- George Chung
- Jul 18, 2024
- 2 min read
Steve Garcia, a 32-year-old featherweight with 17 years of MMA training under his belt, remains eager to demonstrate his abilities in the Octagon.
Initially slated to fight SeungWoo Choi this weekend at the APEX, Garcia offered to step in against Dan Ige when Joanderson Brito withdrew from their scheduled matchup. Garcia’s willingness to take on multiple opponents reflects his confidence and commitment to his craft.
“If it comes down to it, then I'll fight both of them,” Garcia declared. “I'll fight him (Choi) on the undercard and then I'll fight him (Ige) on the main card.”
Garcia’s dedication to training for five-round fights underscores his ambition to reach the top. Despite recent knockouts against Chase Hooper, Shayilan Nuerdanbieke, and Melquizael Costa, he sees this success as a continuation of his long-term efforts rather than a new beginning.
“I feel like my back was kind of against the wall after I lost in Singapore (in 2022 to Maheshate),” Garcia said. “I told my management team I wasn't going to embarrass them. I just wanted to prove what I'm capable of, and I feel like I've been doing that. We're on a three-fight win streak, and it's kind of crazy.
So I feel like I'm trending in the right direction and I have a lot to prove.”
Garcia’s humility, grounded in his faith and the support of his wife, keeps him focused despite his recent successes.
“Number one, I'm a man of faith and I feel like if I don't stay humble, God will humble me. And number two, I have a wife that will humble me, too. (Laughs) She always reminds me, ‘Don't let your head get too big.’”
Confidence is essential for Garcia, who has been training since he was 15. He believes in his journey and his ability to achieve greatness.
“For me to do what I do, you have to have confidence,” Garcia said. “You have to believe in yourself. I've been training since I was 15 years old. I'm 32, so it was about 17 years in the making. At some point, I have to tell everybody and show everybody that I can do it.”
As New Mexico’s “Mean Machine,” Garcia remains serious about his career, but he also finds moments to enjoy the journey.
“It depends on the day. Later in the weekend, I'm just like, ‘Dude, what are you doing?’ But when I'm recharged and I'm happy and I have my energy and I'm not beat up, hell yeah. I'm like, nobody else can do what I do. I'm one of 600 people in the world doing this, so I'm going to ride this out. I'm trying to keep the belt in my sights, and it's very far down the road, but I'm a lot closer than I was last time.”
Catch Steve Garcia in action at UFC Fight Night: Lemos vs Jandiroba, live from UFC APEX in Las Vegas, Nevada. Prelims start at 5pm ET/2pm PT, with the main card kicking off on ESPN & ESPN+ at 8pm ET/5pm PT.
