Santiago Luna
Career Averages
Win Methods (2)
Fight History
Expert Picks (8)
The host picks Bryce Mitchell but is hesitant, acknowledging that Luna is a solid striker and could win if the fight stays on the feet. However, he believes Mitchell's jiu-jitsu and chain wrestling will be the difference, as Luna's wrestling might not be enough to handle Mitchell's submission sequences. He notes that Mitchell has been preparing for this fight while Luna is on short notice, and that the step up in competition might be too big for Luna.
AJ picks Luna by knockout, viewing him as a bad stylistic matchup for Mitchell. He believes Luna's wrestling base will neutralize Mitchell's takedowns, and Luna's superior striking power and speed will lead to a KO. AJ notes Mitchell's striking hasn't improved and Luna's recent 15-minute fight experience is a plus.
Angelo picks Santiago Luna despite the short notice, believing Luna is the more talented fighter with excellent wrestling, good striking, and solid grappling. He trusts Luna's ability to scramble and defend takedowns. However, he is worried about the short notice, which is why the bet isn't large. He bet on Luna at +155.
Big Brady picks Bryce Mitchell to win by decision, but he is hesitant. He was surprised Mitchell isn't a bigger favorite and notes Luna's impressive takedown defense and wrestling background. He thinks Mitchell needs to take Luna down to win, but it may not be easy. He believes it's a levels fight and Luna is stepping up too soon.
Bryce Mitchell will likely take Santiago Luna down and grind out a decision, as he did against Dan Ige and Saygid. Luna has a knockout win over Quang Le but Mitchell's takedowns should neutralize him. Mitchell's chin is a concern, but he should avoid getting boomed.
Bryce Mitchell is picked because his wrestling and grappling are superior to Santiago Luna's. Luna is a solid boxer but gassed in his last fight and is taking this on short notice. Mitchell's black belt and top pressure should allow him to control the fight, though his chin is a concern. The host expects a unanimous decision or late submission, as Luna may fade.
Mitchell's wrestling and top control are elite, and Luna took the fight on short notice. Luna may have success in the first round, but Mitchell will grind him down with takedowns and win a decision.
Luna is a special prospect with Greco-Roman wrestling background and fluid striking. He has superior striking and cardio compared to Mitchell, who is a liability on the feet. Luna should stuff takedowns and eventually knock Mitchell out in round 2 or 3. The line has moved from +150 to +120, indicating public agreement.
Totals
| Fighter | KD | Sig. Str. | Sig. Str. % | Total Str. | TD | TD % | Sub. Att | Rev. | Ctrl |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Santiago Luna | 0 | 131 of 227 | 57% | 155 of 257 | 5 of 5 | 100% | 1 | 0 | 3:23 |
| Angel Pacheco | 0 | 56 of 216 | 25% | 77 of 238 | 1 of 1 | 100% | 0 | 0 | 0:43 |
Per Round
| Rd | Fighter | KD | Sig. Str. | Sig. Str. % | Total Str. | TD | TD % | Sub. Att | Rev. | Ctrl |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Santiago Luna | 0 | 26 of 56 | 46% | 31 of 61 | 2 of 2 | 100% | 0 | 0 | 0:50 |
| Angel Pacheco | 0 | 25 of 74 | 33% | 26 of 75 | 0 of 0 | --- | 0 | 0 | 0:00 | |
| 2 | Santiago Luna | 0 | 56 of 92 | 60% | 63 of 103 | 2 of 2 | 100% | 0 | 0 | 1:31 |
| Angel Pacheco | 0 | 14 of 68 | 20% | 23 of 77 | 0 of 0 | --- | 0 | 0 | 0:00 | |
| 3 | Santiago Luna | 0 | 49 of 79 | 62% | 61 of 93 | 1 of 1 | 100% | 1 | 0 | 1:02 |
| Angel Pacheco | 0 | 17 of 74 | 22% | 28 of 86 | 1 of 1 | 100% | 0 | 0 | 0:43 |
