EL PASO, Texas (KTSM) — Two youth El Paso mixed martial arts prospects are gearing up to compete for a world title at the International MMA Federation’s World Championships in Abu Dhabi in August,.
Dania Posada, age 16, became the first National Youth MMA champion to come out of the Sun City, after winning the national title in her category at the United States Fight League Youth MMA national championships, thereby punching her ticket to Abu Dhabi.
Sonny Perez, 17, placed second in his category at the national championships, and also earned a spot to compete in Abu Dhabi. The national championships took place in Temecula, California.
Posada and Perez will have a shot at winning a world title by representing USA’s youth MMA team, and participate in the biggest stage of their amateur careers yet.
“It’s a big thing going to a place where they support the MMA sport a lot. So it’s going to boost me up in my career and I’m going to get the best of the best out there,” Posada said.
“I definitely want to come back with a belt, go out, represent the USA, but most importantly, represent El Paso, and hopefully prove to myself that I have come a long way, especially since I first started,” Perez said.
Both have aspirations of becoming professional MMA fighters in the UFC, and have competed in youth MMA matches in Mexico and across the United States, but this exposure opportunity arrives as they approach 18 years of age, when they would be eligible to compete professionally in MMA in the United States, where their exposure is more limited.
“She (Posada) was competing here and there. She has an undefeated record in Juarez in MMA. Here in the United States, it is still very taboo, so we signed with the US Fight League who help the (youth in MMA) achieve their goals,” said Pablo Posada, who’s Dania’s brother and also helps coach her.
MMA is a rapidly-growing sport, and both Posada and Perez found their way into it through instances of bullying.
Posada’s brother was bullied as a kid, so she joined the Bushido MMA gym out of El Paso with him to learn self-defense.
When she participated in her first youth tournament, she began developing a love and passion for the sport that now extends beyond the mere fun of practicing it.
“Something there (her first tournament) told me, ‘OK, keep going, keep coming, so I think it sparked a fire,’” Posada said. “It’s a little nerve-wracking because you’re going from doing this for fun to taking it more seriously, and (realizing), ‘I have to get my stuff together.’ I have to do good. I have to make sure I’m taking training seriously, (monitor) what I eat. Just make sure that everything that you’re doing is correct and you have no doubts.”
Perez said he was bullied in school for being overweight, and joined Bushido MMA to learn self-defense after he was jumped by multiple kids when he defended himself from one of his aggressors.
Six years into his MMA journey, Perez has undergone a significant transformation and developed a passion for the sport.
“Right now, I’m walking around 180 (pounds). I first started at 12 years old (weighing) 240 (pounds), so I was a big 12 year old,” Perez said. “Once I fell in love with the sport, I knew I wanted to compete, so I had to cut down. When I first started out, I was just competing purely with full grown men, and now thankfully I’m competing with kids my age.”
The IMMAF World Championships in Abu Dhabi will happen from Aug. 8-11.
Posada and Perez are still seeking financial support for their trip to Abu Dhabi next month.
Perez is accepting donations through his mother’s Cash Ap: $Christy2507
Meanwhile, Posada is also taking donations through her father’s Cash App: $MPRgolo
She is also selling T-Shirts with her fighting nickname “La Guanakita.” You can find a link to the page here: https://www.doghouseprintco.com/product-page/dania-la-guanakita-posada-s-fight-shirt
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