Athletes
Ignacio Bahamondes Is In Prime Position
25-Year-Old Lightweight Ignacio Bahamondes His Dialed-In On Extending His Win Streak And Announcing He’s A Contender On The Rise At UFC Fight Night: Sandhagen vs Font
Someone recently mentioned to Ignacio Bahamondes that his three-fight win streak in the UFC has been impressive. That’s when it hit him. He’s already won three fights in the UFC.
It was the first time it sunk in just how far he’s come since he left his home in Chile to pursue a career in professional mixed martial arts. It’s not that he didn’t realize what he’s accomplished; it’s that he didn’t even think about it.
But it also reminded him that he’s not even remotely close to where he wants to be.
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“I didn’t have the time to think about it,” Bahamondes told UFC.com. “I’m going to make [the winning streak] longer than that. I want to break records. All the records, I want them all.”
At just 25 years of age, Bahamondes is one of the brightest young prospects in the UFC and he can start making a push for the lightweight Top 15 with a big performance at UFC Fight Night: Sandhagen vs Font this weekend.
He reflected on all the sweat, blood, and tears that went into his journey up to this point and he couldn’t be more excited to jump back into the fray on August 5 when he faces Ludovit Klein in Nashville.
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“Blessed. I can’t say anything else. All fight week is a blessing for me. I love it, I enjoy it. Even the worst part, like the weight cut and everything, I enjoy it. I’m happy to be here,” Bahamondes told said. “I just love this. I’m getting goosebumps just talking about it. I love this. I love to represent my country, my people, my team. I love to be here and fight with the best in the world. Right here are the best in the world and I’m going to be one of them.”
Becoming one of the best is the pie in the sky for Bahamondes. It’s a goal he believes whole heartedly that he can accomplish thanks to the work he puts into his craft at Chicago Fight Team. He’s surrounded himself with high-level competitors and world-renowned coaches that are determined to help him reach his potential and achieve his dreams.
With every training session and every fight, Bahamondes believes he’s leveling up. The live time in the Octagon is critical to his development, and his most recent 15-minute battle with Trey Ogden pushed him to attack his preparation even harder ahead of this weekend’s matchup.
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And even though he’s expecting Klein to bring out the best in him when they collide, he’s confident that he’ll be too much for “Mr. Highlight.”
“It’s a great match. Ludovit Klein is an excellent fighter. Powerful, super-fast, he’s strong, good striking, and good defense. He’s a strong opponent and it’s a good fight,” Bahamondes said. “These are the fights I want. I want challenges because I know after the challenge you get better, and I want to get better. He’s a good fighter, but I don’t think he’ll have answers for anything that I have for him.”
The biggest reason that Bahamondes believes he’ll be the victor on Saturday is that his confidence is at an all-time high, and when his confidence is high, he fights with passion and freedom.
Highlight: Ignacio Bahamondes Earns Wheel Kick Knockout | UFC Fight Night: Cannonier vs Gastelum
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Highlight: Ignacio Bahamondes Earns Wheel Kick Knockout | UFC Fight Night: Cannonier vs Gastelum
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Feeling loose in those moments of pressure is where “La Jaula” feels that he’s most dangerous. He’s built his mental fortitude to expect that pressure each time he steps in the Octagon, and he’s thrilled to have another opportunity to showcase that he thrives in those big moments.
“Pressure is part of the game. You can’t make diamonds without pressure. I want that. I want more pressure,” Bahamondes said. “I just want to be ready for that pressure. I got my team and got my family next to me, always talking to me when I’m going out there. That’s the most important thing. You have to be focused and listen to the people who love you and work super hard. That’s what we do.”
View Bahamondes' Athlete Profile | See Which UFC Rankings Are On The Line This Weekend
He believes that a spectacular win over Klein could be his ticket to facing a ranked fighter in the always stacked lightweight division. He feels like he’s in prime position to make a statement and he knows exactly what he wants people to be saying about him after Saturday.
“They’re going to be freaking out. They’re going to think, ‘How can we beat this fighter? He’s unbeatable he’s trains hard, he never gets tired, he never stops fighting,’” Bahamondes said. “That’s what they are going to think about. They’ll say, ‘This guy is human?’”
“They want me in the Top 15. They want to see me against one of the Top 15 guys. That’s what the people want. That’s what I want. That’s what my team wants. Give it to them.”
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“I’m going to go win this fight, do my job, and then let’s see what the UFC has for me.”
UFC Fight Night: Sandhagen vs Font took place live from Bridgestone Arena in Nashville, Tennessee on August 5, 2023. See the Final Results, Official Scorecards and Who Won Bonuses - and relive the action on UFC Fight Pass!
