Athletes
Fernando Padilla Loves What He Does
Fernando Padilla Is Keen On Making His Way Up The Featherweight Ladder As He Approaches A High-Level Matchup In Tampa
They don’t make too many 6-foot-1 featherweights. That’s a physical gift Fernando Padilla embraces, knowing that practically every time he steps into the Octagon, he’ll have an advantage that makes him a tough puzzle for any opponent to figure out.
Not on Saturday, though. This weekend at Amalie Arena in Tampa, Padilla will be the shorter fighter in the Octagon when he meets up with the tallest featherweight in the UFC, 6-foot-2 ½ Sean Woodson. One would think that will be an issue, at least mentally, for “El Valiente.”
Nah.
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“Even though I lose that advantage, I know I still have the edge,” Padilla said. “That's the difference. I still have more weapons, and I still have a little bit more power. And I don't think his style is enough to stop everything that I have to offer.”
That’s not just hope, either, as Padilla was the shorter competitor on fight night before in a pro Muay Thai match in 2020.
“For that fight, the guy was six-four,” he recalls. “It was incredible because I remember coach was telling me, ‘Hey, this guy is really long; he's really dangerous. You're not going to just clip him.’ And I ended up knocking him out in the first round with a high kick.’”
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Sometimes, you’ve got to be the man in the arena and trust your instincts. But having an extra pair of eyes never hurts. This Saturday, like all the other Saturdays, Colin Oyama will be manning the corner for Padilla, but the Chihuahua native did get a recent taste of having his coach pants on when he cornered Roberto Romero, for his UFC debut against David Onama in Madison Square Garden.
It was a big night for Padilla, who dreams of fighting in the world’s most famous arena one day, and because his friend and roommate Romero was getting his shot in the big show.
“Robert and me come from the same hometown and we've been living together for the past five, six years, so, for me, he is really my little brother,” said Padilla. “And seeing him there and seeing him getting hit and hitting people, it obviously goes both ways. But I know he can handle himself. He's a great fighter. And you guys saw it.”
Romero did deliver an impressive and gritty effort on just days’ notice, and Padilla is understandably proud of him. That didn’t make watching the three-rounder any easier for him.
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“I didn't like to see him getting hit,” said Padilla. “And then at the end, I kind of got heated up when I jumped into the cage. But it's part of it. It's also experience for me and my first UFC corner. “It gets me more excited for my fight and I’m obviously ready to go.”
It was a good sign that Padilla was starting to get into fight mode. The physical end was already taken care of in the gym in Irvine. All that was left was the mental part, and that’s secure now, too. All that’s left is a fight that diehard fans are looking forward to as both featherweights make their case for a place in Top 15. That’s high stakes, but Padilla is just happy to get into a fight for the first time since his March submission of Luis Pajuelo. So he’s not stressed at all about the wait, because the wait is over.
“When I was younger, yes, I had a lot of distractions,” he said. “I wanted to do other stuff and you try to do more than just fighting. But I'm 27, and I already did all the dumb s**t that I could do back home in Chihuahua. (Laughs) I went out as many times as I could every weekend, hung out with my friends and got drunk already. So when I'm here (in Irvine), I'm just working and I'm excited because the work that I chose is what I told everyone that I was going to do for my entire life. And look at me, I'm doing it. I can't be sad for that. Obviously, it ain't easy. It is a rough sport, it's a rough life. But it would've been the same if I was in a nine-to-five and in an office all day. The only difference is that I would be hating myself right now. (Laughs) I love what I do and I love how I'm doing it and it's just question of continuing to get better.”
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Padilla is getting better and in just three UFC fights, there are already high expectations for him in one of the sport’s toughest divisions. As for what’s next, he’s a man with a plan for 2025.
“Get in the rankings and start chopping,” he said. “All the way down to number one and get in position for a title shot. I've been saying it for a long time and I'm saying it all the time: I'm not here to be another fighter; I wanted to be here to be a champion. I have a goal; I have guys that I want to fight and they're in the Top 10. Those are the guys that I want to prove myself against and I want to test myself with and I'm ready. I just need to go and show it this time with Sean, put all my effort in it and give you guys a good fight.”
UFC Fight Night: Covington vs Buckley took place live from Amalie Arena in Tampa, Florida on December 14, 2024. See the final Prelim & Main Card Results, Official Scorecards and Who Won Bonuses - and relive the action on UFC FIGHT PASS!
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