Luis Francischinelli, a towering welterweight MMA fighter, transitioned from Brazilian kickboxing to pursuing a career in the U.S., where he trained with top fighters and is now one win away from potentially joining the UFC.
Luis Francischinelli might just be the tallest welterweight in MMA today. Almost as big as UFC heavyweight Alexander Volkov, his skills have earned him a shot at changing his life.
Francischinelli aims to go 5-0 as a pro fighter this Friday. He faces Angelo Rivera Jr. at LFA 208 in Santa Cruz, Calif. Before cage fighting, he was a kickboxer trying to make a name in Brazil. But COVID-19 slowed everything down.
At 25, he sat with his wife and made a big decision. They sold their car and motorcycle to buy a ticket to the U.S. He reached out to eight random people on Instagram for advice. The first reply urged him to go for it.
Forty-five days later, he landed in California and knocked on Black House gym’s door. Money was tight, but he managed to pay for a room and training. He shared the space with two others, including a bipolar man who became a friend and even lent him money for a car.
"It was hard," Francischinelli told MMA Fighting. "But God put good people around me."
One of those people was Jorge Guimarães, manager to UFC stars like Alex Pereira and legends like Anderson Silva. Volkov, a top-ranked heavyweight, needed training partners. That tall kid from Brazil was chosen.
"But he was a heavyweight, and I weighed like 180 pounds," Francischinelli said. "I’m tall, but that’s all. They said, ‘Go spar with him.’ I was like, ‘My God! But yeah, sure, I’ll go.’" He sparred three hard rounds with Volkov, leaving everyone impressed.
Guimarães introduced him to Ed Soares, head of LFA, offering a contract to start his U.S. career. "They did me a favor, really," Francischinelli said. "They saw me train, but how many people go there every day?"
He trained at Black House for over a year before moving to CMMA. There, he honed his jiu-jitsu and wrestling. One random Thursday, he got a call to fight on 48 hours’ notice. He seized the chance, made weight, and knocked out Emmanueli Adzoh in 85 seconds.
Months later, after some canceled matches, he flew to New York for another first-round knockout against Ken Burrs. Greg Sun and Victor Kuiks also couldn’t last a round with him. Now, he feels one win away from the UFC.
"I almost made it on The Ultimate Fighter in May but wasn’t selected," Francischinelli said. "Maybe because I only have four fights. But they know who I am now."
Every day, he wakes up believing this is the year he’ll join the UFC. "I have huge potential and a ton of striking experience. I still need to prove myself on the ground, but my wrestling and jiu-jitsu are improving. I have everything to put on a show and become champion. I know that will happen. And I’ll be there this year."