The unforgettable year for MMA in Ecuador | Other Sports | sports

2021 for the mixed martial arts (MMA) of Ecuador represents a turning point in the sports careers of more than a dozen fighters who emigrated in search of glory. A different year from others, and at the same time, special for what was achieved by Marlon Chito Vera, Emiliano Linares, Michael Morales and other prospects who signed victories in Mexico and Brazil. 365 days to tell dozens of stories and anecdotes about contact sports.

The MMA of Ecuador started this year that we said goodbye first with the registration of fighters who decided to leave the country for Mexico. That North American nation has become a springboard for the tricolor that yearn to reach the different leagues top from the United States.

Last January, during a visit to Guayaquil, the Mexican Augusto Montaño, a former Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) fighter, realized that in Ecuador “there is a lot of talent and also a lot to gain and polish and sharpen.”

“There is a lack of information, there is a lack of investment in prospects, there is a lack of time, patience, and of course people like you (from the press), the whole industry needs to keep moving forward. In Mexico, for example, this sport arrived about fifteen years ago and we already have one or two fighters close to the belt of the most important organization (UFC), Brandon Moreno and Yair Rodríguez ”, said the Dodger Montaño, every time he predicted the featherweight belt that Moreno won in the UFC and the evolution of Linares, who at that time was preparing to move to Mexico City to train at the Bonebreakers academy.

What would be the most important months of César Abad, Michael Morales and Aarón Cañarte began in February at Entram Gym in Tijuana (Baja California), while Christian Alquinga would arrive in the Aztec capital in March to join the Bonebreakers discipline.

On April 30, Abad and Morales were the first to make their debut in the UWC 26 function of the Ultimate Warrior Challenge México (UWC) company and the two prevailed in their respective crashes. Cañarte got his triumph on June 11 at the UWC 27 event. This was the beginning of something good for the tricolor who settled in the border city.

Then it was the turn of Chito Vera in her first match of the year on the UFC Vegas 29 undercard, on June 19 in Las Vegas, Nevada. The manaba stole the attention of the UFC bantamweight division by taking revenge with England’s Davey Grant in the Octagon of the UFC Apex. That triumph by unanimous decision allowed him to climb two places in the ranking at 135 pounds and placing thirteenth.

Applause for the new MMA prospects who immigrated to Mexico

Before his confrontation with Davey Grant at UFC Vegas 29, Marlon Vera, in an interview with EL UNIVERSO, highlighted the importance of mixed martial arts fighters preparing in gyms in the United States, Mexico or Brazil, countries with MMA culture. For this reason, he congratulated the Ecuadorian prospects who traveled to the Aztec country to train, waiting for the opportunity to leagues. premier, to use as a catapult to UFC.

Pursuing his international dream, Emiliano Linares joined the tricolor legion to join Bonebreakers Central. There he trained together with his compatriots Diego Romo, who would return to the country, and Christian Alquinga.

“First I want to congratulate you for taking the most important step, which is to emigrate. There is no sport in the country. Leaving is not easy, and worse to a country where nobody knows you, where you have no friends or family; starting from scratch is not easy, I did it and it is not easy. But they have taken the most important step, which is to get out of the comfort zone, “he applauded. Chito Vera.

And he continued haranguing: “Do not stop pushing, this is not about (getting) a victory (and nothing else). You can win the biggest fight of your life today, and if you are careless, lose the next three, people forget what happened. The moment you stop, you stagnate. Make him want to ”.

In those days, Michael Morales had already been signed by the organization of the Dana White’s Contender Series program to compete in September in a duel with the Kazakh Nikolay Veretennikov.

They opened files in Mexico City

The month of July was marked by fire by the compatriots who are part of Team Bonebreakers. Linares and Alquinga had a fantastic debut in the Budo Sento Championship league when they prevailed on July 3 in their respective matches in the MMA category at the Budo Sento Vol. 3 event.

Linares participated in the grand prize of the 145-pound (featherweight) division and qualified for the final after overcoming the first two rounds against Mexican opponents. The belt was finally disputed in October against Eddy Alexis Rosaldo.

