UFC welterweight [autotag]Santiago Ponzinibbio[/autotag] wants to pick up right where he left off.
Ponzinibbio (27-3 MMA, 9-2 UFC), who hasn’t fought since November 2018, has been sidelined due to multiple career-threatening bacterial infections and a tough battle with arthritis. It’s been a long road to recovery for the streaking Argentinian fighter, who’s now healthy and targeting a notable name for his return.
Due to inactivity, Ponzinibbio has been removed from the UFC’s 170-pound rankings, so he knows it could be difficult for him to draw a top contender right off the bat. He initially wanted former UFC lightweight champion Rafael dos Anjos, whom he’s been trading barbs with for a while now, but ultimately Ponzinibbio just wants a big name in the division.
“RDA I think it’s a good fight before,” Ponzinibbio told MMA Junkie. “Now he has a couple of losses, but it’s still a good name, it’s still an ex-champion. Before everything started, they told me one more fight, and you’re going to the belt. I was so excited. Right now I understand I have a couple of months off from the game. It’s not my fault.
“I’d really like to fight with a big name, maybe ex-champion. They have a lot of good names in the division: Robbie Lawler, RDA, ‘Showtime’ Pettis. Michael Chiesa coming in very well into the division; it’s a good fight. Tyron Woodley, ex-champion, always I like this fight. … Stephen Thompson is an exciting fight. A lot of good options, and hopefully they give me a good opponent for my comeback.”
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But if Ponzinibbio had to narrow his choice down to one, a particular name sticks out, and that’s former champ [autotag]Tyron Woodley[/autotag], whom he’d like to fight sometime in late summer or fall.
“I like end of August or September,” Ponzinibbio said. “That’s a good time. Who? There are a lot of good names. If I need to pick and say this guy, I’d love to fight Tyron Woodley. I’ve always been asking for this fight. For different reasons they never give me, but I love this fight.
“There are a lot of good names there. I think we can do a lot of exciting fights with Robbie Lawler, a lot of good guys there. Michael Chiesa, he came in very well, three victories in the division, the last fight was a co-main event. We can do an exciting main event with Michael Chiesa, a good fight, too.”