- George Chung
- Dec 12, 2023
- 2 min read
Updated: Dec 16, 2023
Maritza Sanchez began her professional career with Combate Global dating back to December 2019 when she suffered a defeat against Kristina Pettigrew by rear naked choke in the first round at 4:01. She went undefeated in 2021 and plans to continue to pick up more wins in 2022.
Combate Global History:
(11-18-22) Sanchez defeated Dee Begley by techincal knockout in the first round at 2:45.
(4-15-22) Sanchez defeated Aitana Alvarez by unanimous decision.
(9-17-2021) Sanchez defeated Elizabeth Schroder by split decision.
(2-28-2020) Sanchez defeated Lucero Acosta by rear naked choke submission at 2:35 in the first round.
(12-13-2019) Sanchez lost to Kristina Pettigrew by way of rear naked choke in the first round at 4:01
Most recently: Maritza won a unanimous decision (29-28 on all scorecards) over Elina Kallionidou from Greece on Saturday, December 9.
We talked with the rising star about her fight prep and rituals:
What is your approach to food after the weigh in?
My approach to food after weigh-ins is getting some natural fruits after liquids and then going in for some greens and pasta (gotta have carbs), then I'll treat myself with a cookie or something. And repeat.
Describe your pre-fight playlist?
My pre-fight playlist is all over the place. I'll listen to reggae normally to start. Then it can change to Spanish corridos, cumbias. Once I'm in the zone I start listening to rap music, but it generally is a mix of everything.
Do you have any fight day superstitions?
No, I don't think I do. I just feed off energy. Good energy.
Is there a specific person that always helps you warm up?
Yes, my head coach always helps me to warm up.
Who is the last person you call pre-fight?
The last person I call right before and right after my fight is my mom.
What’s going through your mind as you make the ring-walk?
I try to enjoy the moment and notice everything around me, but a lot of things can run through my head as I'm walking out. I could be saying positive affirmations to myself, I could be thinking of family, I could be talking to God, I could be thinking of all the hard work and sacrifices I went through to get to that moment.
Once you see your opponent in the ring for the first time, is there anything that you're looking for?
I notice their facial expressions, I can usually tell how nervous they are.
What goes through your mind the first time you get hit?
The first thing that goes through my mind as soon as I get hit is, "attack."
How difficult is it to control your anger during a fight?
I don't find anger to be an issue during a fight. I always try to maintain calm.
How often do you hear the crowd?
I'm really in tune with my corner and try to flare everything else out. Unless it's someone I know that's in the crowd, I can hear their voice stand out.
Who is the first person you call post-fight?
The first person I always call post-fight is my mom.
Is your post-fight routine different after a win vs. after a loss?
Not necessarily, I tend to go grab some food after each fight and just relax.
