“The biggest part about not being concerned about the layoff is that I felt so confident with my camp,” he said. “A week before the fight I was inside the cage in my gym, and there was such high-level talent with me in that cage. These guys are top level, and I thought the next guy that gets locked in the cage with me is not the level of these guys. I was confident that I was gonna be fine.”
It was the kind of win that not only extended his win streak to three, but that also started a new chapter for a promising lightweight prospect who can finally get on with his career after starts and stops that have limited him to four fights in five years on the UFC roster.
“It’s not a number I’m proud of, but it is what it is,” he said. “I’m actually glad it happened this way because I was pretty young back then. I was very raw. I was only 20 and I was making dumb mistakes even though I had a lot of maturity to actually make it to the UFC that young. Now it’s a different story. I became the athlete I wanted to become when I was a kid. Nowadays, I am proud to say I deserve to be here and I’m getting better every day and every fight.”
ROB FONT: Title Town | Cusp Of Contention | My Time Will Come
Back in 2016, Puelles was a young gun from Lima, Peru who tore through the competition on season three of The Ultimate Fighter Latin America before being upset in the finals by Martin Bravo. He wouldn’t be back in the Octagon until 2018, when he thrilled fans with a come from behind submission of Felipe Silva. But it was another 16 months before he defeated Marcos Mariano. That September 2019 win was his last appearance until the Leavitt fight, and it was between those bouts that he was determined to turn things around and give this his best shot.
“Being back home, I was in my comfort zone, I have to admit,” said the 25-year-old. “My fire wasn’t off, but it was low. Then I got here (to Florida) and I see all the fighters training every day at the gym and my flame just went crazy. I started putting the work back in and I haven’t stopped in 10 months.”
For Puelles, it was going to either be California or Florida when he made the move to the States, and when he chose the Sunshine State, a natural fit was with Sanford MMA, where he’s been since February.
“I always trained at my small gym at home, which took me pretty far, so I’m very proud and thankful for everybody that helped me out down there,” said Puelles. “They did the most they could and I was always happy, always trying to make my camps better, but even my coaches were telling me I had to make the move and deep down I knew it.
