The promising future of Ignacio Bahamondes

Ignacio Bahamondes had himself a night at UFC Fight Night: Allen vs. Curtis 2. He nabbed a first-round knockout on Christos Giagos, solidifying himself as a bona fide lightweight contender. The Chilean fighter (15-5) has ten knockouts in his MMA career, showing how lethal his striking is.

But what does the future hold for Bahamondes? Is he able to crack the lightweight championship conversation or is the 26-year-old not close? Let’s look into what “La Jaula” can do in the ring and how he stacks up in a stacked lightweight division.

What makes Ignacio Bahamondes unique

This was mentioned in a prior post. But Ignacio Bahamondes is an absolute tank in the octagon. He knows how to eat strikes and defend takedowns, making him tough to beat. But being a skilled defensive fighter isn’t his greatest asset.

Bahamondes’s ability to dictate the fight makes him a threat. In his bout against Giagos, “La Jaula” had 40 significant strikes compared to 17 from Giagos. The 26-year-old knows where to target his opponents and focus on that target. In this case, it was the head, where Bahamondes landed 26 blows.

Thus, a first-round KO via kick happened, putting Bahamondes on top. Being an intelligent fighter is a great quality to have in the UFC. It’s what makes “La Jaula” stand out and will serve him well as he ascends to the top.

What’s the trajectory of Ignacio Bahamondes

Ignacio Bahamondes has the potential to contend for the UFC lightweight championship. His finishes and fighting intelligence make him a threat, pushing his trajectory upward.

The one problem he’ll have is the division’s depth. With seasoned fighters such as Dustin Poirier and Justin Gaehtje, it makes a climb to the top hard. “La Jaula” will have his work cut out for him, with more experienced fighters giving him a tougher test. Being ranked #38 as an MMA lightweight indicates it’ll be tougher than anticipated.

Can he challenge Islam Makhachev for the title? Absolutely. But simply stopping 57% of strikes from coming in isn’t enough. Bahamondes must improve in this regard, moving quicker to defend.

Overall, the sky’s the limit for the Chilean fighter. As he showed in his fight against Christos Giagos, he can handle anybody at any time. Don’t be surprised to see a championship belt wrapped around Bahamondes’s waist soon.