UFC welterweight veteran Santiago Ponzinibbio is looking to make a late-career surge up the ladder on mixed martial arts’ biggest stage.
Ponzinibbio, who formerly had a number next to his name at 170 pounds, showed that he’s got plenty left in the tank at 38 years old in the co-main event of this past weekend’s UFC Fight Night.
The card, which marked the UFC’s first of 2025, included plenty of memorable fights and finishes. Not many scraps were more entertaining than the “Argentine Dagger’s” with Carlston Harris.
The pair exchanged moments of success and knockdowns through the best part of 13 minutes before Ponzinibbio found the standing TKO finish with less than two minutes remaining in the third and final round.
While the result marked the La Plata native’s first win since 2022 and snapped a two-fight losing skid, he’s still hoping for an opportunity to break back into the welterweight top 15 next time out.
There are so many good names,” Ponzinibbio said at the post-fight press conference after revealing his intent to fight at UFC 314 in Miami this coming April. “So many good guys come to mind (who) have a long time in the road like me. We can make a great fight. I need to think quickly.
Maybe Vicente Luque is a name that comes into my mind because the guy has so many years in the sport like me. I have a lot of respect for him. He’s a gentleman. He’s coming off a really good victory,” Ponzinibbio continued. “We both have a lot of Latin people behind us and we can make a good fight. But there are so many good guys. We’ll see what the company says.
The UFC is expected to head back to Miami’s Kaseya Center for its April pay-per-view.
A clash between Ponzinibbio and Vicente Luque could make sense, especially given that the latter’s teammate and friend Gilbert Burns is expected to battle Michael Morales at the event.
