Nico Cornejo looks for a big surprise in ONE Championship’s return to Colorado

“The boy from Steel City” believes he can surprise the world.

Nicolas Cornejo, a 35-year-old Pueblo native, will make his primetime MMA debut Friday at Ball Arena on the ONE 168 card.

Cornejo dominated his way through the regional scene and is 2-0 as a pro with a pair of TKOs. But the third-generation Pueblo native has never fought at this level, and he’ll be facing someone half his age who comes from a storied fighting family: 18-year-old Adrian Lee. Cornejo is the biggest underdog on the card at +500 odds, according to FanDuel Sportsbook.

“We’re the underdogs here. We don’t get a lot of (positive) attention in Pueblo,” Cornejo said. “But I consider myself a Pueblo son… And (my coaches and I) believe we’ve put together a game plan that can stop Lee’s hype train, stop him right away and tire him out.”

While Lee is on the fast track to ONE Championship stardom and able to add to her family’s MMA dynasty (her brother Christian currently holds the ONE MMA Lightweight and Welterweight titles, while her sister Angela was a ONE Women’s MMA Atomweight World Champion before retiring), Cornejo took the long road to her shot at glory.

A Pueblo Central alumnus, Cornejo’s first child was born two weeks after his high school graduation. He spent most of his 20s working as a corrections officer and didn’t make his MMA debut on the regional scene until he was 29, losing around 100 pounds to do so.

Now, he is a utility and maintenance worker for the city of Pueblo and has five children, including an 18-year-old Central senior for whom Cornejo and his fiancée took legal guardianship.

Cornejo believes that, despite his tortuous journey, he is just getting started.

“I know in the MMA world, being 35 is like being 70,” joked Cornejo, who trains at Warrior Built MMA in Pueblo. “But I’m going to keep going until things fall apart.

“…I feel like I’m in my prime right now, and I’m in better shape than I was when I was 20. Having younger kids, who are still hyperactive and full of energy, they have a hard time keeping up with me. I have a lot of reserves in me because I didn’t struggle during my 20s.”

In 2018, a divorce left Cornejo “on the brink of serious mental health issues.” Four years later, she suddenly lost her father in a fatal accident that occurred while he was driving his work truck.

In both cases, the Octagon helped him heal.

“(My dad) was my first superhero and I miss him every day,” said Cornejo, who has his father’s fingerprints tattooed on the side of his neck. “I talk to him from time to time at night when I’m alone. I carry his rosary with me. And when I feel down and discouraged, I go out on my motorcycle that he left me and go for a ride. (His death) left me in a pretty bad depression for about three months, but what helped me the most was getting back into the gym.”

With all that behind him, Cornejo says he’s ready to step into Ball Arena on Friday and ruin Lee’s night in their lightweight fight. Lee made a splashy ONE Championship debut earlier this summer when he defeated Antonio Mammarella at ONE 167 via rear-naked choke.

“I’m excited and looking forward to getting in the stadium,” Cornejo said. “I just want to put on a show for my fans, for my family and make a statement for Pueblo.”

The card for ONE 168: Denver

ONE Championship returns to Denver after the promotion made its U.S. debut at the 1stBank Center last May. Friday’s fights begin at 6 p.m. at the Ball Arena and will stream on Prime Video.

A world bantamweight Muay Thai title: (c) Jonathan Haggerty vs. Superlek Kiatmoo9

ONE Flyweight Submission Fighting World Title: (c) Mikey Musumeci against Bebeto Oliveira

Muay Thai Dream Fight: Liam Harrison vs. Seksan Or Kwanmuang

MMA – Middleweight: Aung La N Sang against Shamil Erdogan

Must Thai – Bantamweight:John Lineker vs. Asa Ten Pow

MMA – Lightweight: Maurice Abevi vs. Samat Mamedov

MMA – Welterweight: Hiroyuki Tetsuka vs. Isi Fitikefu

MMA – Women’s Atomweight:Alyse Anderson vs. Victoria Souza

MMA – Strawweight:Hiroba Minowa vs. Sanzhar Zakirov

MMA – Lightweight: Adrian Lee vs Nico Cornejo

Muay Thai – Flyweight: Johan Ghazali vs Joshua Cruz

Muay Thai – Flyweight: Sean Climaco vs. Johan Estupiñán