Meet the UFC's new friendly giant: Luis Francischinelli is 'weird' – and grateful
The UFC has a new tallest (and perhaps most wholesome) welterweight.
LAS VEGAS – A new friendly giant has emerged in the UFC welterweight division: Luis Francischinelli. The 6-foot-6, 7-1 fighter is not only grateful to be a UFC fighter but also a grateful father. One month ago, he was neither of these things. On Tuesday, he stood backstage at Meta APEX, his swollen hand gripping a UFC microphone, beaming with happiness.
"I still don't believe it," he told reporters. "I'm so happy to be part of the UFC right now. My dream is coming true. Right now, I'm living my dream." Francischinelli's impressive 6-foot-6 frame and heavy punches earned him a spot on the UFC roster. Despite his imposing size, he remains humble and grateful. "I can say that I'm weird," he joked.
"I'm tall, skinny, and I punch heavy. That's how they need to work." His journey to this point has been filled with sacrifices. His wife gave birth to their baby daughter just 25 days before the UFC call, and she had to return to the hospital for a procedure a few weeks later. However, Francischinelli's positive attitude and focus on his family kept him grounded.
"I didn't think about the fight," he admitted. "I was thinking about coming home and being with my family." Upon exiting the cage, he learned his wife was being discharged, and he received the much-needed news of being offered a UFC contract. "I'm so grateful because God put too much on me," he said. "He knows I will handle this because he did this."
Francischinelli's unwavering dedication to his dreams has led him to this point, and he's ready to close the year with a contract that will change his and his family's lives.
Written by urgent.news from Yahoo Sports's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
