Irene Aldana, born on March 26, 1988, is a 35-year-old Mexican Women’s Bantamweight fighter. With a height of 5’9″ and a reach of 68.5″, Aldana has a record of 14-6, including 7-4 in the UFC. She is associated with the Lobo Gym and is currently in her prime to post-prime stage of her career. Aldana is primarily known for her striking abilities, but she also poses a threat in the grappling department.
Striking Abilities
Aldana’s striking is centered around two main weapons: a consistent and powerful right cross and an excellent left hook. Both of these punches are powerful, accurate, and have the potential to stop an opponent. However, beyond these two punches, Aldana’s arsenal is limited. Her overhand right is poor, and her jab is soft and open to counterattacks. Additionally, her kicks are weak and often telegraphed. Despite these shortcomings, Aldana’s defense has improved considerably over the years, as she retreats well, blocks with her hands, and circles away from power on the outside.
Clinch and Grappling Abilities
In the clinch, Aldana does not prefer to stay for long, as she has proven vulnerable to takedowns. She often succeeds in pushing away opponents and can deliver an occasional knee strike to the body. However, her grappling abilities can be both a liability and a weapon. Her takedown defense is average at best, and she has difficulty getting back to a standing position. Aldana can also be exposed by an opponent who unleashes significant ground-and-pound. On the other hand, she can deftly hit certain sweeps from her back and is effective from top position with attempted armbars and fairly powerful ground-and-pound.
Athleticism and Intangibles
Aldana’s athleticism and general physical strength are noteworthy, as she moves well for a bantamweight fighter and appears to be moderately powerful. Her cardio is also impressive, as she only slows down marginally while fighting at an energetic pace and has had enough left in the tank to deliver a pair of stoppages in the third round. In terms of her chin, Aldana has been knocked down by Leslie Smith and knocked out by Larissa Pacheco earlier in her career, but she has looked sturdy enough against weaker connections.
Aldana’s fight intelligence has shown some improvements during her UFC run. While she lost to Raquel Pennington due to poor fight IQ, she has remained calm under duress and capitalized on the mistakes of her opponents in recent outings. Overall, Irene Aldana is a dangerous but limited striker who poses some danger in the grappling department, making her a formidable opponent in the Women’s Bantamweight division.