Luis Pajuelo won his contract with the UFC at Dana White’s Contender Series. Credit: Diffusion
Luis Pajuelo had to travel a very long road to become who he is today: an elite fighter. The Peruvian knew how to transfer his talent to every corner he traveled to fight. From Tingo María to Las Vegas, the capital of the UFC. There he already made a name for himself through a lot of work and effort. And to think that three years ago he was selling pandemic masks to get by. Today it is no longer necessary to do so.
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Since childhood he was involved in martial arts. From kendo to judo. But his sports career began with boxing, like playing. With the gloves he hit hard and even became a national champion, but many obstacles stood in his way and did not let him explode.
Therefore, he decided to make a difficult transition to MMA. And the itinerary was not easy. He had to do everything to be able to appear at the fights, selling endless products. But little by little he grew and recently his tireless effort gave him the best reward: a contract with the UFC. In this interview with Infobae, Luis Pajuelo tells us his story and shares his dreams with us.
Luis Pajuelo has an 8‑1 record in MMA. Credit: Instagram
– What were the first disciplines you practiced?
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At the age of nine I started with a Japanese martial art called kendo. It is a martial art that is practiced with swords, like the samurai, and it marked me a lot, because I was a very hyperactive and mobile child. On the other hand, the Japanese are very disciplined, they maintain their posture and that helped me channel myself as a human being. Later, I gave up kendo and did a bit of judo, when I already had greater tact and strength.
– And how was your stage as a boxer?
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I was in judo for a year and then I got to know boxing. I had some friends who would take out their gloves and we would fight in the park. I remember we used to hit each other from the neck down as if we were playing and one day a boy passed by on the street, he saw me and asked me if he boxed. I told him yes. He was with his gloves hanging on his shoulder and he told me “you have to box”, I accepted and I remember that he took me wide. I asked him if he boxed at an academy and he replied that he did it in Breña. “If you want, let’s go tomorrow”, he told me. The next day, I grabbed my gloves and walked away with him without knowing him. We went to a municipal school in Breña, where I met my first boxing teacher, Solorzano. I started practicing, I had some amateur fights, from there I got into national championships. In 2016 it was my first ‘Golden Gloves’ championship. From there, I came out national champion, they took me to the Federation and I spent a good time in the national team. I was the starter, but I had to leave due to some problems with the management of the Peruvian Boxing Federation and I had to transition to MMA, where I stayed until today.
Luis Pajuelo and his experience in boxing
‑ You were an amateur boxing champion, but you tell me that there were problems. What was it that made you abandon this discipline if you were good?
It happens that when I got to the Federation, which is supposed to be the highest point a boxer can reach, I saw that there wasn’t much support. In reality, the facilities were very poorly maintained. We did not have a good or healthy diet. It makes me a little sorry to tell you all this, because to this day I know that there is no good contribution for the Boxing Federation. We had bread with quinoa for breakfast in wheelbarrows on some corner and they took us to eat a menu at a restaurant near the stadium. Actually, the base of an athlete is his recovery. If you don’t have a good recovery, you don’t have a good performance. And several friends of mine came out with hemoglobin problems. We were about 16 boxers and four or five suffered from anemia. So, it is something very strong, you as a person give 100%, but whoever is behind your back taking care of you does not do 100% for you. Something that I saw once at that time and it bothered me a lot was that there were brands that supported with supplements and in the room of the president of the Federation there were a lot of bags of proteins and they didn’t give us a single one. There was no familiarity, everything was for them. On top of that, I remember that I had the quota to go to the Pre-Pan American Games in Lima 2019, because he had emerged as national champion in 2018, a person came with his father, they paid for their things and in the end they occupied my space. Too bad, this boy was from my category and he went to the Prepan American Games. In the end he couldn’t qualify either. It was very bad management. Until today they continue in the same, there is no evolution. They are corrupted.
‑ How difficult was the transition from boxer to MMA fighter?
The transition was difficult, but I have always been very versatile when it comes to getting things done. I did kendo, judo, boxing, I played soccer for a while and rugby too. So, when I started doing MMA, it was very difficult, because it is a mix of all martial arts. I had to eliminate everything I knew about boxing and start adjusting to this new style.
