Athletes
Yadier del Valle | No Fear
Undefeated Featherweight Exudes Confidence Ahead Of Sophomore Appearance
The present and forthcoming generation of talent descending upon the UFC is built differently than their predecessors, and not just physically or in terms of the skills they bring to the table, either.
Sure, current athletes are, broadly speaking, bigger, stronger and faster, and we’re more than a decade removed from a time where specialists were capable of thriving at the highest level of the sport, but it also feels like there has been a shift in the way the fighters working their way onto the roster carry themselves in a different way as well.
They know they belong and conduct themselves accordingly — not with the false bravado and loudness of someone performatively telling you they’re good when they’re really trying to convince themselves, but with the nonchalance of someone who never questioned for a moment that they could compete at this level.
“I’ve been really happy and full of joy this year,” began Yadier del Valle, one of those first-year fighters who just oozes comfort and a sense of belonging. “To be in this great company — I wanted to be here since I was a kid, and the fact that I’m here makes me really happy.
“I’m training every day, I’m getting better every day, and I’m working on my striking, my wrestling, my jiu jitsu. Just trying to get better and evolve and grow in this company.”
The undefeated 29-year-old is part of the impressive graduating class from Season 8 of Dana White’s Contender Series, a group that has, on the whole, had a tremendous first year competing on the biggest stage in the sport.
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After earning his contract last October, del Valle debuted in May, dispatching Connor Matthews in less than three minutes to push his record to 9-0 and landing him a solid step up in competition on Saturday night against Isaac Dulgarian. And as good as he’s been thus far, “The Cuban Problem” said that the best is very much yet to come.
“We turned it up a notch in the gym as far as time is concerned as well, but I don’t think you’ve seen the best of me yet,” offered del Valle, who trains under Houston staple Kru Bob Perez at Main Street Boxing and Muay Thai. “I haven’t been able to showcase the skills and evolution because if you think about my Contender Series fight, that was pure striking, and then we went to a debut that was pretty quick.
Yadier Del Valle Submits Connor Matthews In Round 1 | UFC Fight Night: Burns vs Morales
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Yadier Del Valle Submits Connor Matthews In Round 1 | UFC Fight Night: Burns vs Morales
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“Now I feel that I am a complete fighter. I do have very good wrestling, I’m great with takedown defense, and I’m not afraid of stepping into any part of the game. I think that makes me a complete fighter and you’re going to see more of that as you see more of me in the Octagon.
“I’m feeling good and feeling like I belong here,” he added. “I feel like I’ve always been a part of this. The work has been put in — I trust God and I trust the work that I’ve put in, so I come into this week knowing the hard work has already been put in, and now it’s just the process of being here.”
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However, Dulgarian is sure to have something to say.
Fighting for the first time in just over a year, the 29-year-old Kansas native returns looking to rekindle the buzz that first accompanied him into the UFC when he arrived as an unbeaten prospect with a string of first-round stoppage wins. He scored a first-round stoppage win over Francis Marshall in his debut, and that victory was followed by a debated split decision loss to prospect killer Christian Rodriguez before Dulgarian bounced back with a second-round submission victory over Brendon Marotte last September.
“I like these fights,” del Valle said. “I like these fights against fighters that are experienced, that come from good gyms, fighters that have had success. We only live one life, and I like to take on challenges. I like to take on opportunities as well, because you never know about tomorrow.
“I think Isaac Dulgarian is up for his toughest fight because I’m not afraid,” he continued. “I’m not gonna just stand there and be taken down to the ground. I have good wrestling, good takedown defense, and I have very good jiu jitsu, so I think that he is up for a challenge and his toughest fight yet.
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“I’m not afraid of anything he brings to the table.”
Again, it’s confidence and self-belief without straying into conceited territory; he’s expressing the truth as he sees it, the reality he believes will be on display this weekend without making a whole deal of it.
And if things go according to the way del Valle envisions, we’ll not only see that play out inside the Octagon on Saturday, but hopefully multiple times in 2026 as well.
“I think you will see the work I’ve put in reflected in the Octagon,” he said. “The dedication, the hard work, the discipline since my amateur career — you can see that now. God-willing we win this fight on Saturday, we come out with a good win (to end the year), ready to go to the gym as soon as possible to be ready for another year.
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“For 2026, I see myself as someone that is — God-willing, in good health, no injuries— a very active fighter; three, four, five fights throughout the year,” added the undefeated hopeful. “To have the opportunity to fight in a numbered event for the UFC would be another dream come true.”
With just one appearance under his belt and a second on the horizon, del Valle speaks more like a seasoned veteran than a first-year talent still trying to establish himself and carve out a path forward in the talent-rich 145-pound weight class.
He knows he belongs, and so he sees no reason to parse his words and not simply express his truth.
“Continue to train, continue to work hard, and continue to be ready for whatever challenges come up,” he said, rounding out his thoughts on the future. “Here, we don’t fear anyone or any time.
“It doesn’t matter — we’ll fight; we’re not here to say ‘no’ to anyone.”
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