Significant Strikes
| Fighter | Sig. Str. | Sig. Str. % | Head | Body | Leg | Distance | Clinch | Ground |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Santiago Luna | 131 of 227 | 57% | 97 of 176 | 30 of 47 | 4 of 4 | 102 of 190 | 24 of 32 | 5 of 5 |
| Angel Pacheco | 56 of 216 | 25% | 41 of 195 | 13 of 19 | 2 of 2 | 52 of 210 | 4 of 6 | 0 of 0 |
Significant Strikes Per Round
| Rd | Fighter | Sig. Str. | Sig. Str. % | Head | Body | Leg | Distance | Clinch | Ground |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Santiago Luna | 26 of 56 | 46% | 15 of 34 | 9 of 20 | 2 of 2 | 16 of 42 | 9 of 13 | 1 of 1 |
| Angel Pacheco | 25 of 74 | 33% | 20 of 68 | 3 of 4 | 2 of 2 | 24 of 72 | 1 of 2 | 0 of 0 | |
| 2 | Santiago Luna | 56 of 92 | 60% | 44 of 77 | 11 of 14 | 1 of 1 | 46 of 79 | 6 of 9 | 4 of 4 |
| Angel Pacheco | 14 of 68 | 20% | 7 of 59 | 7 of 9 | 0 of 0 | 12 of 65 | 2 of 3 | 0 of 0 | |
| 3 | Santiago Luna | 49 of 79 | 62% | 38 of 65 | 10 of 13 | 1 of 1 | 40 of 69 | 9 of 10 | 0 of 0 |
| Angel Pacheco | 17 of 74 | 22% | 14 of 68 | 3 of 6 | 0 of 0 | 16 of 73 | 1 of 1 | 0 of 0 |
Play-by-Play
View on SherdogBETTING PREVIEW | SCOUTING REPORT | ODDS: Luna (-425); Pacheco (+325)
Round 1
To kick off the main card, a pair of bantamweights with 100% finish rates square off. Repping the host nation, Luna (7-0, 1-0 UFC) firmly has the crowd on his side. He meets Minnesota native Pacheco (7-3, 0-1 UFC), who earned a contract off DWCS despite losing, and went on to drop his debut as well. Betting lines are appropriately lopsided in Luna’s favor. Referee Fernando Salas Navarro does not need to know the odds to do his job, and he stands guard for what is about to happen next. The fighters clap their hands together prior to engaging.
Luna gets his boxing going early, prodding Pacheco with his jab. Pacheco answers with a few of his own, and strings a trio of punches behind the jab to get Luna’s respect early. Luna backs him off with a front kick and a few body shots, and he even fakes a level change to keep Pacheco honest. Luna swats out when Pacheco closes in and grabs the back of his head, but he lets it go so he can trade more hands. Luna jams his foot on the belly, and he chains several punches into knees as he works the body. They both toss out low kicks, and Pacheco splits the guard with a strong jab. Luna scores a right hand, digs a kick to the body and changes levels to strip Pacheco’s feet away beneath him. The Minnesotan bounces back to his feet, where Luna controls him in the clinch as he frames off the face with his palm.
Pacheco fires off a one-two as he presses the action, and Luna meets him in the middle and scores a knee to the belly. Luna keeps pawing out his jab when there is a lull, and Pacheco thumps his inner thigh with a kick. Pacheco drives home an uppercut that Luna no-sells, and Luna swings a right hand on the temple and catches him a second time with a right hook as Pacheco’s legs go stiff for a second. Luna unleashes a torrent of strikes as Pacheco is stunned from the strikes, with Luna’s body shots already having an impact as Pacheco’s guard drops to protect his gut. Luna completes and easy double in the open cage, and Pacheco hits his back and sets up an armbar that forces Luna back to his feet. Pacheco flips to his knees to explode up, and Luna fires off a head kick at him that bangs into the gloves. Pacheco sneaks in a jump knee when Luna is about to change levels, and they both let fly big punches. Luna knocks Pacheco off his feet before the bell with a sweeping left hook, although it may have been a slip.
