A Global Showcase of Latino Combat Sports in Guayaquil
It was a thrilling weekend for Latino combat sports as Liga De Fuego 9: Sports Garden Edition lit up Guayaquil, Ecuador on Saturday, August 2nd. Now in its ninth year, this premier MMA event has become one of the most anticipated showcases in Latin America.
This year’s edition featured over 120 fights across MMA, Muay Thai, and Kickboxing. From morning until late night, fighters from Ecuador, Panama, Chile, Peru, Honduras, and Colombia competed for medals and championship belts.
More Than Fights—A Launchpad for Future Champions
Liga De Fuego isn’t just a tournament—it’s a professional stepping stone. For many amateur fighters, it offers rare access to exposure, career feedback, and tools to move toward pro-level success.
What makes this event stand out is its attention to athlete promotion. Fighters were featured on custom posters, received professional photography, and competed under the lights with live YouTube streams via DiBlu TV.
Bridging Latin America to Global
This year, Liga De Fuego partnered with major promotions across Latin America, including Panama’s UCC and Peru’s FMC. These collaborations elevated the level of competition and opened doors for fighters regionally and beyond.
Most notably, Liga De Fuego 9 became a qualifier for UCC 81, set for October 18, 2025, in Guayaquil. “The winners of Liga De Fuego 9 will head to UCC 81,” announced promoter Pancho Bajana, live on air.
Powerful Partnerships Fuel the Movement
The alliances with UCC and FMC weren’t just symbolic—they were strategic. Winning fighters from this event earned a direct ticket to UCC 81, reinforcing Liga De Fuego’s growing prestige in Latin American MMA.
Bajana’s live announcement confirmed what many already knew: Liga De Fuego is Ecuador’s most professional fight league.
Unforgettable Walkouts and Electrifying Wins
From start to finish, the event delivered a mix of entertainment and raw combat. Rising star Michael “Peso Pluma” Calderon fired up the crowd with a flashy walkout and sealed the deal with a first-round armbar.
Later, Joel Maliza of 8 Armas impressed in his Flyweight bout, earning praise for a smooth submission victory that had fans and commentators buzzing.
Women Warriors Leave Their Mark
One of the weekend’s biggest highlights was the showdown between Mia Cedeño (8 Armas) and Dayana Chabla(Team Pantaleon). It was a war.
Over three intense rounds, Chabla edged out a decision in a clash full of clinches, takedowns, and dominant ground control. Guest commentator Adrian Luna Martinetti—soon to appear on Dana White’s Contender Series—added expert insight throughout the match.
Knockouts, Submissions, and Everything In Between
From spinning elbows to ground-and-pound flurries, the event offered nonstop action. K-1 standouts like Samir Klinger vs. Andy Serrano went into overtime, while boxers like Jairo Briones and Isaac Rodriguez threw heavy leather in thrilling bouts.
Every fight brought something unique, showcasing the full spectrum of Latino combat sports talent.
Liga De Fuego 9 Raises the Bar for Latin American MMA
This wasn’t just another fight night—it was a defining moment. Liga De Fuego 9 set a new standard by combining high production quality, international collaboration, and unmatched athlete support.
Fighters left with more than belts. They left with momentum, recognition, and a path toward the global stage. And for Latin American MMA, the future has never looked brighter.
Liga De Fuego 9 Results
Below are the results for Liga de Fuego 9: Sports Garden Edition:
🥇 Yeiden Garcia
Gym: Thai Boxing Gym
City: Jipijapa, Manabí, Ecuador
Result: Won a 3-round amateur MMA fight vs. Dominik Mendez (Dragon Gym, Santo Domingo de los Tsáchilas). Took the Liga De Fuego medal.
🥇 Samir Klinger
Gym: Team U-Oriazu
City: Esmeraldas, Ecuador
Result: Won an intense K-1 Strawweight match vs. Andy Serrano (Santa Elena, Ecuador) by TKO after a bonus third round full of knees and kicks.
