LAS VEGAS – Santiago Ponzinibbio had 26 months prior to his return fight in January at UFC on ABC 1.
When it came time to throw hands with Li Jingliang, however, the storybook ending wasn’t written. Ponzinibbio (27-4 MMA, 9-3 UFC) was knocked out with punches in Round 1 and his seven-fight winning streak was snapped.
Entering UFC Fight Night 189 on Saturday, his first competition since the defeat, Ponzinibbio admits the loss was frustrating given the circumstances. However, the Argentinian welterweight claims he’s fixed himself mentally and physically for his showdown against Miguel Baeza (10-0 MMA, 3-0 UFC).
“In this sport, one second makes a difference,” Ponzinibbio told MMA Junkie at a pre-fight news conference. “I think sometimes in the fight, I think what I’m going to do, I don’t do. I think a little. (There are) very small things, but they give confidence to my opponent. I still escaped all the punches (in my last fight). I started to put my game (together).
“I took too much time to make some decisions that you can’t. In the fight, you can’t take this time to make decisions. This is about the timing (of) 26 months (off). Physically, (I was) not 100 percent. I did a medical study that showed me that, but I don’t give excuses. This is the company of punching. … Now, I’ve fixed and (I’m) 100 percent physically. Mentally, I learned.”
UFC Fight Night 189 takes place Saturday at the UFC Apex. The event streams on ESPN+. Check out Ponzinibbio’s full pre-fight news conference in the video above.