Sherdog Scores
Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Luna
Christian Stein scores the round: 10-9 Luna
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Luna
Round 2
Pacheco comes out of his corner no worse for wear, and Luna immediately stalks him down behind his jab. He follows his jabs with right hands and knees to the gut, and when Pacheco backs off, Luna targets the midsection with a kick. Pacheco digs his own left to the liver, but his volume significantly trails that of his opponent’s. Luna telegraphs a double, and Pacheco defends it and is forced to take a knee. Luna welcomes this by taking the back, and Pacheco blocks the hooks from getting in so Luna spins around to establish himself on top with Pacheco trying for butterfly hooks. The American considers an armbar again, but he is not in the right place to pull it off. Pacheco uses upkicks to push Luna away and stand back up, and he is met with a thumping knee to the abdomen. Luna drills his foe with two more knees, one to the stomach and one to the jaw, and Pacheco pushes him away and resets. Luna goes to the head and body, whiffing with a monstrous uppercut that would have knocked out a much larger man.
Luna strikes the body in the midst of his fluid combinations, and his jab has marked up the bridge of Pacheco’s nose. Luna lets fly a fast one-two and sets a knee behind it, and Pacheco stumbles back but is still in the fight. Luna chops at the front leg and is backed off with jabs, leading both men to attack the body. Pacheco tries for his own body shot, and Luna knocks him back with a right hand and then raises his arms to have Pacheco throw down with him. Luna stalks Pacheco down and unloads with a flurry, and he transitions to grappling and tries to hit a suplex rather than getting things done on the feet. Pacheco sells out for an armbar, so Luna presses his weight down to thwart it. Pacheco stands and blocks the knee he knows is coming, and he loops a left hand around the guard and gets popped with an overhand right. Pacheco uses a modified Philly shell to block when Luna lets go with combinations, and the two bang it out to the horn.
Sherdog Scores
Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Luna
Christian Stein scores the round: 10-9 Luna
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Luna
Round 3
Luna scurries to the middle of the cage to start off in the final round, and he proceeds to let loose a combination of punches to the head and body. Pacheco counters him on the way back and dislodges the undefeated fighter’s mouthguard, and Salas retrieves it for him. Pacheco breaks off to get a modicum of space, lumbering forward with reaching punches and tossing out the occasional off-speed uppercut to catch Luna standing still. Luna swings far more furiously, and his knees are starting to have an impact as Pacheco nearly doubles over when absorbing one. Luna chains his punches together with ease, and Pacheco loads up on his counters as his volume is falling to one or two at a time. Luna backs him off with salvos of punches, and he ducks down to dodge a counter and complete a takedown. Pacheco’s upkicks keep Luna from establishing himself on top, and he is aware that a knee is coming when standing so he defends it. Luna gets right back in Pacheco’s face with his hands, resulting in a clinch as he bullies Pacheco to the wall.
With his back to the wall, Pacheco offers up a knee or two, but Luna is firmly in the driver’s seat. Pacheco’s swings rebound off the guard, and Luna splits it and slams a kick on the lead leg. Pacheco lowers himself down as if to take the fight down, and Luna snatches up his neck and jumps guard to hit a guillotine choke. Like most of Dustin Poirier’s attempts over the years, Luna fails to snare him in the submission, and he winds up on his back. Luna defends from most of the strikes that Pacheco hurls at him and smacks Pacheco in the face with an illegal upkick. Pacheco motions to Salas, who apparently did not see anything even though he was looking right at them, and they fight on. Luna walks forward without fear to let go with combos of punches and knees, and Pacheco is tough as a two-dollar steak and throws back with a vengeance. Luna tees off on the Minnesotan, nails him with a jump knee and connects with a looping right at the sound of the horn. It was one-way traffic, but it did go the distance.
