Nicolas Cornejo, “The Steel City Kid,” seeks massive upset in ONE Championship’s return to Colorado

“The Steel City Kid” believes he can shock the world.

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

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

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

While Lee’s on the fast track to ONE Championship stardom and capable of adding to his family’s MMA dynasty — his brother Christian currently holds the ONE lightweight and welterweight MMA titles, while his sister Angela was the ONE women’s atomweight MMA world champion before retirement — Cornejo took the long road to his shot at glory.

An alum of Pueblo Central, Cornejo’s first son was born two weeks after his high school graduation. He spent most of his 20s working as a correctional officer and didn’t make his MMA debut on the regional scene until age 29, losing about 100 pounds to do so.

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

Cornejo believes that despite his roundabout journey, he’s just getting started.

“I know in the MMA world, being 35 is like the 70-year-olds of the sport,” joked Cornejo, who trains at Warrior Built MMA in Pueblo. “But I’m going to go until the wheels fall off.

“… I feel like I’m at my prime right now, and I’m in better shape than I was in my 20s. 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 reserve in me because I wasn’t fighting throughout my 20s.”

A divorce in 2018 had Cornejo “on the verge of some real mental health issues.” Four years later, he suddenly lost his father to a fatal rollover crash that occurred while driving his work truck.

In both instances, 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 here and there at night when I’m alone. I wear his rosary on me. And when I feel down and out, I’ll take off on my motorcycle that he left me and go for a cruise. (His death) put me in a pretty bad depression for about three months, but what helped me the most was getting back in the gym.”

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

“I’m excited and I’m anxious to get into the arena,” 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 Ball Arena and will be broadcast on Prime Video.

ONE Bantamweight Muay Thai World Title: (c) Jonathan Haggerty vs. Superlek Kiatmoo9

ONE Flyweight Submission Grappling World Title: (c) Mikey Musumeci vs. Bebeto Oliveira

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

MMA – Middleweight: Aung La N Sang vs. 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. Josue Cruz

Muay Thai – Flyweight: Sean Climaco vs. Johan Estupinan