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Noche UFC
Regina Tarin Is Ready For Her Encore
After A Whirlwind Debut In Mexico City, Unbeaten Prospect Thrilled To Open Noche UFC Against JJ Aldrich On Saturday
Imagine you’re an undefeated MMA prospect preparing for a “stay active” fight in a different discipline when you get a call with an offer to make your UFC debut, and in your hometown no less, but there’s a catch —the fight is in three days.
“Yeah, that was really the craziest moment, but I felt good,” said Regina Tarin, reflecting on her whirlwind debut in February in Mexico City earlier this week as she prepares to make her return to action on Saturday afternoon at Desert Diamond Arena in Glendale, Arizona, in the opening bout of this year’s Noche UFC event against JJ Alrdich. “That fight is my dream, and yes, I had short notice; I had three days —it’s a crazy moment, but it’s the best moment ever in my life.”
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The 21-year-old was preparing for a Muay Thai bout when the call came to replace the woman who replaced her opposite Jeisla Chaves last fall, Sofia Montenegro, in a clash with Ernesta Kareckaite at Arena CDMX at the end of February. Despite the almost non-existent time to prepare for the matchup, Tarin accepted without hesitation, confident that she could parlay the short-notice call into her first UFC victory.
The only thing that gave her any pause was the weight cut.
Regina Tarin: "I Am Motivated, But I Have Pressure On Me" | Noche UFC
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Regina Tarin: "I Am Motivated, But I Have Pressure On Me" | Noche UFC
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“I always trust myself, and I know I can do everything I imagine,” Tarin said. “It was difficult, but the most difficult moment was the (weight cut). I cut a lot of weight, but I did the work; I felt really good.
“That’s my dream, but my body is like, ‘Okay — wait! You have a lot of weight you need to cut,’” she added with a laugh. “But I (did it) and I’m really grateful (that I was able to do it).”
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After a hurried debut under difficult circumstances in her home country, Tarin now makes her sophomore journey into the Octagon on Saturday as part of Noche UFC, the annual event centered around Mexico’s Independence Day that serves as a celebration of the rich combat sports history in Mexican and Latin American nations.
Like the majority of international athletes on the UFC roster, Tarin relishes the opportunity to compete at home or in front of a raucous, partisan crowd, which will likely be the case on Saturday, and is spurred on by the chance to share the card with two of the biggest Mexican stars in UFC history.
“I think Noche UFC is great for the Mexican fighters,” she said. “I love my country, I love my flag; I’m really proud of my people, my country. This opportunity to fight in Noche UFC and fight in Mexico City with my people, I love it! I prefer to fight with my people — listen to (them cheering) my name, listen to my people, my country, and have their support. I prefer these events because I feel the support of my people.
“It’s motivation for me,” Tarin added when asked about competing alongside former champs Brandon Moreno and Alexa Grasso. “Brandon Moreno and Alexa Grasso are really good fighters, represented my country (well). I think there is the new generation; I’m the new generation, and the card has the new generation and the champs. I can just say it’s motivation for me.”
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Just as she was in her debut with Kareckaite in Mexico City, Tarin and Aldrich are penciled in as the opening bout on the 13-fight card.
Where some fighters would feel pressure to set the tone on a night where six Mexican athletes will step into the Octagon over the course of the night, the flyweight rising star loves the assignment.
“I’m real excited, and of course it’s motivation for me,” Tarin said excitedly. “I’m the first fight, I open the card, and I open the wins for the Mexicans.”
While her debut pitted her against a relative neophyte, this weekend’s sophomore foray in the Octagon comes against one of the division’s longest-tenured competitors in Aldrich.
A fixture on the roster for the last decade who competed on Season 23 of The Ultimate Fighter, the 33-year-old Colorado native has the third-most UFC wins of anyone currently competing in the flyweight division, trailing only former champions Valentina Shevchenko and Rose Namajunas. Hard-nosed and technically sharp, Aldrich enters Saturday’s contest in good form, having earned consecutive wins over Andrea Lee and Jamey-Lyn Horth while winning four of her last five.
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Though she’s appreciative of what she’s done and aware that she has a tough assignment in front of her, Tarin believes her youth and hunger outweigh Aldrich’s experience.
“Aldrich is a really good fighter. She has experience, but I always say, ‘I’m the younger athlete.’ She has experience, and I like the fight because I’m a hungry girl. I’m not (going to show her any respect) in the cage.
“I’m the showgirl; I go to put on a show in the cage,” she added. “I put all my body, my mind, myself in the cage. I’m a showgirl, and I’m going to do all my things in the cage.”
Don't miss a moment of Noche UFC: Silva vs Delgado, live from Desert Diamond Arena In Glendale, Arizona on September 12, 2026. This event airs at a special time: prelims start at 2pm ET/11am PT, followed by the main card at 5pm ET/2pm PT. Watch the entire event live on Paramount+.
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