TGS Exclusive Interview: Victor Martinez

 

On March 1st, STFC will return to the McAllen Convention Center for another showcase of mixed martial arts action. One of the key fights involves Pharr’s Victor Martinez (2-2) taking on Joe Rodriguez (3-3). Martinez talked to us this past week.

TGS: In your last fight, you beat Michael Lytle badly with your strikes. What did you learn about yourself in that fight?

Martinez: I just learned how to be patient and just go with the flow. Wait for the right timing and once the time is there, just pounce on the opportunity and follow up through it.

TGS: That was your second TKO in a row. Both TKO’s happened at 1:59 into their respective rounds. Are you looking for a third straight TKO?

Martinez: For my third fight, yeah I’m looking for another knockout. Either knockout or TKO. But if a submission is there, I’m going to take it. I’m just looking for that ‘W’.

TGS: Did you go to PSJA North?

Martinez: Yes

TGS: Were you involved in any extracurricular activities or sports?

Martinez: No, just a regular guy, going to school.

TGS: What attracted you to MMA?

Martinez: One day a friend invited me to jiu-jitsu and ever since then I just stuck with it. I was in 11th grade.

TGS: What gym did you first join?

Martinez: It was Team IMS (Institute Martial Science) but now it’s called Team Ferreira. It’s the same gym, I’ve been there since I started.

TGS: This upcoming fight is going to be contested at a catchweight of a 160 lbs. Is there a particular reason why it’s at that weight instead of fighting at 155 lbs (lightweight)?

Martinez: Well, I don’t know what happened or why he changed his mind. But he called the promoter, and he asked if he can fight me at 160. They asked me if 160 was fine, so I agreed to it. I really don’t know why.

TGS: We’ve seen how powerful your strikes are in the last couple of fights, but as you’ve said, you’ve been working with Carlos Diego Ferreira for many years, so I imagine you must feel very comfortable on the ground. Can you tell us about your grappling game?

Martinez: A lot of people think that I don’t know jiu-jitsu, I guess because I haven’t showed it. But I train with one of the best coaches in Texas, Carlos Diego. So I’ll go to the ground, I’m not scared of going to the ground. But I just like to stand up, I like to bang. Hopefully if this fight goes to the ground, I can showcase my jiu-jitsu.

TGS: Can you tell us a bit about how the training is going for this upcoming fight?

Martinez: It’s been going really good. I had gone to Houston, to go train with my other coach from over there, James Cooper. Then I just continued my training down here with Carlos Diego and my team members at Team Ferreira.

TGS: Do you feel that there is a rivalry between Team Ferreira and Team Pound? Is it friendly or unfriendly?

Martinez: I don’t feel any rivalry between us. I’ve known the guys from Team Pound for a while. I have nothing against them. To me, it’s just a fight. I don’t know how he sees it, but to me, it’s just another fight.

TGS: The STFC lightweight title has been recently vacated, how many more wins do you think you have to string together before you get a shot at the title?

Martinez: I don’t know, it’s totally up to the promoter. Hopefully after this one. I think, maybe after this one, maybe another win and hopefully I’ll get a title shot. But I don’t know, that’s totally up to the promoters, what they say.

TGS: Anything you would like to say to your opponent and to the fans who are going to attend the fight?

Martinez: Well I’m not one to talk trash. You come March 1st, we’re both going to go in there and just try to knock each other’s heads off. I’m sure he’s training hard, I’m training really hard.

Hopefully a lot of people go, it’s going to be a good fight between me and Joe Rod. I know that for sure. It’s going to get pretty loud in there.

TGS: Thank you, and good luck.

Martinez: Thank you.

For more information about this upcoming STFC event, go to http://www.mcallenconventioncenter.net/events/details.aspx?eid=3331