Luigi Vendramini

Luigi Vendramini is a Brazilian lightweight born January 16, 1996, whose path to the UFC began at age 12 when his father, a jiu-jitsu black belt, introduced him to grappling as a way to lose weight. A year later he transitioned to mixed martial arts and never looked back, making fighting his full-time focus instead of pursuing college. By 2016, when he turned pro, Vendramini had built an impressive foundation: he compiled an undefeated 8-0 record on the Brazilian regional scene with finishes in all eight bouts, showcasing the stopping power that would define his career.

Vendramini's UFC tenure, however, was marked by misfortune and poor timing. He entered the Octagon in September 2018 on short notice as a replacement, moving up in weight to face Elizeu Zaleski dos Santos and suffering a brutal round-two knockout. A knee injury sustained in that fight spiraled into a medical nightmare: he underwent surgery, but the first surgeon performed the wrong procedure, robbing him of nearly a year of his career. When he finally returned in October 2020 against Jessin Ayari, he exploded with a one-minute TKO that earned Performance of the Night and announced his readiness. But consecutive losses to Fares Ziam (majority decision at UFC 263) and Paddy Pimblett (round-one KO) led to his release in May 2022 after just four UFC appearances.

As a striker and grappler, Vendramini lands from the standing position with authority and possesses a black belt in Brazilian jiu-jitsu, favoring the anaconda choke. He posts solid defensive instincts but has been caught explosively by faster, more technical opponents, making his record a study in contrasts: five knockout wins and four submission wins, but also three knockout losses. Since leaving the UFC, Vendramini has won four straight fights in regional promotions and captured the SC Welterweight Championship at Soldado Combat in August 2024. At 27 years old, he is actively pursuing a second chance with the UFC, driven not by money or fame but by the conviction that he never got to show his full potential on the sport's biggest stage.