It was just last August that Yazmin Jauregui made her Octagon debut at UFC San Diego, and it’s hard to imagine any fighter having a better first year than the Mexican strawweight.
How To Watch UFC 290 In Your Country
It began with one of the best fights of 2022: a rare main card debut against another UFC debutant, Brazil’s Iasmin Lucindo. It was a ferociously close 15 minutes that ended with Jauregui’s hand raised in front of a roaring crowd, including many that had made the trip from her native Tijuana. The cheers continued five months later when she scored a dramatic TKO over Istela Nunes.
“It’s a lot of hard work that I put into this, and that’s paying off. The work that I’ve been putting in, it’s being recognized,” she says via interpreter.
The matchmakers have certainly recognized it. For her third tilt, she finds herself in a high-profile slot for the UFC 290 prelims against fellow rising star Denise Gomes. In setting up the crown jewel of International Fight Week, the entire prelim card will be broadcast nationally on ABC and ESPN. It’s a big deal, and Jauregui is prepared to reward those who tune in.
MORE UFC 290: Full Fight Card Preview | Fantasy Stats | Coach Breakdown
“People are going to be cheering. Standing ovation for us. Denise comes in with a lot of striking, as well, and without a doubt, people are going to enjoy this fight and I’m ready for it.”
Gomes is also coming off a second-round TKO in her last outing, and the two boast very similar ages, sizes and strengths. It’s a fight that figures to come down to the tiny details.
“Truthfully, I had not seen too much of her before. But as soon as I found out that I was fighting her, that’s all I needed to know. She’s young. She’s talented. She’s conquered her space here. And it will be a pleasure for me to actually share this important card here and for us to go at it.”
In Vegas? Here’s Your Schedule For UFC 290 & IFW 2023
It’s also her third Brazilian in three UFC fights. We had to ask, does she have a grudge against Brazilians? She laughs.
“Hey, the Brazilians are tough. They come at you with everything. I like these challenges. Don’t worry, I’ll be ready.”
Her 10-0 professional record would suggest she’ll be ready, and one need look no further than any of her social media channels to see what gives her the discipline to stay ready: her young son Matias. He might not yet understand why he helps his mother succeed, but he’s starting to get a picture of the family business.
UFC 290 Best Bets By DraftKings
“Matias understands that his mother is an athlete in a contact sport. He sometimes just shadows me. Sometimes he wants to do jiu-jitsu. I’m just very happy that he’s feeding off of this and kind of embedded in the whole situation. And maybe in the future we’re going to have a champion that’s going to be even better than me.”
So Mom doesn’t mind if he too chooses the fight life?
“Matias is intelligent, very intelligent. And I think that if he channels that into a sport, I think he’ll be really, really successful. But regardless of what he does, I will always support him. But maybe we’ll have him here in about ten years.”
She sees the opportunity for him to stand on the shoulders of giants. It’s the beginning of a very special chapter for Mexican fighters in the promotion, and she’s proud to share the stage Saturday with two of her country’ champions, Brandon Moreno and Yair Rodriguez.
“It’s a great moment for the Mexican champions, not only because they were able to make it to that level, but also to maintain it. Not only that, but the show they put on inside the Octagon, it’s very special. And like Brandon said to me: ‘I don’t know if it’s going to be today or if it’s going to be tomorrow, but I’m going to get there, as well.’”
Don’t miss a moment of UFC 290: Volkanovski vs Rodriguez, live from T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada. Prelims start at 8pm ET/5pm PT on ABC and ESPN, while the main card kicks off live on PPV at 10pm ET/7pm PT.
