The Comeback to Guayaquil
UCC is back! After six years away, Ultimate Combat Challenge (UCC) makes its long-awaited return to Guayaquil, Ecuador with UCC 80: Fuego Edition on October 18, 2025. This Panama-based powerhouse, led by CEO Ranfis Isaacs, has grown into one of Latin America’s premier mixed martial arts promotions. Over the years, UCC has hosted more than 100 international events featuring MMA, Muay Thai and Kickboxing across Colombia, Honduras, El Salvador, Guatemala, Ecuador, and Panama.
In an interview with Noticias Fajador, Isaacs shared his passion for building the sport: “I always tell people UCC is my first child, and we are still growing, thank God!” His words show the driving force behind UCC’s vision—uniting fighters across borders and putting Latin America on the global combat sports map.
MMA’s Global Rise and Latin America’s Role
The timing could not be better for combat sports. The industry is exploding worldwide, with Combate Global making serious waves in the U.S. CEO Campbell McLaren explained the shift perfectly: “YouTube provided Combate Global with a massive opportunity to transform our business into a digital-first property, and this new funding will allow Combate to maximize its success on the world’s number one streaming video platform,” he told World Screen.
Meanwhile, the UFC has locked in a $7.7 billion media rights deal with Paramount, reshaping how fans consume MMA and Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. As a result, platforms like Paramount+ now deliver high-level MMA directly to millions of households across Mexico, Brazil, Colombia, and Argentina. The removal of barriers such as limited pay-per-view access means fans across Latin America can follow the sport more easily than ever.
This accessibility does more than entertain. It inspires young athletes to chase their dreams and drives growth in local gyms and academies. For Latin America, this surge in visibility is a once-in-a-generation opportunity. Expanded coverage brings new sponsorships, creates bigger platforms for fighters, and strengthens grassroots programs that keep martial arts thriving across the region.
Building a Latin Super Pack
Behind the growth is teamwork. Isaacs and UCC have forged powerful partnerships with regional leaders such as Felix Benites, founder of Muchyk Fighting Championship (FMC) out of Trujillo, Peru, and Pancho Bajana of Ecuador’s Liga de Fuego. These collaborations connect countries through martial arts, creating what Bajana calls a “Latin super pack.”
Benites has built Team Atemi Dojo in Peru into a respected hub for Karate, Kickboxing, Brazilian Luta Livre, and Boxing. Bajana, meanwhile, has spent over 20 years nurturing Ecuador’s fight scene through training athletes and promoting Liga de Fuego, serving as both community leader and secretary of the national MMA Commission. Together, they represent the passion and dedication keeping combat sports alive in their countries.
The Entertainment Factor in Combat Sports
What makes these partnerships stand out is their focus on sports entertainment. UCC, FMC, and Liga de Fuego deliver professional-level production with custom fight posters, highlight reels, and media training for athletes. Fighters gain the tools to promote themselves with social media content, headshots, and electronic press kits—key requirements for success in today’s MMA landscape.
As Bajana puts it: “Athletes need a platform that not only tests their skills but also builds their brand. Liga de Fuego was created to give them that chance.” By combining high-level competition with modern promotion, these organizations ensure that fighters develop both inside and outside the cage.
UCC 80: The Stage is Set
Both FMC:3 and Liga de Fuego 9 tournament, now feeds into one ultimate destination: UCC 80 in Guayaquil. On October 18, 2025, champions from across Latin America will converge in Ecuador for a night of explosive MMA, Kickboxing, Muay Thai, and more.
The date is set now, with latino fight fans left with anticipation on the names that made it to UCC 80 in Guayaquil, Ecuador. This is more than a comeback. It is the rebirth of a movement. UCC is not only elevating fighters—it is uniting Latin America under one combat sports banner. With Isaacs, Benites, Bajana, and countless others leading the charge, UCC 80 promises to ignite the region like never before.
