Santiago Ponzinibbio on His Fight with Mike Perry: ‘I Am on Another Level’
Santiago Ponzinibbio knew when he signed on to fight Mike Perry that he was going to have to hear from his opponent quite often before actually stepping into the cage together.
Perry is best known for his vicious punching power but he’s also earned a reputation for speaking his mind, especially when it comes to the fighters he’s about to face inside the Octagon.
It’s been no different in the lead up to the fight on Saturday night at UFC on FOX 26 as Perry has already pulled out all the stops with a full on verbal assault aimed at Ponzinibbio, but thankfully for the Argentinean knockout artist, he learned how to tune out trash talk a long time ago.
Rather than try to get into an exchange of words with Perry during interviews or even face offs on stage, Ponzinibbio will do all the talking necessary with his fists.
“Some people talk s–t just to get attention but I don’t do this. My fight is talking for me,” Ponzinibbio said ahead of his bout with Perry. “All my fights are exciting fight. I have 13 fights with Zuffa, four fights in [The Ultimate Fighter] and nine fights in the UFC, all my fights are exciting.
“I don’t need to talk s–t. I don’t like it. I fight and all my fights are good fights. That’s what people want.”
There could be an argument made that Ponzinibbio is actually taking a step down by facing Perry after earning a knockout over a top 10 ranked fighter in his last bout against Gunnar Nelson.
Of course, styles make fights and the UFC is banking on these two strikers putting on a show for the crowd in Canada so it’s no secret why Ponzinibbio got matched up with Perry in the first place.
Some fighters might take it as a slight to go from facing top 10 competition to somebody not even ranked, but Ponzinibbio prefers to just fight whoever the UFC throws at him because each win will just move him that much closer towards his ultimate goal to become champion.
“I have five wins in a row. I’ve beaten very good guys. I’ve finished three of those fights by knockout in the very first round,” Ponzinibbio said. “My last opponent was top 10 in the world. I am ready for anybody in this division.
“They tell me to fight, I fight. This is a very good division. I’m ready for everything.”
As far as what to expect in this matchup, Ponzinibbio knows that Perry hits hard and swings for the fences with every punch he throws.
There’s little doubt that if Perry connects flush, no fighter in the welterweight division would be immune from hitting the canvas if caught with that kind of power.
For all the attention Perry gets for his knockouts, Ponzinibbio truly believes his striking is just superior in every way, shape and form and he plans on proving that when they step into the cage together.
“He has knockout power. I have knockout power. I’ve got very good kicks. I’m more polished. I feel like I’m better at everything,” Ponzinibbio said.
“I am on another level. My level is different. My knockouts are different and people will see on Dec. 16.”
