Steve Garcia (15-5 MMA, 4-2 UFC) is trying to make it 4 straight wins when he meets Seung Woo Choi (11-6 MMA, 4-5 UFC) on the UFC Apex in Las Vegas on July 20.
Garcia mentioned Choi is “basically sound for essentially the most half” however “goes to the nicely somewhat bit an excessive amount of.”
“He’s very apparent with what his favourite pictures are,” Garcia advised MMASucka. “He likes the cross left hook. I can see why he’s been within the UFC for so long as he has. He’s had his up-and-down streaks, however he’s a tricky man. I believe he’s going to be a difficult opponent for me, and I’m excited for it.”
Garcia’s resume consists of wins over Chase Hooper, Shayilan Nuerdanbieke, Melquizael Costa, Charlie Ontiveros, and a pre-UFC win over Chepe Mariscal.
Garcia has received three in a row. He credit God as one motive he’s discovered success.
“Once I take issues into my very own palms, so far as life, it doesn’t go off the way in which I need,” Garcia mentioned. “I’m a believer. I’m a person of religion. So long as I let God dictate my profession, I’m higher off. That’s one factor.”
Garcia mentioned he discovered so much from his knockout loss to Maheshate Hayisaer in Singapore in June 2022 – his most up-to-date loss.
“Once I misplaced to him, I didn’t know if I used to be going to lose my job or no matter was going to occur,” Garcia mentioned. “At that time, it actually turned for me. I used to be simply going to go full pace forward. Win or lose, I used to be going to offer every thing I acquired. As a result of I did that, I’ve a distinct mindset. The hassle was much more than it ever was. I don’t know, nevertheless it’s been carrying me by means of these previous three fights. I’ve been on a streak. It made me return all the way down to 145. A I believe there are quite a lot of optimistic issues that occurred from that damaging factor, if that is sensible.”
Garcia mentioned coaching for a stable fundamentals striker in Choi has been completely different from making ready for Nuerdanbieke, a “very sturdy wrestler,” and Costa.
“Costa truly stunned me,” Garcia mentioned. “I believed he would need to strike some extra, however Costa is available in and goes with the struggle. If it’s a grappling match, it’s a grappling match. If it’s a putting match, it’s a putting match. He, a minimum of, goes together with the struggle. The distinction is, once I struggle them, in some unspecified time in the future, I understand how to dictate the place the struggle’s going to be, and I put my stamp on it and impose my will.”
Garcia mentioned his principal goal towards Choi is to maintain it standing.
“We each need the struggle to remain the place it must be. Anytime anyone will get harm, you’re going to strive to determine how you can survive. I believe he has that in him, too, the place if he must take somebody down for somewhat bit to get well or vice-versa, it doesn’t actually matter. He’ll discover that route. He’ll take that route. Then he’ll attempt to get again to the place he’s greatest at. He’s very powerful. When he’s at risk, he goes for broke. These are cool issues that I like and admire about him. My aim is to go on the market, utterly dominate, and actually simply impose my will and win by any means obligatory.”
A win over Choi could be 4 in a row for Garcia. Garcia mentioned he hopes that might be sufficient to get him an opponent within the prime 15 of the featherweight division, or somebody on the bubble of it.
“I don’t care,” Garcia mentioned. “Give me somebody who will get me nearer to the highest 10, prime 5. Perhaps get me nearer to asking for a title shot. I discover once I suppose too far forward, it’s by no means been the most effective scenario for me. What comes, comes. There are so much issues which can be out of my palms. It’s my job. I’m not right here to simply struggle. I’m right here to actually, actually make an influence. I need folks to recollect my identify. I need folks to see my identify on the cardboard and be like, ‘Yeah, this man brings it. He’s a scrapper. He’s going to offer it every thing he’s acquired’ I need to be recognized for that. I believe [a top-15 opportunity] must be shut. I’m hoping after this struggle, particularly.”
Garcia mentioned he thinks he can TKO Choi within the first or third spherical.
“It is determined by what he provides me, as a result of he’s an excellent counterstriker,” Garcia mentioned. “Whenever you struggle quite a lot of counterstrikers, it’s onerous since you’re combating somebody who’s ready so that you can make a mistake. I’ve acquired to ensure I am going in there and I actually focus and I keep prepared the entire complete time. Not let my guard down at any second. Capitalize on the moments that I see current themselves, and I believe I can get it executed.”
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