Athletes
Rafa Garcia Aims For Statement Finish In Mexico City
Lightweight Rafa Garcia Makes First UFC Trip To Mexico To Challenge Vinc Pichel At UFC Fight Night: Moreno vs Erceg On Saturday, March 29
Rafa Garcia will be one of several athletes representing Mexico this Saturday when UFC returns to Mexico City for UFC Fight Night: Moreno vs Erceg.
It will be his first time walking to the Octagon on Mexican soil since signing with the promotion in 2021. In three short years, Garcia’s fought eight times under the UFC banner, all in the United States.
Full UFC Mexico Fight Card Preview
Fight nights in Mexico have historically featured some of the most electrifying crowds, providing the perfect platform for athletes to showcase their skills and gain the attention of fans. Garcia hopes that a statement victory inside Arena CDMX will do just that for his career, as he looks to get back to winning ways on Saturday.
“It’s my people,” Garcia said. “I’m Mexican, and I just want to put on a show for them. I feel like that’s going to put me to the next level. Going out there and getting a finish, that’s going to put me at a whole different level.”
Last time out, Garcia suffered his first loss in two years when he was stopped by Grant Dawson in the second round at UFC Fight Night: Royval vs Taira. But with every loss comes a lesson, which Garcia identified and worked on all fight camp in preparation for UFC Mexico opponent Vinc Pichel.
“The main thing I learned from that fight, I just need to go and do my thing, and don’t be waiting to see what they’re going to do or for them to get tired,” Garcia said. “Eventually we’re both going to be tired, and I need to be the best fighter in there while being tired.”
FOLLOW @UFCNEWS: On Facebook | On Instagram | On X | On Threads
Athletes competing in Mexico City are no strangers to elevation fatigue. At over 7,000 feet, the location requires fighters to reach their peak physical fitness if they want to perform at their best.
“We’ve done a lot of altitude simulation because of the altitude here in Mexico City,” Garcia said. “We were working that back in LA, going up the mountains. We did a week in the UFC Performance Institute doing the elevation capsule, and then we came here three weeks before the fight.”
Garcia has gone the extra mile to ensure he’s in optimal condition come Saturday night, including leaving his family to come to Mexico early to adapt to the local conditions. While a difficult decision to make, the absence of his family has pushed him harder than ever before to ensure he makes his loved ones proud.
This weekend, Garcia faces 11-fight UFC veteran Pichel. The 42-year-old made his UFC debut in 2012 and is currently riding a two-fight losing streak with defeats to Ismael Bonfim in 2024 and Mark Madsen in 2022. Despite the poor run of form as of late, Garcia recognizes the challenge in front of him.
TICKETS: UFC 314 In Miami | UFC 315 In Montreal
“He’s got a lot of experience; he’s been in the company for a while now,” Garcia said. “I respect him a lot. The best way to show respect to someone like him is by training hard and giving him the best version of myself.”
“I’m going in there to finish.”
UFC Fight Night: Moreno vs Erceg took place live from Arena CDMX in Mexico City on March 29, 2025. See the final Prelim & Main Card Results, Official Scorecards and Who Won Bonuses - and relive the action on UFC FIGHT PASS!
Tags