🥇 Micheal “Peso Pluma” Calderon
Gym: Team Gustavo Castillo – TEAM CEP 7
City: Guayaquil, Ecuador
Result: Submitted Isaac Serrano (Team MMA Pantaleon, Santa Elena) with an armbar in Round 2 of an amateur Flyweight MMA match.
🥇 Joel Maliza
Gym: 8 Armas Team
City: Babahoyo, Ecuador
Result: Submitted Frixon Diaz (Team Torashi, Quevedo) via armbar at the end of Round 1 in a Flyweight MMA bout. Emotional win in front of his family.
🥇 Dayana Chabla
Gym: Team MMA Pantaleon
City: Santa Elena, Ecuador
Result: Defeated Mia Cedeno (8 Armas Team, Guayaquil) in a brutal 3-round female amateur MMA war. Showed superior grappling and cage control.
🥇 Jairo Briones
Result: Won an amateur boxing match vs. Isaac Rodriguez due to shoulder injury TKO in Round 2.
🥇 Rafael Moncayo
Gym: Fight Center
City: Guayaquil, Ecuador
Result: Faced 15-year-old Mateo Lasso (Matt Monkey, Tena/Guayaquil). After a fast-paced start and a head kick that echoed through the crowd, Moncayo secured an armbar submission at the 40-second mark of Round 2. This victory improved his amateur MMA record to 3-0.
🥇 Josué Rojas
Gym: SCORPION MMA
City: Santo Domingo, Ecuador
Result: Went the distance in a tough 3-round amateur MMA battle against Dylan Rodriguez (Team MMA Pantaleon, Santa Elena). Rojas was declared the winner after showing more dominance throughout the match.
🥇 Enrique Ayala
Gym: Team Kairós
City: Quito, Ecuador
Result: Scheduled to face Jose Olivo in a Kickboxing match. During his walkout, Ayala thrilled fans with cage flips, but his opponent did not show. Ayala was awarded a walkover victory, earning his first Liga De Fuego Kickboxing medal.
🥇 Juan Jose Ayala
Gym: 8 Armas Team
City: Guayaquil, Ecuador
Result: Won a 2-round amateur MMA Featherweight match against Joel Lindao (CEP 7, Guayaquil), who recently transitioned from Sambo. Ayala was declared the winner after going the full two rounds.
🥇 Sebastian Santana
Gym: 8 Armas Team Sambo
City: Samborondón, Ecuador
Result: Faced Dylan Saltos (Team MMA Pantaleon, Santa Elena) in a Bantamweight amateur MMA bout at 65 kg. Santana won via KO just 15 seconds into Round 1—an explosive finish.
🥇 Amadu Djallo
Gym: 8 Armas Team
City: Nuevo Ideal, Guayas, Ecuador
Result: Defeated Angel Maravilla (Fight Center, Guayaquil) in a 3-round amateur boxing match. Djallo dominated with powerful punches, giving Maravilla a bloody nose by the end of Round 1. The fight was stopped late in Round 3 due to damage. Djallo was declared the winner.
🥇 Nichole Cantuña
Gym: 8Armas StrongGirl
City: Guayaquil, Ecuador
Record Before Fight: 3-0-2
Result: Battled Evelyn Zhingry (Team Portilla, Santo Domingo) in a Flyweight amateur MMA match. After 3 intense rounds featuring high-level jiu-jitsu and leg kicks, Cantuña secured the win following a wild grappling exchange in the final 10 seconds of Round 3.
🥇 Alex Guapi
Gym: CEP 7
City: Guayaquil, Ecuador
Result: Faced experienced fighter Martin Robalino (Siam Muay Thai, Quito) in a 3-round amateur MMA Bantamweight bout. Both athletes delivered an intense back-and-forth battle, but Guapi was declared the winner after three competitive rounds.
