UFC 306: Top 5 Mexican Fighters, Ranked

The 2nd Noche UFC (aka UFC 306) is coming to Las Vegas, Nevada this weekend (Sat., September 14, 2024) and will be a much bigger event than last year's inaugural event.

In fact, fighter jets compete internally. sphereThe stadium will be the first to feature an internal display plane that spans 160,000 square feet and boasts a 16K x 16K resolution (by comparison, an IMAX movie screen is less than 4,000 square feet). And, according to UFC's CEO, Dana WhiteIt will be the greatest live martial arts show ever.

Ahead of the epic pay-per-view (PPV) event, let's nominate the top five Mexican fighters in UFC history (plus a few honorable mentions). Oh, and in case you were wondering, the fighters are do not have You must be born in Mexico.

Cain Velazquez

Mexican fighter jets have been around before, Cain Velazquez He broke into the mixed martial arts (MMA) mainstream with “Brown Pride,” he was the first fighter of Mexican descent to win a UFC title in 2010, and in addition to being a UFC champion, he was in the eyes of many the greatest heavyweight fighter of all time.

Unfortunately, injuries plagued Velasquez's career and robbed the world of his true potential. Still, he finished his career with a 14-3 record, Junior dos Santos, Brock Lesnar and Antonio Rodrigo Nogueiraetc.

Unfortunately, he is currently serving time in prison.

Brandon Moreno

Brandon Moreno He became the first Mexican-born champion in UFC history. UFC 263 He forever made his mark in the history books of the sport on June 12, 2021. Moreno's rise to UFC champion was a heartwarming tale, as he was released by the promotion in late 2018 and had to return to the regional stage to prove his worth.

When “Assassin Baby” returned, he was a rookie fighter with three wins to boot. Deiveson Figueiredo in UFC 256game It ended in a horrible draw.,but”Fight of the Year” contender. When the UFC ordered Moreno and Figueiredo to fight again six months later, Moreno won the flyweight title.

The 30-year-old then went on to win the UFC flyweight title for a second time. Unified the championship He will face Figueiredo at UFC 283 in January 2023.

Alexa Grasso

Alexa Grasso The first (and only) Mexican woman to win a UFC gold medal. Defeating the GOAT in the Women's Flyweight Division, Valentina Shevchenkoat UFC 285… and still hasn't lost the belt (She will defend it this weekend.).

Like Moreno, Grasso's career has been up and down, mainly due to her weight class. She began her UFC career at strawweight, but went 3-3. Losing weight twiceShe moved up to flyweight and fully developed, going undefeated (4-0) and earning the right to face Shevchenko.

The rest is history.

Henry Cejudo

Now, if we just talk about statistics and achievements, Henry Cejudo He would undoubtedly be at the top of this list, but Cejudo has never represented Mexico in the UFC, and two years after his initial retirement, while endorsing his local governor, he declared, “Followers, my message today is that as a Latino, I am first and foremost an American. I was born in this country, I was raised in this country. You will not see me flying the Mexican flag, even though I love my culture.”

But with that being said, it would feel wrong to not leave out UFC's “Champion Champion” from this list, so here he is.

Cejudo won the UFC flyweight title. Demetrious Johnson He later successfully defended the title at UFC 227. TJ Dillashaw He first appeared on UFC ESPN+ 1 in January 2019. Five months later, he competed for the vacant bantamweight championship. Marlon Moraes And defended it Dominic Cruz At UFC 249.

Cejudo is just the fourth fighter to hold UFC championships in two divisions simultaneously.

Tito Ortiz

Though born in Huntington Beach, California, Ortiz has deep Mexican ancestry, and his exploits at UFC have cemented him as one of the top five greatest fighters of all time to come from Mexico.

Ortiz's reign as light heavyweight champion was overwhelming. One of Ortiz's most iconic rivalries was Chuck LiddellTheir fierce rivalry, culminated in a thrilling trilogy bout, played a pivotal role in propelling UFC into mainstream consciousness, captivating audiences and helping to establish MMA as a major sport in the United States.

Honorable Mention:

• Diego Sanchez – first TUF A winner and an absolute legend in the sport.
• Tony Ferguson — When I think of violence and Mexican strength, I automatically think of “El Cucuy.”
• Roger Huerta — First time as a UFC fighter Sports Illustrated It was an iconic cover at the time.
• Nick and Nate Diaz — It was hard to leave these two legends off the list, but oh well.
• Kelvin Gastelum — Gastelum had the best talent in the world, but he just couldn’t make 170 pounds.
• Yair Rodriguez — “El Pantera” won the interim featherweight championship. Josh Emmett At UFC 284 in 2023.

Watch UFC 306 PPV At The Sphere LIVE on ESPN+!

UFC at the sphere tonight! The Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) Once in a lifetime A pay-per-view (PPV) celebration celebrating Mexican Independence Day during the Riyadh Season on Saturday, September 14, 2024. In the main event of the bantamweight division, the current champion Sean O'Malleyand Sliced 1st place candidate Merab DvalishviliHe is the co-headliner of the UFC 306 championship and the current flyweight titleholder. Alexa Grassowill square off in the final bout of their 125-pound trilogy against Valentina Shevchenko, her coach at The Ultimate Fighter (TUF) 32. The UFC 306 PPV main card (see here) also features: Brian Ortega versus Diego Lopez, Raul Rosas Jr. versus Aoriki lengthand much more! Must-see action in Sin City! UFC 306 Start time is scheduled 6:30pm ET (Qualifying Card) and 10pm ET (PPV main card).

Don't miss a second of this epic face-punching action!

For the latest UFC 306 related news and notes, here.