Who is Luis Pajuelo? All about the Peruvian fighter set to debut at UFC Vegas 89
Luis Pajuelo is a professional mixed martial arts fighter from Lima, Peru. He is currently ranked No. 20 in the pro men's featherweight division in Latin America and No. 8 in Argentina. His record is eight wins and one loss, with seven wins coming via knockout and one via unanimous decision.
The 29-year-old has previously participated in fights for organizations such as Fusion FC, Samurai Fight Contest, Sul Fluminense Fight Night, and Shooto Brazil and is currently training under coach Jackson Mora.
The Peruvian is a graduate of Dana White's Contender Series 59, where he won the prestigious UFC contract by defeating Robbie Ring via TKO (knee and punches) in the first round.
Pajuelo is currently on a five-fight winning streak against opponents like Robbie Ring, Heber Federico Pereyra, Joans Lorca, Matias Ponce, and Malambo Pelaez. The lone defeat of his professional career came at the hands of Mike Davidson back in 2021. He lost to the Brazilian via split decision.
The featherweight is set to make his octagon debut against Mexican fighter Fernando Padilla at UFC Fight Night: Ribas vs. Namajunas on March 23. The event will take place at the UFC Apex in Enterprise, Nevada.
On the other hand, Padilla is coming off with one win and one loss in the UFC. His most recent fight was against K. Nelson at Noche UFC: Grasso vs. Shevchenko 2 in September last year, where he lost via unanimous decision.
Luis Pajuelo hopes to face Max Holloway and Alexander Volkanovski in the future
Luis Pajuelo has high expectations after signing a UFC contract at Dana White's Contender Series 59. On 'DWCS' cards, prospects compete at the UFC Apex for the chance to sign a UFC contract, with the promotion's CEO making the final decisions.
Pajuelo (8-1) squared off against Robbie Ring (6-1) in a featherweight bout at the Apex. Even though Ring got off to an aggressive start, he lost momentum and was eventually knocked out by the Peruvian in the first round.
In the post-fight press conference, 'Corazon De Leon' made it clear that he hopes to face Max Holloway and former 145-pound champion Alexander Volkanovski.
He stated:
''Obviously not in my debut, but I would love to fight some of the greatest fighters in my division, like Holloway, Volkanovski. I plan on putting a beautiful story and making history in this division.''
Check out Luis Pajuelo's comments below (2:28):