Jose Miguel Delgado

When and why did you start training for fighting? I started at 10 years old at my local gym in Yuma, AZ. It was run by former WEC title contender Chance Farrar. Fighting captured my spirit before I ever stepped foot on the mats, just being a fan of the sport. Once I finally stepped foot on the mats, it solidified what I knew. I was going to dedicate my life to being the best at this. It is the most free and alive I feel in this world.

Any belts/ ranks in grappling disciplines? Purple Belt in BJJ

What has been your toughest fight to date and why? My loss to Chris Mecate, a tough D1 All American wrestler from Old Dominion. Got taken down and held down for three rounds. I am so grateful for that loss, I’m a true competitor. There’s nothing more in this world that I hate than that feeling. I learned and evolved my wrestling/grappling game leaps and bounds from that fight.

Who is your favorite fighter and why? Jose Aldo, master technician who showed the utmost respect for this craft and evolved time after time.

Beyond a championship or money, what motivates you? To be able to show my mom that every sacrifice that was made was not done in vain. To be able to go to my Dads grave and place a world title where he lay, cementing that the world knows how great the Delgado family is because they are. To be able to tell my future kids and grandkids that if you dedicate your all to something you can bring the most wildest of your dreams into fruition. To be able to tell that nervous shy 10 year old with a big dream that we did it.

Did you go to college and if so what degree did you earn? No, I was signed up for classes at my local college right after high school. A week before school was supposed to start, something in the pit of my stomach told me I had to move to Phoenix and commit fully to this dream.

What was your job before you started fighting? I’ve done so many jobs to get by. Installed insulation, warehouse jobs, hospital jobs, restaurant work, bouncer, garbage man. Just whatever it took to get to my training.

Personal Life / Background: I’m the son of immigrants chasing this American dream that they left everything they knew for. My pops would work three jobs to put food on the table for the 9 of us. Being the youngest of 7 kids, I got the opportunity to see them navigate life, make mistakes, rise, fall, rise again. My siblings have inspired me so much throughout the years. My dad and a few of his coworkers passed away in a car accident on their way to work when I was young. I wore his work jacket for all my previous fight walkouts to represent all the hard work and sacrifices it’s taken from my community to get me here. Being the best in the world is what I will accomplish to honor that hard work and sacrifice. 

My girlfriend and I are both from Yuma(we actually met way back when in middle school wrestling and reconnected last year) big on family and spending time with them and all the nieces and nephews. Don't have any pets yet but my lady is really pushing for racoons, hairless cats and multiple rats, I don't personally see how those dynamics will mesh well but we shall see... This may or may or not be my biggest battle of 2026. Jokes aside I'm extremely blessed to have the support system I do and love being able to represent them when I compete in that cage.