Pearl Gonzalez’s weigh-ins for her UFC debut didn’t go as smoothly as she would have liked.
She was all set to take on fellow strawweight Cynthia Calvillo on the main card of UFC 210. Then that all got thrown into doubt when the New York State Athletic Commission informed her she would not be able to fight because she had breast implants.
Fortunately, it all worked out well in the end, as UFC president Dana White confirmed that the fight was on.
This left a lot of unanswered questions. It had been reported that Gonzalez would not be allowed to compete on the card, then all of a sudden, she was allowed. She explained exactly what happened to MMA Fighting.
“As I was finishing up my medical clearance after my weigh-in, the commission told me I would not fight. I think at that moment I was a little upset.”
This is outrageous https://t.co/fn7pcqUWcC #ufc210
— SportsJOE (@SportsJOEdotie) April 7, 2017
Gonzalez was annoyed, and she had every right to be. She did not keep the fact that she had breast implants a secret. She filled out the paperwork accordingly. So in her eyes, the fight was always going to happen.
“I was a little appalled and I said ‘OK, can I talk to my team?’ and the commissioner said ‘Yes,’ and I walked out of the room, and that was that,” she said. “I took a couple minutes, I regrouped myself, I came out and talked to my team, I looked at my team and said, ‘There’s no way this is off. We’re fighting. Let’s stay focused, let’s stay positive. We’re fighting tomorrow night.’”
“I’ve never heard of such a thing. I’ve put it in my paperwork, I’ve never lied about it, which is when they asked me if I have had a surgery, I told them. I was surprised, but there’s nothing I can do about it. I’m just riding my wave, enjoying this.”
Obviously, such a bizarre situation has brought a lot of extra attention to her debut. Although it’s not how she wanted to generate hype for the fight, she’s happy to make the most of it.
“At the end of the day, it’s out; there’s nothing I can do about it. I’m not going to dwell about it. I don’t think I wanted the world to know about my surgery and to be talked about like this. I have worked very hard to show how talented I am. I have a lot to bring to this division. And that’s what I would like to be known for.”
“All media is good media. So I’m going to ride this wave, and if this helps get me name out there, I’m going to ride it. I’m gonna win tomorrow night. I’m going to show the world not only do I have breast implants, but I’m a talented fighter.”