While Alguinga, in the Super Fights modality, defeated in a 170-pound division duel also Mexican Mario Luna Sánchez.

The successes of the Dodger Montaño students at the Bonebreakers Academy marked a before and after for Ecuadorians in Mexico.

Destructive power

Last May, while Bull Kong Christian Alquinga participated in a meeting in Mexico City, former double UFC champion Henry Cejudo, who in 2020 withdrew from The Ultimate Fighting Championship company defending the belt of the bantamweight division, warned of the power of Alquinga and the ability he has to be able to succeed in MMA.

“Keep an eye on him (Alquinga) because I know he has all the ability to succeed one day. Successes, carnal, and we are going to destroy everyone … ”, said the American Cejudo from a gym in Mexico, where UFC welterweight Kelvin Gastelum was also present.

Tricolor added to UWC

On July 9, Ultimate Warrior Challenge Mexico (UWC) announced the signing of the contract for Andrés Luna Martinetti to debut the following month at UWC 28, at the Entram Gym facilities, in Tijuana.

Andrés, like his twin brother Adrián, sought to open a space in a league where Michael Morales, César Abad and Aarón Cañarte have already competed.

Cash was Andrés Luna’s debut in the UWC cage when he took over Francisco Benítez in the first round of his combat in the maint event of UWC 28.

Óscar Bohórquez set out to extend the positive streak of the Ecuadorian fighters legion in Mexico, intervening in the AFL 006 function of the Azteca Fight League (AFL) company; However, after three rounds, the decision of the judges awarded the victory to the local Daniel Corona (via unanimous decision) and the first defeat in professionalism to the representative of Manta.

On October 1, by unanimous decision, César Abad newcomers Cristhian Rivas and Adrián Luna Martinetti would score victories in the UWC 29 function.

Second Ecuadorian with ticket to UFC

Michael Morales Hurtado emerged victorious from his fight against Kazakh Nikolay Veretennikov by defeating him by unanimous decision and deservedly stealing the applause from UFC boss Dana White at UFC Apex in Las Vegas.

Morales, at 22, achieved victory in a welterweight category duel, in the co-main event of the Dana White’s Contender Series event, which took place on September 21 for the fourth week of season 5.

Due to his success, in the presence of White, the Orense fighter was awarded a contract to debut in the UFC in January 2022.

Linares makes history in Budo Sento

A week after the triple triumph at UWC, on October 8 Emiliano Linares won the first Budo Sento Championship belt in the men’s branch of MMA.

The Team Bonebreakers won by unanimous decision after five long rounds against local Eddy Alexis Rosaldo, in a duel for the 145-pound championship. The accolade made him the first male champion in the company’s history.

The 24-year-old fighter received the sash in the presence of Mario Delgado, partner of the Budo Sento Championship, and before influencers such as Stephen Tecci, vice president of PPV & UFC Fight Pass, and Mick Maynard, matchmaker of UFC.

The hits didn’t stop there. Week by week our representatives made news because in their gyms they share with renowned athletes. At Entram Gym, for example, the UFC flyweight monarch, Brandon Moreno, performs his training and it has become common for him to hold group sessions with the Luna Martinetti brothers, with Cañarte and Morales.

Little by little more Creoles were incorporated to the gymnasium and to the UWC league. The last was the experienced Javier Basurto, who of course, took the victory.

In another part of the continent, in Brazil, Miguel Grijalva and Eidy Macías proudly wear the national flag.

Marlon’s Victory Paths Chito Vera at Madison Square Garden at UFC 268, Emiliano Linares ‘title at Budo Sento Championship in Mexico City, Michael Morales’ performance at Dana White’s Contender Series in Las Vegas, Grijalva’s consecutive MMA triumphs in Brazil and the birth of new prospects who quickly seek to emigrate to North America made 2021 an unforgettable and very special year for everything lived in the cage.

Ecuador needed to feel great again. (D)