The young fighter Sofía Álvarez earns respect at AFL 30

This wrestler secured victory in the amateur MMA bout at AFL 30 against the Spanish Aviguey Parra

MMA

Sofía Álvarez and Aviguey Parra in the AFL 30 cage. Photo by Yhaicha Stibich

Last Saturday, June 24, 19-year-old Sofía Álvarez from Toledo faced Aviguey Parra in the AFL MMA 30 cage at the Agustín Marañón sports pavilion in Aranjuez (Madrid). Both were the only women competing in the featherweight category. The Castilian-Manchegan athlete finished her opponent "with a lot of confidence" and "even though her heart was racing, her mind was calm and focused."

During the fight, Parra attempted to take her to the ground, while Álvarez resisted until the last minute. Although the calf kicks from both fighters were quite visible. "To win a fight, you need a clear mind and your feet on the ground," said Álvarez.

Sofia with her coach Paco before the start of the fight. Photo: Instagram

Álvarez managed to contain her opponent and eventually finished her with ground and pound. The woman from Toledo started practicing Krav Maga in 2018 and in 2020 transitioned to kickboxing and MMA at the Ragnarok fighting school with coach Paco Ragnarok. Despite having little experience, she was able to steer the fight where it needed to go to secure the win.

Initially, the match leaned towards a dance-like pace where Álvarez attacked with potential knockouts, and Parra remained on the defensive. The fight gained more momentum when Parra decided to counterattack, but Álvarez remained unscathed due to her quick evasive skills.

Álvarez stated that she had to prepare a lot for the event and focused on refining her striking techniques, including straight punches, low kicks, and, above all, maintaining a significant distance. She emphasized the importance of physical conditioning in the overall training process.

The speaker announces live Álvarez's triumph. Photo by Yhaicha Stibich