Kicking off Saturday’s UFC Mexico City main card were bantamweights Santiago Luna and Angel Pacheco.
Luna was one of six Mexican fighters on the six-fight main card, and a perfect 7-0 to start the night. Pacheco, the underdog, had lost his last two.
Pacheco opened the fight with early volume, landing his lead jab early while retreating to the side of the octagon. Luna responded quickly, landing a knee and a multiple hooks to the body to get his offense going. The Mexican fighter continued to flow, landing a front kick up the middle into a quick takedown on Angel Pacheco, but was quickly able to return to his feet. Softening up the left side body, Luna walked Pacheco down mixing up his targets with hooks and knees to the midsection. The American, Pacheco, started to open up well to end the round, throwing a flying knee that almost connected and landed a flush strike as time expired in the first round.
Luna was on the gas again in round two, pressing Pacheco to the cage side landing a burst of strikes before returning to the middle of the octagon. The home fighter continued to change up his approach, landing an early takedown, scoring some light ground and pound before Angel Pacheco built back up to his feet. Santiago Luna continued to have his way on the feet, pushing forward, landing a right hand that gave a big reaction from Angel Pacheco. As the round came to a close, both men exchanged strikes in the pocket as “Borderboy,” took another decisive win to go up 2-0 in the fight.
Luna started round three with more strikes to the middle, using his patented knee, working Pacheco’s body; both fighters continued to trade in the pocket, Santiago Luna with an obvious speed advantage. Trying his last hand at finishing the fight, Pacheco shot a takedown late in the round, though Luna jumped a tight guillotine to deny the American any real chance at success. Pacheco was able to escape into full guard landing a few ground strikes on the face of Luna. The undefeated Luna, eventually able to get back to his feet, stamped his victory with another flying knee close to the chin of the labored Pacheco.
Santiago “Borderboy” Luna scored the unanimous decision victory moving to 8-0 and 2-0 in the UFC with another statement victory to start his young career, while Angel Pacheco drops to 7-4 and 0-2 in the UFC.
Official Result: Santiago Luna def. Angel Pacheco by unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)
