{"id":171281,"date":"2025-09-26T21:46:10","date_gmt":"2025-09-26T21:46:10","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/171281\/"},"modified":"2025-09-26T21:46:10","modified_gmt":"2025-09-26T21:46:10","slug":"pidroni-prepares-for-penco-showdown","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/171281\/","title":{"rendered":"Pidroni Prepares For Penco Showdown"},"content":{"rendered":"

For Fabiola Pidroni<\/a>, fighting isn\u2019t just about punches and submissions \u2014 it\u2019s about breathing. As she prepares for her showdown with former EFC champion Chiara Penco<\/a> at Cage Warriors 195 <\/a>in Rome, Pidroni turns to simple but powerful rituals to steady herself during fight week.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

\u201cI use breathing and relaxation techniques a lot,\u201d Pidroni said. \u201cEveryone thinks being a fighter is too \u2018cool,\u2019 but we\u2019re under 24\/7 stress. I try to live day by day, hour by hour, without letting the pressure get to me.\u201d<\/p>\n

A Historic Moment for Italian Women\u2019s MMA<\/p>\n

The Cage Warriors 195 matchup is already being billed as one of the most important in Italian MMA history. With two Italian strawweights co-headlining in Rome, the fight marks a symbolic moment for the growth of women\u2019s MMA in the country.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s a fantastic opportunity,\u201d Pidroni said. \u201cI hope the fight will be followed by as many people as possible and that women\u2019s MMA can grow in Italy thanks to this match.\u201d<\/p>\n

Still, she refuses to let the national spotlight shake her approach. \u201cPersonally, it doesn\u2019t change anything for me. A match is a match, and I don\u2019t care where my opponent comes from.\u201d<\/p>\n

Balance in Training<\/p>\n

When asked about preparation, Pidroni doesn\u2019t point to one weapon \u2014 she sharpens them all.<\/p>\n

\u201cIn my camps, I generally work on every aspect, my strengths and weaknesses, so I can improve on everything,\u201d she explained.<\/p>\n

Her recent performances reflect that balance. Pidroni is riding a two-fight win streak, including a knockout victory that showcased her striking power. The ability to mix KO power with a well-rounded game has made her a fighter to watch on the European scene.<\/p>\n

Respecting the Threats, Owning Her Path<\/p>\n

Pidroni acknowledges Penco\u2019s experience and striking ability, but remains unshaken.<\/p>\n

\u201cShe considers herself a very strong striker, so we\u2019ll be paying attention to that,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n

Penco, nicknamed \u201cBeasty Barbie,\u201d is a former EFC strawweight champion who has fought some of the toughest names on the European circuit. Her grappling pedigree and veteran savvy make her a dangerous opponent, but Pidroni believes her composure and mental preparation will be the deciding factors.<\/p>\n

For her, the key is mindset \u2014 refining strengths, acknowledging weaknesses, and breathing through the noise.<\/p>\n

Italian MMA at a Crossroads<\/p>\n

Cage Warriors 195 represents more than a single fight. As one of Europe\u2019s most established promotions, Cage Warriors has long been a launchpad to the UFC. Fighters like Conor McGregor, Michael Bisping, and Paddy Pimblett all passed through the Cage Warriors cage before reaching global stardom.<\/p>\n

For Italy, hosting a women\u2019s main event of this magnitude is a statement that the sport is ready to take the next step. With Rome as the backdrop, Pidroni vs. Penco symbolises both tradition and transition \u2014 a veteran against a rising contender, both carrying the flag of Italian MMA.<\/p>\n

Career Momentum<\/p>\n

With back-to-back wins behind her, Pidroni sees Cage Warriors 195 as a critical step forward in her career.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m very proud to be able to fight in a Cage Warriors event,\u201d she said. \u201cIt will give me a lot of visibility, and I can\u2019t wait.\u201d<\/p>\n

Victory in Rome could position her for even bigger opportunities within Cage Warriors, and potentially open the door to UFC consideration. For fans, it\u2019s a chance to see one of Italy\u2019s most promising strawweights tested against a proven champion.<\/p>\n

And for those still undecided about tuning in to Cage Warriors 195, Pidroni has one final message:
\u201cPlease watch me on October 4th on UFC Fight Pass!!\u201d<\/p>\n

Quick Facts: Fabiola Pidroni<\/p>\n

Record: Riding a 2-fight win streak, including one knockout victory<\/p>\n

Opponent: Former EFC strawweight champion Chiara Penco<\/p>\n

Style: Balanced approach across striking, grappling, and cardio<\/p>\n

Fight Rituals: Breathing and relaxation techniques to manage stress<\/p>\n

Event: Cage Warriors 195, October 4 in Rome, streaming on UFC Fight Pass<\/p>\n

Reporting Note: This interview with Fabiola Pidroni was conducted via written correspondence. Quotes have been lightly edited for clarity.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"For Fabiola Pidroni, fighting isn\u2019t just about punches and submissions \u2014 it\u2019s about breathing. As she prepares for…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":171282,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[570],"tags":[64,63,786,785,85],"class_list":["post-171281","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-mma","tag-au","tag-australia","tag-fighting","tag-mma","tag-sports"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/171281","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=171281"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/171281\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/171282"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=171281"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=171281"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=171281"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}