Escobedo claims MMA title
Nyssa graduate improves to 6-0
Monday, December 22, 2008 10:17 AM PST
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| Chandra Chase | Full Contact fighting federation
Pro Escobedo (left), of Nyssa, lands a knee to Tom Matijacic in their Dec. 6th fight in Portland. Escobedo is 6-0 in his brief career, and his ultimate goal is to turn professional. |
Kevin Keeney
Special to the Argus Observer
Portland —On Saturday, December 6th, Nyssa High School graduate, Pro Escobedo defeated a Hercules-like Tom Matijacic after three nail biting rounds of battle, with Escobedo taking the decision.
Even though Escobedo came into this fight as the undefeated current Champion, he was still viewed as an underdog to his opponent, Tom Matijacic, of Straight Blast Gym.
Matijacic was the former Full Contact Fighting Federation Light Heavyweight Champion, and relinquished the belt to turn professional .
Escobedo hails from Impact JJ in Tigard, and trains there religiously.
The training has turned him into a well-rounded mixed martial arts fighter, where he excels at strength and conditioning.
“I believe it’s better to be good at everything, to be well-rounded, then to be great at one thing and leave yourself open,” Escobedo said.
This fight was coined as the “last amateur fight for Matijacic,” again creating the underdog atmosphere for Escobedo to combat.
It did not deter him one bit.
Escobedo, an outdoorsman, originally pursed mixed martial arts as a way to get into shape.
His athletic talent, and desire to test himself has blossomed into an undefeated record with the FCFF at 6-0.
“One thing has lead to another. I will continue doing MMA (Mixed Martial Arts) until it is no longer fun, and turns into a chore. Right now it’s an enjoyment,” Escobedo said.
While he doesn’t have a timeline to turn professional, he is defiantly not against the idea.
The Rumble event, hosted by Portland’s FCFF, has been described as the premier amateur MMA event in the nation.
The event is co-owned by the world-renowned WEC Middleweight fighter, Chael Sonnen and Kevin Keeney, the FCFF fight matchmaker.
The FCFF has been called the ‘Golden Gloves’ of MMA, and a victory here means a possible professional career in the future.
This dream of turning pro has turned into a reality for many fighters, especially Escobedo.