Luis Pajuelo was a national boxing champion. Credit: Diffusion
– We know very well that in these disciplines it is difficult to have support at the beginning. Particularly, how was it for you?
Since I had already gone through that problem with boxing, when I switched to MMA, I started talking to brands. I have never been stuck with that. I started knocking on doors, friends, people who had businesses, micro-enterprises… to get them to support me. And, for example, in MMA I made my fight shorts and put the brands of these micro-enterprises, of these companies, of friends who supported me. That way I could contribute.
– Was that support enough or how else have you managed to solve this race?
I have also worked all this time. I have worked on everything, in the kitchen, in construction, I have sold lasagnas, I have sold pandemic masks, I have even sold stockings. The last fight in the United States was the only one that I was able to raise some money to be able to focus on preparing with the support of my sponsors.
‑ Why do they call you ‘lion heart’?
I had my only defeat in Brazil and my dad named me a Lionheart, because there was a king who was very persevering and very brave. He told me roughly, but it was because of my dad, who put it to me because of the very difficult fight I had there and how I knew how to stand out from there. In fact, I lost that fight by split decision. Many saw me win, many saw me lose. The fight was very even and bloody.
Luis Pajuelo is one of the most promising figures from Peru in the UFC. Credit: Instagram
– Do you feel that you are living up to that nickname?
Definitely yes. In each fight I feel with that strength to carry that characteristic. I have always been a strong, rebellious person, with that claw, with that spirit to do anything. I always put myself at 100. So, I think that it characterizes me too much.
‑ How did you prepare for the Dana White’s Contender Series fight?
It was four months of hard work, around seven hours a day. I have practiced boxing, I have done Muay Thai, physical preparation, Jiu-Jitsu, wrestling… First time I have had a private teacher just to gain this experience. And it’s the first time I’ve dedicated myself 100% to training for a fight. For my other fights I have had to work and train.
Luis Pajuelo tells his routine as an MMA fighter
– Did you expect a knockout in the first round?
If it were up to me, I would have liked to finish him in the second round. It was very fast. I think I like to fight and I feel like I like being there, in that moment where the lights are going down, where people are looking at you. So, when the fight was over very quickly, I said “okay, I finished my job”, but then I felt like all the work time was gone for three and a half minutes. I would have liked to be a little more there.
– What did it feel like to have achieved victory at that moment?
I was completely sure of my victory. I was also very happy, but I knew that I was going to take the contract. I am a very safe person for everything I work for. I know I was going to make it. And now that I’m in the UFC it’s like a new beginning for me. Everything has started from scratch. For me, my record is zero, zero, zero right now. I’m sure I’m going to start off on the right foot and I plan to continue like this until the day I retire.
‑ What did Dana White tell you after the fight?
In the event, he highlighted my wonderful kicks, a good knee to the body, that Peruvians are like animals, very strong… I was very surprised and very happy. I was the only fighter who showed up that day to whom he gave a gift: he gave me a Dana White whiskey, his brand.
Summary of the fight of Luis Pajuelo (UFC)
– How do you size the fact of winning a contract with the largest MMA company?
It is an honor to be able to represent my flag and to be able to represent my land Tingo María. I don’t live in Tingo María, but I do carry it on my chest. I also wear the red and white colors of Peru on my chest. I know that I will be able to represent very well, not only me, but all the Peruvians who are inside and those who are going to enter this platform. In fact, there is a partner who is going to fight on September 12: James Llontop. And I already said it, he is one more that is going to enter. I’m completely sure, I’m sorry because I train with him, I see his hunger and it’s the same as mine. There’s no way he can’t win that contract. I bet everything on him.
– You are already in the elite of this discipline, what is the next step?
Now I would like to have more sponsors who can help me in my career, to be able to perform better and be able to cover my training and my expenses. I feel that now I will be able to give greater visibility to the brands that want to support me, not only me, but this beautiful sport. So, I think you can do a very cool job with people who can support me. I’m always going to give it, so they’re going to bet to win.
– What dream do you hope to fulfill?
Definitely win the belt. I think, I more or less calculate and in two years I will be fighting for the UFC belt in my category.
2023-09-03 17:31:27
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