Punahele “Puna”Soriano

Punahele Soriano is a Hawaiian mixed martial artist competing in the UFC’s welterweight division. As of September 13, 2026, the UFC lists him as active and training at Xtreme Couture in Las Vegas. Soriano began as a wrestler, later adding MMA training after UFC featherweight Dan Ige invited him to work out; that background remains central to a game built around physical pressure, takedowns and finishing exchanges.

Soriano earned his UFC opportunity through Dana White’s Contender Series on June 18, 2019, when he defeated Jamie Pickett by unanimous decision and received a contract. He made his Octagon debut later that year and initially competed at middleweight before moving to welterweight in 2024 following a test cut at the UFC Performance Institute. His UFC profile credits him with a brown belt in judo, while he earned a fitness-management degree at Wartburg College.

In 2025 and 2026, Soriano continued his welterweight run, including a January 11, 2025 stoppage of Uroš Medić and a February 21, 2026 decision over Ramiz Brahimaj. His most recent listed appearance came on September 5, 2026, when he lost a unanimous decision to Daniil Donchenko. The UFC lists Soriano at 5-foot-11 with a 72.5-inch reach.