Dubai: UFC star Santiago Ponzinibbio has paid tribute to Argentinian football legend Diego Maradona saying he hopes to do his bit to lift sporting spirits back home in Argentina with a win against China’s Li Jingliang at UFC Fight Island in Abu Dhabi.
Ponzinibbio appeared at Friday’s face-off at the Etihad Arena holding a poster of Maradona, who died on November 25, 2020 aged 60, with the word ‘Forever’ emblazoned on it.
The Argentine welterweight will be making his first appearance inside the UFC octagon since his fourth-round knockout of Neil Magny back in November 2018. Since that win, a he has battled injury after injury but has bounced back to full fitness for his Fight Island debut.
Ponzinibbio hailed Maradona’s greatest and admitted that he will never be able to emulate the football superstar but he will hope to do his bit to lift sporting spirits back home with a win at UFC Fight Island.