Sherdog Scores
Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Luna (30-27 Luna)
Christian Stein scores the round: 10-9 Luna (30-27 Luna)
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Luna (30-27 Luna)
The Official Result
Santiago Luna def. Angel Pacheco via Unanimous Decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)
Expert Picks (11)
Angelo picks Santiago Luna as the better fighter, citing his athleticism, speed, and technique. He acknowledges Angel Pacheco's toughness and volume but believes Luna's superior skills will prevail. His only concern is Luna's lack of decision experience, as he has mostly finished fights early, but he still expects Luna to win.
Big Brady picks Santiago Luna, describing him as all offense and no defense but with more power and grappling upside than Angel Pacheco. He notes Pacheco has even worse defense and has been out for a while. Brady predicts a barn burner and expects Luna to knock out Pacheco in the second round.
Cody agrees Luna should win but warns about his inexperience and potential nerves. He notes Pacheco's high volume and durability, and suggests live betting or the KO prop rather than the heavy moneyline.
Connor also picks Luna, noting that Pacheco is a hard worker but simply not a UFC-level athlete. He points out that Luna has fast hands and power, and while his technical game needs work, he has been able to dominate lesser athletes. Connor expects Luna to beat Pacheco up, possibly with a finish.
Daniel does not discuss this fight in the transcript.
The host is strongly considering betting Pacheco because the odds are absurdly wide. He notes that Luna is very average and Pacheco is tough on the feet, but Pacheco gives up cheap takedowns and has been inactive for two years. The host wants to see how Pacheco weighs in before deciding. He believes Pacheco has a better than 18% chance of winning, making him a tempting value bet.
James is a big fan of Luna, calling him a top prospect with elite wrestling and power. He notes Pacheco's poor defense and tendency to take damage, predicting Luna will finish him. James expects Luna to win decisively.
The host is very confident in Santiago Luna, calling him far superior everywhere. He notes Luna's wrestling background, finishing ability, and youth (21). He expects Luna to finish Pacheco inside the distance, either by KO or submission. He is surprised the line is only -450 and expects it to balloon to -900 by fight time.
Paul believes Luna will knock out Pacheco, citing Pacheco's high volume of strikes absorbed and history of being knocked down. He likes Luna's youth and aggression, and recommends the KO prop at +160 rather than the moneyline.
The MMA Guru picks Santiago Luna, noting his solid wins including a TKO over Kwang Lee in his debut. He mentions that Luna is a very good prospect with wicked striking and is a massive favorite at -700. He believes Luna should easily win, though he struggles to remember details about his opponent Angel Pacheco, who lost to Caolan Loughran.
Zane picks Luna because Pacheco is not athletic enough for the UFC. He notes that Pacheco was outboxed by Colin Loughran, who is not a top athlete, and Luna is faster and more powerful. Luna's hand speed and combinations will overwhelm Pacheco, who has shown he cannot handle fast strikers.
