Gastón “Tonga” Reyno Joins the Ranks of Uruguay's Country Brand Ambassadors

Uruguay XXI and the Ministry of Tourism introduced Gastón “Tonga” Reyno as the new ambassador for the Uruguay Country Brand, in recognition of his international career and his contribution to promoting the country’s values and attributes.

The ceremony took place at the Ministry of Tourism headquarters and was attended by Minister Pablo Menoni; the executive director of Uruguay XXI, Mariana Ferreira; the manager of Marca País, Larissa Perdomo; and the vice president of Antel, Pablo Álvarez.

During the event, Menoni highlighted the role of sports as a vehicle for promoting the country and forging connections with audiences in different markets. “Uruguay surprises people in many ways, but among other things, with the passion and love that we Uruguayans feel for sports,” he said.

Reyno joins the Marca País community of ambassadors, which is made up of prominent figures from various fields who help position Uruguay and represent its values abroad. His appointment recognizes a career built on high-performance sports, as well as his ability to bring the Uruguayan identity closer to regional and international audiences.

For her part, the executive director of Uruguay XXI, Mariana Ferreira, noted that the ambassador program seeks to recognize leading figures from various disciplines for their performance both locally and internationally.

“Having Country Brand Ambassadors is essential to strengthening Uruguay’s international standing. The ambassadors help humanize the brand, bring it closer to audiences, and authentically convey the values that define the country. Through their careers and achievements, they foster identification, credibility, and an emotional connection that amplifies the reach of the communication strategy,” she emphasized.

As one of Uruguay’s leading martial arts figures, Reyno spent much of his professional career abroad. He was the only Uruguayan to compete in Bellator MMA, one of the leading international mixed martial arts organizations, and also became a well-known figure in Latin America for his work as a combat sports commentator for ESPN.

His career also includes international titles in kickboxing and taekwondo, in addition to his stints with various mixed martial arts organizations. In recent years, he joined the Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship (BKFC), a bare-knuckle boxing organization in which he remains undefeated, with a record of three wins.

The recognition came on the eve of his return to competition in Uruguay, where Reyno headlined the first BKFC event in South America at the Antel Arena, facing American Josh Krejci. The card featured ten other bouts with participants from various countries and opened up a new international platform for fighters from Uruguay and the region.

Reyno himself was one of the driving forces behind bringing the competition to Montevideo. He proposed the idea of holding an event in Uruguay to BKFC officials shortly after his debut in the sport and highlighted the opportunity for the country to host the event before other South American markets with a strong tradition in combat sports.

“I’ve dreamed of this for a very long time. I feel lucky to have been born in this part of the world. Now, that you’re honoring me during the week of my fight in Uruguay, it fills my heart and fills me with enthusiasm. I promise you I’ll rise to the occasion.”

For Reyno, fighting at the Antel Arena represented a new challenge in his career and the chance to compete again in front of a Uruguayan audience. The event also put Montevideo on the map as a host city for an international sporting spectacle making its debut on the continent.

Gastón “Tonga” Reyno lived up to expectations and secured the victory at the first BKFC event in South America. The Uruguayan defeated American Josh Krejci by technical knockout in a bout held at the Antel Arena.

With this result, Reyno extended his winning streak to four and remains undefeated, with a 4-0 record. All of his victories in the sport have come by knockout.