PUEBLO, Colorado (KRDO) – Nico Cornejo will fight for One 168 on Sept. 6 in Denver after becoming the first Pueblo fighter to sign with a major sports promotion. It’s been a long journey for the soon-to-be 35-year-old father of five.
“I grew up in public housing and moved around a lot without having much,” Cornejo said. “My father was in and out of prison when I was young. I was able to escape that lifestyle.”
Cornejo, who still works as a laborer in Pueblo and previously worked as a correctional officer, said his father meant everything to him and still does after his death two years ago.
“I wanted to get better. I wanted to get better for my children, and I did that. I learned a lot from my father before he died, and I miss him every day,” Cornejo said.
Cornejo said he came into Denver as an underdog and is fighting to make his family and his city proud.
“I was born and raised here. I love my city. I love the people here,” Cornejo said. “We’re not often in the news for positive things considering how our city has evolved. So I want to take this opportunity and use my platform to hopefully inspire our young generation. And hopefully this is a stepping stone. This is a platform that I can use to pave the way for young athletes in Pueblo.”
Cornejo’s fight at Ball Arena will be his debut in One Championship, the largest global MMA fighting organization. He will face 18-year-old Adrian Lee, who comes from a respected Singaporean MMA family. The event begins at 6 p.m. Cornejo and Lee are the third fight.
