S.Ponzinibbio hasn't stepped into the Octagon since 2018. Photo: Reproduction/Instagram @ponzinibbiomma
Beloved by Brazilians, the Argentine Santiago Ponzinibbio is back. After overcoming health problems, which left him away from Ultimate for more than two years, the welterweight returns to the octagon this Saturday (16), when he faces li jingliang, fur UFC Fight Island 7. Excited about his return, the athlete doesn't hide his joy at testing himself again in MMA.
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Initially, Jingliang was not the opponent scheduled to face the Argentine. The fighter would face muslim salikhov, who had symptoms of Covid-19 in December and ended up being removed from the event. The last-minute change of opponent did not affect the welterweight's desire to play this weekend.
“I want to come out on top, no matter who it is with. Just put a body in front of me. Hit the weight and we'll come out on top. There's no problem (changing rivals), I just want to fight and show my work. Whoever it is against, I'm going to win, knock this guy out and show the world that I'm going to be the next champion of this division. My strategy is to punch him in the face, make him feel a lot of pain, until he can't take it anymore. (…) If you ask me now, I want to fight every two months, make up for lost time”, said the athlete, in an interview with 'Combate'.
Without fighting since November 2018, when he defeated Neil Magny, the Argentinean narrated the battle he experienced far from the Octagon. In 2019, the athlete experienced health problems, which resulted in several hospitalizations and affected his life as a professional in MMA.
“2020 was a year in which I fought hard to get back to being the athlete I was before, because (the infection) left many effects on my body. At one point, the doctor said that I might never fight again in my life. Then he said that maybe my knee would be 'ruined' forever, because I was in a lot of pain. I had to deal with all of this mentally. (…) It was very complicated, but today I've turned the page, I'm better than ever, physically and mentally it was a great learning experience. I had to deal with several ghosts, but at the same time I had an inner faith that told me that I would do well and still be world champion”, said the Argentine.
Since his last fight, the welterweight group (up to 77kg) has undergone a series of changes, including a new champion (Kamaru Usman). Santiago, who was once one of the candidates for a future title fight, looked favorably on the new scenario he will face in this moment of return.
“There are new names, (Gilbert) Durinho appeared. He wasn't in the division, he showed up and, in two fights, he was already ahead. Leon edwards passed me, then they removed me from the rankings (due to inactivity). O Michael chiesa went up well, several new names. For me, it's the most exciting division in the UFC, due to the versatility of the athletes, the knockout power, it's a very fun division. I’m very excited to be back on the show.”
Willing to regain his leading position in the category, Ponzinibbio's record works in his favor. The fighter has not lost a fight since June 2015 and, in his recent record, has seven consecutive victories.
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