Steve
Garcia is doing everything he can to ensure all of his fights
are appointment viewing.
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The
Jackson-Wink MMA product dispatched Seung Woo
Choi via first-round technical knockout in the UFC
on ESPN 60 co-main event at the UFC Apex on Saturday nght, his
fourth consecutive triumph via KO or TKO. It’s nothing new for
“Mean Machine,” who has finished 13 of his 16 career triumphs in
that same fashion.
“It’s just another one on my cap. It’s another [notch],” Garcia
said at the post-fight press conference. “I’m blessed. I’m just
trying to get more. Every single time I come in there, I want you
guys to tune in. I want you guys to see Steve
Garcia and just be like, ‘This guy’s bringing it, so let’s
watch.’”
Garcia entered Saturday’s fight with a lot on his mind, so it was
something of a relief to perform the way he did.
“It’s been a great ending to a long camp,” he said. “It’s my
brother’s birthday so I got to get a ‘W’ on his birthday. I want to
wish him a happy birthday.
“I also have another buddy, and I kind of found this out today,
he’s had a battle with cancer and he’s actually losing it right
now. He told me as long as I’m fighting, he’s gonna keep fighting.
And so we’re pushing together.”
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Garcia revealed that he learned of his friend’s condition shortly
before he was scheduled to stand across from Choi in the
Octagon.
“It happened like two hours before I got on the bus. It kind of hit
me hard,” Garcia said. “He’s a police officer in Albuquerque. “He’s
honestly just a really good dude. He puts his neck on the line
every single time he goes out there in the field. The face that he
has cancer and he’s still doing that, those are the real heroes.
The police officers, the firefighters. I get to go home (at the end
of the day), some of those guys don’t.”
While he may have been fighting with a heavy heart, Garcia was
nonetheless pleased to learn that his knockout streak is currently
tops within the Las Vegas-based promotion.
“It was a surprise, but man, that’s awesome,” he said. “We’re
setting records. How can you not love that?”
For Garcia, that streak is just a byproduct of his typical approach
to fighting.
“Not the record but I always have pressure. I always want finishes…
That’s how I fight, that’s my style,” he said. “I definitely just
bring it every single time. It’s hard to just follow up every
single time. You want to win ultimately, but how you win also
dictates your future too. So I go out there and leave it out on the
line.”
With more success, Garcia will potentially get more of a say in his
future. During his post-fight interview, the New Mexican called out
Dan
Ige, who has been a popular target on the heels of his
short-notice appearance at UFC 303.
“I think that would be a fun fight,” Garcia said. “The fans would
love that fight. He brings it, I bring it. That’s fireworks in the
making. I’m just helping the matchmaker out.
“I think everybody wants to fight at The Sphere, but I’m realistic.
I’ll fight wherever.”
While Garcia isn’t picky when it comes to venue, he does believe
that he has done enough to earn a step up in competition for his
next Octagon appearance.
“If it was up to me, it’d be someone that has a ranking. That’s my
next goal, to fight someone that has a ranking next to their name.
Because I want a ranking on my name,” he said. “I feel like I’m
putting these guys out, I’m not barely squeaking by. And I know
everyone in the Top 15 is game. I should be in that mix.”