Totals
| Fighter | KD | Sig. Str. | Sig. Str. % | Total Str. | TD | TD % | Sub. Att | Rev. | Ctrl |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Santiago Luna | 2 | 15 of 40 | 37% | 17 of 42 | 0 of 1 | 0% | 0 | 0 | 0:47 |
| Quang Le | 0 | 12 of 24 | 50% | 13 of 25 | 0 of 1 | 0% | 0 | 0 | 0:07 |
Per Round
| Rd | Fighter | KD | Sig. Str. | Sig. Str. % | Total Str. | TD | TD % | Sub. Att | Rev. | Ctrl |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Santiago Luna | 2 | 15 of 40 | 37% | 17 of 42 | 0 of 1 | 0% | 0 | 0 | 0:47 |
| Quang Le | 0 | 12 of 24 | 50% | 13 of 25 | 0 of 1 | 0% | 0 | 0 | 0:07 |
Significant Strikes
| Fighter | Sig. Str. | Sig. Str. % | Head | Body | Leg | Distance | Clinch | Ground |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Santiago Luna | 15 of 40 | 37% | 13 of 38 | 1 of 1 | 1 of 1 | 9 of 33 | 3 of 3 | 3 of 4 |
| Quang Le | 12 of 24 | 50% | 9 of 19 | 3 of 4 | 0 of 1 | 10 of 22 | 2 of 2 | 0 of 0 |
Significant Strikes Per Round
| Rd | Fighter | Sig. Str. | Sig. Str. % | Head | Body | Leg | Distance | Clinch | Ground |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Santiago Luna | 15 of 40 | 37% | 13 of 38 | 1 of 1 | 1 of 1 | 9 of 33 | 3 of 3 | 3 of 4 |
| Quang Le | 12 of 24 | 50% | 9 of 19 | 3 of 4 | 0 of 1 | 10 of 22 | 2 of 2 | 0 of 0 |
Play-by-Play
View on SherdogBETTING PREVIEW | SCOUTING REPORT | ODDS: Luna (-125); Le (+105)
Round 1
Mike Beltran is the referee. Le drops Luna with a jab right away, and a head kick makes Luna stumble shortly thereafter. It’s a rude wakeup call for the debuting Luna. A heavy one-two lands for Le. Luna is still fighting, as he shoots for a double leg and shoves Le into the fence. Le turns off the fence and lands a knee. Luna reverses the position and they continue to battle. Le is able to break free and fires off a jab. A left hook lands for Le. Le changes levels and lands a knee in the clinch. More heavy punches connect for Le. Luna moves forward behind hooks. A leg kick lands for the Mexican. They trade in the pocket and this time it’s Luna who drops Le with a left hook. The Vietnamese fighter is up , and they trade wildly against the fence.
Luna unloads with more heavy shots and Le falls to his back. The crowd goes nuts as Luna polishes off his victory with a standing hammerfist on his dazed adversary — a perfect nail in the coffin that dribbles Le’s head off the canvas.
What a rally for the 21-year-old Tijuana native, who is the second-youngest male fighter on the UFC roster.
The Official Result
Santiago Luna def. Quang Le via KO (Punches) R1 2:48
Expert Picks (6)
Angelo picks Santiago Luna, calling him 'Border Boy' and the physical embodiment of the Mexican fighting spirit. He notes Luna is tough, athletic, with an incredible chin, and can strike and grapple. He says off tape alone, Luna wins, but acknowledges he only has six fights against nobodies. He is confident because he has seen Luna in trouble and he pushed through, unlike many undefeated prospects who fold. He says he'll keep an eye on line movement and might sprinkle.
Big Brady picks Luna because he is more durable and hits harder than Le. He notes Luna has a wrestling background but is willing to brawl, while Le has been knocked out before and reacted poorly to shots. He predicts Luna wins by second-round knockout.
Connor picks Quang Le, emphasizing Le's wrestling-heavy approach that will exploit Luna's lack of defensive wrestling experience. He notes that Le's fear of striking exchanges will drive him to take Luna down repeatedly. Connor acknowledges Luna's potential but believes he is being pushed too fast and will struggle against a determined wrestler.
Luna comes from a wrestling background and the host expects him to get to his wrestling easily. Even if he can't control Le for long, his power striking should do the talking, leading to a win on the scorecards.
The MMA Guru leans towards Santiago Luna in his debut, noting he is well-rounded and undefeated at 6-0. He contrasts Luna with Quang Le, who he sees as a pure striker/kickboxer who beat a slow Gaston Bolaños. He admits it's hard to tell but goes with Luna.
Zane picks Quang Le, citing Le's wrestling fallback and ability to take down and control opponents. He notes that Luna is a raw prospect with attitudinal skills but no refinement, and Le's determination to wrestle will likely overwhelm Luna. Zane acknowledges Luna's power and aggression but believes Le's experience and game plan will prevail.
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