Regina Tarin didn’t just win her UFC debut; she brought the Arena CDMX on its feet and left the opposing corner stunned. Stepping in on less than a week’s notice at UFC Mexico City, the undefeated Mexican prospect replaced Sofia Montenegro and agreed to a 130-pound catchweight against Ernesta Kareckaitė.
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Both women made weight. The stakes were obvious. Tarin had just flirted with a WWE tryout. Now she was fighting in front of a home crowd at the promotion’s eighth visit to Mexico City. When the scorecards were read, 30-27, 30-27, 29-28, in favor of Tarin, the arena erupted. She was now 8-0. However, not everyone was celebrating the victory.
“Ernesta’s coach left octagon side yelling and kicking, upset about the decision,” shared Rodrigo Del Campo Gonzalez on X. “Here’s the pop for UFC Mexico City PI fighter Regina Tarín as the decision was announced.”
Ernesta’s coach left octagonside yelling and kicking, upset about the decision. Here’s the pop for UFC Mexico City PI fighter Regina Tarín as the decision was announced: pic.twitter.com/IoFNAY0gSV
— Rodrigo Del Campo González (@RodDelCampo) February 28, 2026
The clip shows Kareckaitė’s coach with his hands on his head, shaking them in disbelief as his fighter lowers her gaze. It was clear: they didn’t agree. That’s the nature of close fights, especially in hostile territory. The 21-year-old fighter fought forward in spurts. Kareckaitė pressed consistently, yet the judges leaned one way. Close decisions often create controversy. However, this one created noise from the stands and from the opposing corner. Though on the scorecards, Regina Tarin made her debut count, the controversy in the corner stemmed from a fight that was closer than the final scorecards suggested.
Regina Tarin’s UFC Mexico victory makes her the second-youngest on the roster
From the opening exchange, it didn’t feel like a short-notice fight. Ernesta Kareckaitė pressed forward early, throwing right hands and head kicks. Regina Tarin stayed composed. She slipped under entries, fired back with sharp counters, and mixed in knees when Kareckaitė closed the distance. The first round was tight, but Tarin’s counters looked cleaner and more damaging.
The second swung back and forth. Kareckaitė landed a body kick and right hook, even scoring a late takedown just before the horn. The Mexican fighter answered in the pocket, planting a heavy right hand midway through the round. By the third, it felt entirely up for grabs. Both stood their ground and traded. Defense faded. The crowd roared with every exchange. Tarin’s combinations flowed more freely down the stretch, and she appeared to land the heavier shots as urgency rose.
Two judges saw it 30-27, the third 29-28. That tells you something. In a competitive fight where momentum swung, Tarin’s boxing likely made the difference. She consistently landed the cleaner counters, especially in Round 1 and again late in Round 3 when the exchanges got messy. When judges lean 30-27 twice, it usually means a visible impact.
Regina Tarin’s path here makes it more interesting. Earlier this year, she had a multi-day tryout at WWE’s Performance Center. But she chose the cage. In fact, she was even preparing for a Muay Thai bout before the UFC call came. Now she’s the second youngest fighter on the roster with a debut win under her belt, surpassed only by 18-year-old Raul Rosas Jr.