Standing 6 feet 6 inches tall, Luis Francischinelli might just be the tallest welterweight in mixed martial arts today. His imposing size, nearly matching that of UFC heavyweight Alexander Volkov, combined with undeniable skill, has paved the way for a life-altering opportunity.
Francischinelli is set to make his fifth professional appearance this Friday, competing against Angelo Rivera Jr. at LFA 208 in Santa Cruz, California, aiming to keep his perfect 5-0 record intact. Before venturing into cagefighting, he was a kickboxer in Brazil, striving to establish his name on the local circuit. However, progress proved frustratingly slow, exacerbated by the limitations imposed by the COVID-19 pandemic.
At the age of 25, facing this stagnation, Francischinelli had a pivotal conversation with his wife. Together, they made the drastic decision to sell their car and motorcycle to finance a plane ticket to the United States. Seeking guidance, he messaged eight random individuals on Instagram to inquire about life in the U.S. The first person to respond offered immediate and emphatic encouragement: “Do it right now.”
True to his word, Francischinelli arrived in California just 45 days later, heading straight to the renowned Black House gym. Funds were critically low, but he managed to scrape together enough for basic accommodation and gym access. He shared his living quarters with two other individuals, including someone he described as “a bipolar man who became my friend and even loaned me money to buy a car.”
“It was a struggle,” Francischinelli recounted, “But God brought good people into my path.”
Among these supportive figures was Jorge Guimarães, a prominent manager representing elite UFC fighters like Alex Pereira and Alexandre Pantoja, alongside legends such as Anderson Silva, Lyoto Machida, and the Nogueira brothers. One of the high-caliber talents on his roster was Alexander Volkov, a top-ranked UFC heavyweight who was preparing for a fight against Ciryl Gane following a knockout victory over Alistair Overeem. Volkov needed sparring partners who could provide tough rounds, and the exceptionally tall newcomer from Brazil was selected.
“But he was a heavyweight, and I weighed around 180 pounds,” Francischinelli explained. “I’m tall, but that’s about it in terms of comparable size. They just said, ‘Go in there and spar with him.’ I remember thinking, ‘My God!’ But I agreed, ‘Yeah, sure, I’ll go.’ I stepped in and did three intense rounds with Volkov. People watching were surprised, asking, ‘What? Who is this kid?’ ‘Joinha’ [Guimarães] saw me in there and immediately recognized, ‘Okay, we’ve found something promising.’”
Following this impressive showing, Guimarães introduced Francischinelli to his business partner, Ed Soares, who happens to be the head of the LFA promotion. Soares offered Francischinelli a contract with LFA, a critical step that enabled him to secure the necessary visa to formally launch his professional fighting career in the United States.
“They really did me a huge favor,” Francischinelli acknowledged, “because they didn’t have a long history with me yet. They saw me training, yes, but countless people train there every day.”
Francischinelli dedicated over a year to training at Black House before moving to CMMA, where he focused specifically on honing his jiu-jitsu and wrestling skills, essential for a successful transition to MMA. The call that would kickstart his career came unexpectedly on a Thursday – an offer to take a middleweight fight on just 48 hours’ notice due to an opponent`s injury. He seized the opportunity without hesitation, drove to Commerce, California, successfully made the weight, and delivered a stunning knockout victory over Emmanueli Adzoh in merely 85 seconds.
In the months that followed, despite experiencing a few cancelled bouts, Francischinelli traveled to New York and secured another decisive first-round knockout win, this time against Ken Burrs. Subsequent opponents, Greg Sun and Victor Kuiks, also failed to survive the first round against Francischinelli, who now feels that he is just one victory away from earning a spot in the UFC.
“I was close to getting on The Ultimate Fighter back in May but wasn’t ultimately chosen, perhaps because I only had four professional fights at that point,” Francischinelli commented. “However, they are definitely aware of me now. They are watching. And I genuinely believe this upcoming fight could be the one that earns me the call to the UFC.”
“Every single morning, I wake up with the conviction that this is the year I will enter the UFC. I know it’s destined to happen. I believe I possess immense potential, and I have a deep foundation in striking. While I still need to further prove myself in certain areas, particularly the ground game, my wrestling and jiu-jitsu are consistently improving. I have all the components needed to deliver exciting performances, to go [to the UFC], and to become champion. I am absolutely certain that will come to fruition. And I will be there this year.”
