lyoto Machida, José Aldo, Junior Dos Santos and Royce Gracie. 

You’d think that after traveling 18 hours, I’d be exhausted. Not in Rio, the energy was contagious! And this was still only the beginning.

After the weigh-ins and a few hours of sleep, it was fight day.

I arrived to start wrapping hands well before the first fight.

Amazingly, the parking lots were already filling up.

In the dressing room, coordinator Burt Watson gave me the list of fighters to wrap. Usually I wrap five or six each show.

This night I’d wrap 10 fighters! Veteran cutman Leon Tabbs didn’t make it to Rio, so I had to pick up the slack. 

Spencer Fisher and Ross Pearson were on my list, as was Dan Miller.

I felt honored to also wrap a majority of the Brazilian fighters.

Felipe Arantes was first and then young phenom Erick Silva. Also on the list were Forrest Griffin, Yushin Okami, ‘Minotauro’ Nogueira, ‘Shogun’ Rua and finally Anderson Silva.

It was a challenging night wrapping 10 fighters’ hands, but Anderson Silva finished it off by giving me a hug and saying: “Thank you Papi (father),” when I finished wrapping his hands. Oh what a feeling!

The crowd was almost at full capacity as I walked to the Octagon for the first fight of the night. The excitement level was insane.

Once again I stopped to take a picture, and then another and another... The fans kept coming until Reed Harris pulled me away and escorted me to the Octagon. 

Fans in Montreal, Sydney and Dublin left impressions on me with their excitement. But UFC 134 was for the country of Brazil, the fans and the fighters. Pride soaked the air. It was everywhere, and the fans were treated to probably the greatest MMA event in Brazil.

Fighters like Gracie, Aldo, Dos Santos, Machida, Rizzo, Belfort and Silva mingled with the fans as though they were best friends.

I even had a chance to speak to Brazilian boxing great, Acelino Freitas. We exchanged cards and he said he wanted to talk to me about being his cutman if he fights again. Another great moment in Rio! 

Of all my travels worldwide, Brazil has to be on top of my list of favorite places. Going to Japan for Pride, Sengoku and New Japan Pro Wrestling was exciting because of the strong history of traditional martial arts that Japan has had for centuries. But Brazil was a whole different level of infectious energy.

It was a blast and total honor to be part of UFC 134.

I felt like I was chosen to wrap and prepare the Brazilian fighters for what I know was the most important fight of their lives. 

The trip to Rio de Janeiro has given me an experience I will never forget, and I look forward to coming back. Thanks Rio!