Sosa signs with UFC after his father’s death: an example of resilience

Hecher Sosa Signs with UFC After an Unmatched Character Test

Spanish bantamweight fighter Hecher Sosa has secured a contract with the UFC after his outstanding performance on “Dana White’s Contender Series” this Tuesday, an even more impressive achievement considering the personal circumstances he faced. Sosa (14-1) defeated Mackson Lee (9-1) by unanimous decision in the main event of the “Contender Series” held in Las Vegas. This victory comes less than 72 hours after the death of his father. The 30-year-old fighter decided to go ahead with the fight despite the tragic news received on Sunday morning. His father was battling cancer, a disease that also took his sister a year ago.

I can’t speak to my father today, but he is the reason I am here. He is the reason I am the man I am, and I will continue to represent him.

Hecher Sosa

Sosa, originally from Arrecife, Spain, revealed that he learned of his father’s death while in the process of cutting weight for the fight at 135 pounds. In an Instagram post, he shared that he doubted whether his father would see him compete, but finally came to the conclusion that his father had told him: “Son, don’t worry, we started this together and we will finish it together.”

Hecher Sosa learned about his father’s passing on Sunday while preparing for the Contender Series fight against Mackson Lee. Sosa dominated the three-round fight against Lee, which led White to offer him a contract with the UFC immediately.

I respect your determination, your resilience, everything you’ve been through in your life. I’m going to give you the opportunity to fulfill the promises you made to your family.

Dana White

Sosa has not known defeat since May 2022. Of his 14 professional victories, nine have been by knockout or submission.