The UFC has had a significant impact on sports culture, helping to popularize mixed martial arts and changing the perception of these disciplines as a legitimate and exciting sport. In addition, it gave visibility to athletes from different parts of the world, turning them into sports icons.
The first big one? Santiago Ponzinibio, Coming from La Plata, he is one of the most prominent Argentine fighters in the UFC. He has a successful career in the welterweight division (77 kg), facing several of the best fighters. His aggressive style and knockout power have made him a fan favorite, with a record of 16 fights fought, 12 wins and 4 losses. Throughout his career, Ponzinibbio He has faced several of the best fighters in the welterweight division, including Gunnar Nelson y Mike Perry. His fight against Neil Magny In 2018 she is especially remembered, as she achieved a unanimous decision victory in a very close fight.
The second is Esteban Ribovics, the lightweight missionary (70 kg) who became known after his participation in Dana White’s Contender Seriesand debuted in the UFC with explosive focus and grappling skills. Although he has a record of 2 fights in the competition, he won both with a great victory, the first by KO and the second by unanimous decision.
Who comes in third place? Guido Cannetti, known as “The Ninja”is an Argentine mixed martial arts (MMA) fighter born on January 10, 1980 in Mar del Plata. He competes in the bantamweight division (61 kg) and is recognized for his versatility in the octagon, combining striking and grappling skills. Throughout his career in the organization, he has accumulated a record of 3 wins and 5 losses in a total of 8 fights. Some of his most notable fights include his confrontation against Marlon Vera at UFC 180, where he lost by knockout in the first round. However, he had some standout moments, such as his unanimous decision victory against Walt Harris at UFC Fight Night 138 and his victory by knockout in the first round against Diego Rivas en UFC Fight Night 125.
In the fourth place, let’s talk about Laureano Staropoli, an Argentine mixed martial arts fighter, (also from La Plata) who competes in the welterweight (77 kg) division of the UFC. Staropoli made his debut in UFC in 2019, at the UFC Fight Night 168 event. His first fight was against the Australian fighter Yoshihiro Akiyama, where he achieved a victory by unanimous decision. Laureano Staropoli has a record (in the UFC) of 2 wins and 3 losses.
Last but not least, is Emiliano Sordian Argentine mixed martial arts (MMA) fighter born in General Roca, Río Negro. He excels in the middleweight division (84 kg) and has gained recognition in the MMA scene, both nationally and internationally. In the UFC, Emiliano Sordi He accumulated a record of 1 victory by KO and 3 losses.
Women no longer cry, they bill and they also fight
Although the space is there, and women in MMA are gaining ground, so far there are no Argentine women who are competing in the UFC. However, there are several Argentine fighters who are competing in the wrestling program. Dana White (creator of UFC), known as “Contender Series”which is a platform to discover new talents and offer them a contract in the UFC. This program has allowed several Argentine fighters the opportunity to demonstrate their talent and get a place in the organization.
Who are these talented fighters? I’ll tell you one by one:
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Silvana Gómez Juárez, strawweight (52 kg) from Tucuman;
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Ailén “Furiosa” Pérez, bantamweight from Buenos Aires (61 kg);
- Laura Balin, strawweight (52 kg) from Buenos Aires;
