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Press Release – (Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA): Rising amateur flyweight Elias Garcia has some pretty big ankle-wraps to fill. When you come from the same family as UFC lightweight contender Anthony “Showtime” Pettis and fellow blue-chipper Sergio “The Phenom” Pettis, the bar is set a little higher than for the average competitor.
Garcia wouldn’t want it any other way.
“It’s a lot of pressure being in the same family as Anthony and Sergio, but, ironically, I only met them last year. But I’ve always felt like I’d be a fighter. And when I found out that I was related to them, it all just clicked. My family…we’re all fighters, whether we train MMA or not. I’m just continuing that.”
A strong all-around fighter with a nose for finishing opponents early on, Garcia is way ahead of most 19 year-old amateur fighters. A natural 125-pounder, he’s fought outside his weight class in order to garner more experience, and despite the challenges, he has built a stellar 9-1 amateur record. Garcia has finished seven of his nine victims.
“Elias has fighting in his blood…there’s no question about that,” states his trainer, Duke Roufus. “But it’s his willingness to work combined with his natural talents that really set him apart. Many fighters have one of those elements, but when they have both and utilize them properly, the sky truly is the limit for them.”
This Saturday, June 9th, Garcia will look to represent his family and his gym, Roufusport, when he battles Jonathan Meins for the Wisconsin Fighting Championships Flyweight Championship. Some are clamoring for him to turn professional. However, he is in no hurry.
“Despite my success, I’ve only been training MMA for a year, so I don’t feel that I’m quite ready to go pro, even though I want to. But I don’t want to sacrifice future success just to get paid now. I’d rather wait, be patient, and make sure I am completely prepared.”
“For now, I am completely focused on Jonathan. I plan on finishing him, and I want to put on a huge show in the process. Even though I’m not going pro yet, I want to show the fans I’m ready, regardless.”
Recently, Garcia was featured in a short documentary. This intriguing piece shows his skill set as well as his work ethic, which are expected to take him far in the fight game. Check it out: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c4zKg2th3VU
For more information on Roufusport, please visit http://roufusport.com/. You can also find them on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/roufusport, and on Twitter @RoufusportMMA.
About Roufusport
Roufusport is run by famed kickboxer and MMA trainer Duke Roufus and his business partner Scott Joffe. It is a world class brand that includes a state-of-the-art training facility, fight team, and MMA promotion, the North American Fighting Championship.
Roufus is one of the most recognizable MMA and striking coaches in North America, and is considered to be one of the top trainers of Muay Thai kickboxing outside of Thailand. Roufus also runs the Roufusport Fight Club team, which includes UFC stars includes UFC stars Alan Belcher, Anthony “Showtime” Pettis, Erik “New Breed” Koch, and Pascal “Panzer” Krauss.
Former students include former UFC Lightweight Champion Jens Pulver, The Ultimate Fighter season one star Stephan Bonnar, and UFC veterans Pat Barry, Matt Mitrione, Ben Rothwell, and Jesse Lennox.
For more information, please contact:
Phil Lanides
Crossfire Media Group
(408) 439-3245
[email protected]