🥇 Christian Listuna
Gym: Mat Monkey
City: Tena, Ecuador
Result: Went toe-to-toe with Sebastian Vargas (8 Armas Team, Guayaquil) in a 3-round, 3-minute amateur MMA bout. After a hard-fought battle that went the distance, Listuna was declared the winner by decision.
🥇 Yon Carlos Perez
Gym: Wolf Sport
City: Venezuela
Result: Faced Adrian Quevedo (8 Armas Team, Guayaquil) in a high-energy K-1 kickboxing match. From the opening bell to the final moments of Round 3, both fighters brought relentless action. Perez was declared the winner after a thrilling 3-round war.
🥇 Nixon Perez
Muay Thai: (Win)
Result: Faced Martin Gomez in a Muay Thai showdown filled with nonstop action. Perez came out aggressive in Round 1, landing powerful strikes. By Round 2, Gomez showed visible damage, and despite both fighters making it to the final bell, Perez was declared the winner after three intense rounds.
🥇 Fabricio Zambrano
Gym: Team Nixon Perez,
City: Guayaquil, Ecuador
Result: Faced Fernando Faican from Quito, Ecuador ( Sparta Muay Thai ) in a high-octane K-1 bout at 65 kilograms. Faican came out strong, dropping Zambrano with a powerful knee to the ribs in Round 1. The fight went the distance, drawing spectators to the edge of the cage in Round 3. Despite visibly holding back in the final seconds out of compassion, Zambrano was declared the winner. After the fight, he delivered an emotional speech thanking Pancho Bajana of Liga De Fuego, his team, and his family. leading to a surprise marriage proposal to his girlfriend inside the cage.
🥇 Alejandro Sanchez
Gym: Independent
City: Guayaquil, Ecuador
Result: Defeated Gustavo “Basilisko” Pinoargote (8 Armas Porto, Portoviejo) in an amateur Muay Thai bout at 52 kg. Over 3 intense 2-minute rounds, Sanchez dominated with multiple tosses and powerful knee strikes, securing victory with a rib-crushing knee that dropped Pinoargote at the 54-second mark of Round 2.
🥇 David Cabrera
Gym: 8 Armas Team
City: Guayaquil, Ecuador
Result: Defeated Jorge Vallegas (Ambato, Ecuador) in a 3-round amateur K-1 bout. Cabrera rocked Vallegas with a head strike at 1:34 of Round 1 and weathered multiple low blows throughout the fight. Despite taking three illegal strikes, Cabrera kept pressing forward, ultimately dropping Vallegas in the final 20 seconds of Round 2 and finishing the fight at 0:54 of Round 3 for the TKO win.
Bolivar Intriago 🏆
Gym: Team Sparta
City: Guayaquil, Ecuador
Result: Captured the Super Heavyweight Amateur MMA Title by defeating Licoln Nazareno (8 Armas Team, Guayaquil). Intriago and Nazareno went to war early in Round 1, exchanging powerful throws. The bout ended just one minute into the opening round with a dominant TKO victory for Intriago, crowning him the new Liga De Fuego Super Heavyweight Champion.
Teken “El Dragón” Molina 🏆
Gym: Mat Monkey
City: Cali, Valle, Colombia
Result: Defeated John “Popeye” Huila (Team U-Oriazu, Esmeraldas, Ecuador) to win the Liga De Fuego Lightweight Pro MMA Championship. In a wild 5-round war, Huila dominated early with a powerful body slam and ground-and-pound in Round 1, earning crowd support. The momentum swung back and forth in Rounds 2 and 3, with intense clinches, cage control, and heavy grappling exchanges. Despite Huila landing a major elbow in Round 3 and forcing overtime rounds, Molina surged in Rounds 4 and 5 with cleaner strikes and relentless pressure. After five grueling rounds, Teken “El Dragón” Molina was declared the winner and new Lightweight Champion by split decision as Molina gives us a celebration dance to Salsa music .
Watch the full broadcast of Liga De Fuego 9 Sports Garden Edition on DiBlu TV YouTube Channel below.