Humberto Bandenay made his UFC debut at UFC Fight Night: Mexico City, defeating Martin Bravo by first round knockout.
However, the fighters father passed away just days before his UFC debut and he knew competing just days after his father’s passing is what his dad would have wanted.
“I was very sad not being able to see my dad,” Bandenay said to MMA Junkie. “He was my No. 1 fan. We’ve always been very close. It was my goal to make it to the UFC – and, just as important to me, it was his goal to see me make it to the UFC, too. I knew that it’s what my dad wanted, and I know he was there with me in the octagon. My training and experience helped me stay focused throughout the experience. I knew this was an opportunity that I had been waiting for, and nothing was going to stop me. I know my dad was with me, and I wanted nothing more than to win for him.”
Bandenay pulled off a big upset against Bravo as he was taking the fight on short notice. The flyweight fighter has some goals he would like to achieve while in the UFC, the biggest of them is to become champion.
“I have goals of being a champion and as going down as one of the all-time great fighters,” Bandenay said. “But, for right now, I’m just taking everything one fight at a time. I would like to fight Dooho Choi or Artem Lobov. Though I’m more than happy to fight any featherweight in the world.”
Despite the quick victory over Bravo, the fighter doesn’t have his next fight scheduled at this time.
