The incredible story of Hecher Sosa, the Spanish fighter who broke down the UFC's door.

Canarian Hecher Sosa (14-1) made history and will become the fifth Spanish fighter in the UFC . At 30 years old, Hecher Sosa defeated Brazilian Mackson Lee (9-1) by unanimous decision in the main event of the Dana White's Contender Series (DWCS) card and managed to earn a contract in the octagon that will elevate him to the most prestigious mixed martial arts company on the planet .

Hecher Sosa is now part of the select group of Spanish UFC fighters , including Ilia and Aleksandre Topuria, Joel Álvarez , and Dani Bárez. However, the Canary Islander has the honor of becoming the first fighter to break down the UFC's door through Dana White's Contender Series. He took advantage of the opportunity of a lifetime against an undefeated fighter like Mackson Lee.

The Spanish fighter couldn't finish his opponent, but dominated the fight throughout with a distinctive style that combines aggression with pressure and a great rhythm. It wasn't easy due to his opponent's greater size and reach (1.85 meters for the 61 kilo bantamweight), but Hecher Sosa knocked down Mackson Lee, survived a dangerous guillotine , and became a guard dog to keep his opponent from letting go, completely unnatural.

Sosa's mental strength, an example

However, Sosa's greatest fight wasn't in the Octagon, but in his mind. The Canarian fighter went through one of the most difficult times of his life, where he lost his father during a weight cut after months of cancer. Last year, in 2024, Sosa also lost his sister . The Guanche Warrior , bantamweight champion of WOW, a Spanish promotion backed by Ilia Topuria, fought against the darkness and came out ahead.

"Before coming here, I knew I'd probably never speak to my father again, and before coming here I said goodbye to him. I still had a lot of things left to say to him, but today I represented him in the best way possible, just like he taught me. He always told me , 'Always strong, always together,'" said Hecher Sosa after being crowned champion against Mackson Lee and having his UFC contract in his hands.

"I'm broken inside"

Dana White himself was aware of Hecher's personal situation and wanted to have a few words for him after offering him the contract. " Life is really hard sometimes . The performance you had today... I'm really happy for you. I wish you the best in the UFC, from the bottom of my heart, " said the UFC boss. He also gave him a note referring to his father that read: "Be the damn reason your last name means something one day."

"Crying in bed doesn't accomplish anything. Fight for your goals and keep going. My father's passing right during the weight cut has affected me deeply. I'm broken inside , but this is for both of us. For all the people who love me," concluded Hecher Sosa. The Lanzarote native is already waiting for an opponent for his main event in the UFC. Spain takes another step forward in the world's best mixed martial arts company.