Mexico has arrived at the highest level of MMA, and there’s no denying it.
Just six months into 2023 and to the surprise of many, the UFC has already crowned three Mexican champions, with the possibility of a fourth this Saturday in the headlining act of UFC 289. Sinaloa’s Irene Aldana challenges two-division UFC champion Amanda Nunes, widely regarded as the greatest female MMA fighter of all time, for her belt at 135 pounds.
This championship fight comes on the heels of historic Mexican triumphs in the promotion: Brandon Moreno’s closure of the Deiveson Figueiredo rivalry to claim the UFC flyweight title in January; Yair Rodriguez’s UFC interim featherweight title win in February; and Alexa Grasso’s giant upset of all-time great Valentina Shevchenko to take the UFC women’s flyweight belt.
Ahead of such an important fight not only for Aldana (14-6 MMA, 7-4 UFC) but also for the history of Mexico in the sport, MMA Junkie caught up with “Robles” to reflect on this special moment in time.
Mexico takes UFC by storm
Mexico’s rise has been an incredible run to witness for the MMA world, but no one has felt it more than Aldana, who has the opportunity to further that streak for her country.
“This is crazy. It’s just crazy,” Aldana said in Spanish. “This is huge for Mexico, and I think this is proof of how the success of our countrymen can push us. This has sparked something inside of us. The win of Brandon then Yair and then Alexa – and we’ve just been rising one after another. I’m sure that my case won’t be the exception.
“(This run) has given us a lot of strength, at least just speaking from my point of view, and I’m sure that’s how it’s been for the rest of them. It’s given us strength. This has motivated and inspired me a lot. I got a lot of strength from watching Brandon win and from there then watch Yair and Alexa.”
The success of her countrymen in the UFC’s octagon hasn’t only fueled Aldana’s desire to wrap 12 pounds of leather and gold around her waist. It has also created a bigger sense of duty as she has the power to extend Mexico’s real estate in the elite territory of fighting.
“You don’t want anything, but to go to the gym and train because you also want to be part of that,” Aldana said regarding what the Mexican triumphs mean to her. “And it’s not just wanting to win a UFC title. It’s also wanting to join them so you can not only celebrate with them but also contribute to this enormous moment for Mexico.”
Guadalajara’s Lobo Gym shows championship mettle
All three title wins have felt personal for Aldana, as the connection between these Mexican warriors runs deep. However, there is one win that hit closest to home.
Grasso’s incredible submission win over then-champion Shevchenko at UFC 285 – which ended a UFC record run of title defenses at seven – was beyond special for Aldana.
“It was just incredible,” Aldana said with a smile as she recalled Grasso’s win. “Our careers have always been very similar. We’ve always been equal or maybe just a step ahead of the other. We’ve always known that we could achieve this, and we’ve always had it very clear in our minds. We’ve always been focused on this. Pancho (Francisco Grasso), our coach, has been obsessed with getting us to this point, and not only this point but also to get here and achieve more. This is only the start of what we want to achieve.”
Aldana and Grasso have been close friends and training partners all of their professional careers. In 2021, MMA Junkie visited Lobo Gym in Guadalajara to highlight their relationship, as well as their gym’s peculiar growth of high-level female talent in Latin America.
Aldana not only saw a fellow Mexican woman make history as the first-ever Mexico-born female UFC champion, but it also prooved her belief that her small gym is equipped to make UFC champions – a tool that sure came in handy in her preparation for UFC 289.
“Watching Alexa making it has given me much more confidence that I too can achieve it,” Aldana said. “And she didn’t just achieve it. It was also the way she did and against the type of opponent. She beat Valentina Shevchenko, who’s one of the best of all time. Here at Lobo Gym, we say wolves don’t walk with GOATS. Although we have a lot of respect for them, we’re very happy to be showing what we’re capable of.”
‘I think I have the advantage’ over Nunes
Nunes is easily the biggest name and toughest challenge Aldana has ever faced in her career. No surprise, as that’s a universal truth across the sport. Nunes is the biggest win any female fighter could possibly dream of.
“The Lioness” is the UFC women’s bantamweight and featherweight champion. She’s held at least one title in the promotion since 2016 and has compiled a list of wins over the biggest and most respected names in the sport: Cris Cyborg, Valentina Shevchenko, Ronda Rousey, Holly Holm, Miesha Tate, Julianna Peña, Germaine de Randamie, Julia Budd, Sara McMann, and the list goes on.
This has made Nunes the consensus GOAT of women’s MMA, and there’s little argument to be made against it.
Although Aldana has a tough challenge ahead, she feels primed to dethrone the champ-champ. With Mexico’s momentum and her MMA development reaching an all-time high, Aldana believes this moment couldn’t have come at a better time.
“I’ve been feeling ready to fight Amanda since my fight against Holly Holm,” Aldana said. “Even though I lost that fight, there was a day after that, that I woke up and said, ‘I’m ready to fight for the title.’
“It was from one day to the next, and ever since, I’ve been feeling that way – ready. I’ve been feeling ready to fight for the title for several years now. I think that this is coming at my best moment. I think the opportunity came during the moment that it needed to come. This came at the perfect time for me. I already have the experience that I needed to get. I know there’s a lot more to learn and experience to be gained, but right now I’m ready for this.”
Mexico is ever present in this UFC 289 championship fight. Aldana’s story can’t be told without mentioning her home, and inside the octagon, even the X’s and O’s can’t escape the Mexican influence.
Although Nunes is as seasoned as they come and is perceived to have seen it all in the cage, Aldana brings something new and unique to the table – Mexican-style boxing.
“Technically, yes, I think I have the advantage,” Aldana said when asked about the matchup in the striking department. “In terms of technique, I’m more polished. Amanda is strong and has knockout power, too. I know that she could improve in her striking in a vast way, so I’m not getting overly confident thinking she’s going to be inferior to me. I simply go in there focused on what I’m going to do.
“Technically, we’re obsessed with perfecting everything, and that’s part of our success. I definitely have the technique more polished, but I want to go in there thinking Amanda is coming with elite boxing.”
Watch MMA Junkie’s 2021 feature, ‘The Mujeres of Lobo Gym’:
For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC 289.
