Laureano Staropoli (8-1 MMA, 1-0 UFC) was brought to tears after proving victorious on home soil in his UFC debut, but not before battering opponent Hector Aldana (4-2 MMA, 0-2 UFC) in a three-round slugfest.

The welterweight contest kicked off the FS1-broadcast of Saturday’s UFC Fight Night 140 event at Parque Roca Arena in Buenos Aires, Argentina.

The two fighters wasted little time engaging at the start, much to the delight of the Argentine crowd, which was in full support of Staropoli. Aldana was cut in the opening minute, and blood streamed down from his left eye. Meanwhile, Staropoli had a hematoma develop early near his right temple. All the while, big punches flew freely from both men. Referee Fernando Portella brought in a doctor to check out Aldana’s left eye, which seemed to have blood streaming into it, but the fight carried on, and the pace was incredible, both men throwing at full power. Staropoli cracked the leg a few times, as well, but it was the power punches that served as the centerpiece of both men’s attacks.

The doctor again checked Aldana’s left eye before the start of the second, while the hematoma on Staropoli’s forehead continued to grow. The fight carried on, though it was quickly stopped when Staropoli landed a kick to the groin in an early exchange. Staropoli came out firing on the restart, switching stances and firing kicks to all levels. Aldana answered with a right high kick that landed clean, but Staropoli shook it off with surprising ease. Somehow, Aldana’s eye stayed blood-free in the early going, and the two continued trading with power in the pocket. Eventually, the blood did start to trickle down the face once again, and the two men continued their brawl. While there were brief pauses in action, the battle remained incredible intense until the bell.

Aldana’s left eye was swelling shut at the start of the third, and Staropoli’s right eye was doing the same with the hematoma claiming real estate on his face. Still, both men moved forward and engaged. Blood poured down Aldana’s face, and Staropoli seemed to gain some power and momentum as the round wore on. Aldana was much more selective with his strikes, seeming to finally slow down after a relentless back-and-forth melee. Staropoli poured it on in the closing seconds, and the effort sealed the result for him, 30-27 on all three cards.

“It was really incredible to debut at home in UFC’s first time in Argentina,” Staropoli said after the fight. “I felt all the love and support from the public. It’s amazing! I think this is the best day of my life!

“During the fight, I felt very comfortable. I thought I was going to knock him out, but he is a tough opponent. I got to hurt him enough. I hit him hard, but he stayed on his feet – a great opponent.”

Up-to-the-minute UFC Fight night 140 results include:

• Laureano Staropoli def. Hector Aldana via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)
• Jesus Pinedo def. Devin Powell via unanimous decision
• Nad Narimani def. Anderson dos Santos via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)

For complete coverage of UFC Fight Night 140, check out the UFC Events section of the site.