Houston, TX - Martin Pineda looks to bounce back on June 2nd in the #FURY MMA Cage. Pineda is coming off a decision loss to #RileyRedgrave who will be headlining the card later that night. Pineda reflects on his camp and the changes he has implemented heading into what could be his last amateur fight.
Q: How's the family doing? How's your son doing? Last time we talked he was a lot smaller.
A: Yeah, I think when we last talked, he was maybe like two weeks old? But he's getting ready to walk. He wants to walk. He's big. Time is just flying by. I can't wait for him to get a little bit older. When he's walking and stuff and I can start bringing him with me to training sessions.
Q: I mean that's every fighters dream. To be training with their son. Right? So talk to me about this fight coming up, June 2nd it's in #Houston for FURY. How did this fight come together?
A: Basically it's the first time someone called me out. He called me and he asked the promoter to fight me. I know he's Mexican, I have a Mexican style. I think he just likes the match up. I think its going to be a fun fight. Mexican vs Mexican, both going forward. Bloody.
Q: That's kind of what we come to know and love from you, right? That style always coming forward. I'm looking forward to it personally. I'm glad you said it because it's definitely a clash of pressure fighters.
A: Yeah. Honestly, I think that's what it is. Going to be a good fight. It gets me going when I think about it.
Q: How's Camp going at the moment? Where where are you at in your training. The fight is coming up pretty soon here. Are you kind of on the downslope or still getting the hard rounds in?
A: Yeah, two weeks out. It's going great. A big difference from last camp. Last time things a lot of things went wrong. Nothing, crazy. But, a few things that I fixed this camp. Everything's going good. I'm firing on all settings right now. I'm closer to weight than I was last time around. Getting all my rounds in. I'm firing on all cylinders right now. It's a big difference from last time.
Fighter Profile: Martin Pineda Fury MMA
Q: Obviously the last fight didn't go your way what if any changes did you implement in your camp this time versus last?
A: The biggest change is staying closer to fight weight. Not not to take anything away from my last opponent. He did in his thing. You had good game plan and won the match, but I started that camp around close to 240 To fight at 185 in six weeks. Which I made the weight I just, I didn't feel like I could have.
There wasn't so much of starving myself this camp. I've been eating, I've been training. It makes a big difference. My training sessions are way better instead of me just kind of dragging through to finish them now I can plan and focus on certain techniques. Where last time I was kind of just focusing on making the weight. Most of last camp was just focused on me making the weight.
Q: You seem a little slimmer in the face. I can tell you're a little bit trimmer than last time we spoke. You said your goal was eventually to get down to 155lbs. Is that still what you're looking to do?
A: So this this will probably be my last amateur fight. Maybe if I win this one, I'll get a rematch for the 185 belt, and maybe that'll be my last time. But if I don't get the rematch, this will be my last amateur fight, and then I'll go pro at 170lbs. I don't know if I can do 155lbs until its a bigger promotion. But, I'm a little small for 185 still. I think it's 70. If I don't rush it, if I do it right, I think I'll be at 70 very soon.
Q: That makes sense too. I mean, you definitely don't want to do too much too fast. You mentioned that you would like the rematch with Riley afterwards. He's on this, this card with you, correct?
A: Yes, sir. He's the main event. Pretty badass.
Q: Are you interested in the winner of that fight? Or do you want the rematch with Riley?
A: My goal is to show that I'm the best middleweight in the amateur scene right now. I just want to show that I'm better. I'm not to shit on them but just how I feel about myself. I would be interested in the winner. It's just... I need to start getting paid. I do this all day every day, all day, just training. I think it's this would be my sixth amateur fight. Also, don't wanna sand bag. I'm getting all the: "When are you going pro? Why are you still fighting amateurs?" So I think it's time to go pro. The only reason I wanted a rematch was just to show that I'm better than that.
Other than that, it's nothing against Riley. It's not like: "Oh I want either one." I'm like: "I want to show that I'm better" and I want to get paid. So maybe we'll see each other at pro. I just had a kid and I do it all day. I leave the house at about. 5 a.m. and I get home at about 10 p.m. so I think I should go pro.
Q: That's the responsible man in you speaking. You want all the experience you can get but, at the end of the day, there is a reality to life.
A: I want the title, I want the main event, I want the whoever wins, I want the belt, I want to do it by in the Middleweight division, but that I know that's my pride. With #FURY they have great production. It's really nice to go back and watch your fight in 4k. Now, as a dad, I see it as like my son can show people what I do. I don't feel like I'm gonna leave my son, millions of dollars or a big thing, you know, but I can maybe leave him a pretty cool highlight reel. He can go back and show his friends when he's getting older and like look, look at my dad on YouTube and he has some badass fights on me. So that that's always cool they make you feel like you're at a high high level even though its regional.
Q: Now, the floor is yours. Man. Any shout outs anything like that? Now is your time.
A: I just want to give a new shout out to my sponsor #TexasTire and #HarrisonDefender who are there for me. Making this camp a lot easier. #RealThreads, always helping me out.
Martin Pineda fights Sunday June 2nd for Fury Fighting Championship!
Q&A with Martin Pineda Fury MMA Champion
Houston, TX - Martin Pineda, Fury MMA Champion, is taking the Texas regional scene by storm. Pineda is currently undefeated and the #2 ranked Heavyweight & #2 ranked Light-Heavyweight in the state. His next bout however, scheduled for February 18th 2024 in Houston, is at Middleweight. With all 4 of his wins coming by way of stoppage, momentum is on the side of the Darkside fighter. We sat down with Pineda ahead of his upcoming fight to find out about his training, his life as a new dad, and the practical use of Jiu Jitsu competition as an aspiring pro fighter. Check it out!
Q: You're in a unique position as champion. Do you reach out to Fury and say that you want a fight as they announce cards, or do they tell you when it's time to defend?
A: I called my shot 2 fights ago. I won the fight and called for the 205 fight and said "That's just the first belt. I'm going down to 185 and I'm taking that belt too." So that was always the plan. I won the 205 belt back in August and I had to take some time off with a brand new baby. I let Fury know, I was still on my way down to 185. I had already asked them prior, even before winning at 205, if I could go down to 185 and fight. Actually, since the beginning of 2023 I wanted to move down but they kept giving me 205 match ups. I had gotten the 205 belt and told them "I'm still planning to go down to 185, maybe even 170."
Q: You're 4-0 right now, is your plan to transition into a Pro career when you hit a goal weight?
A: Yes that is the goal. I'm just using my Amatuer career really to drop the weight and get comfortable at new divisions. This is going to be my first time down at 185, but I plan to be even more comfortable than I was at 205. This is the quickest, leanest I've ever been. So the plan is to get to 5-0 and then maybe go pro at 170, probably 185 and then 170. I do plan on going pro next.
Q: Talk me through your weight cuts. A lot of fighters do that yo-yo thing, where they walk at 170 but fight at 145 and fight night they're back up to 170. Trying to steadily come down in weight for you, that's probably not the case right?
A: Yeah not the case. When I was at 205 I would have to eat extra to keep the weight on and stay on the heavier side. I walk around at 220 maybe? That's when I'm at my heaviest. In camp, I get to about 210 pretty naturally. Then I cut maybe 5-7 pounds to make 205. 185 is going to be a bigger cut but I don't expect it to be too crazy. I'll get to 200 about a month out. Get even lighter and then cut the rest.
Q: You're fighting really frequently, you're a pretty active grappler, and like you said: you're a new dad and have a lady at home. How do you manage all that?
A: I'm not going to lie, it gets hard. I'm a first time dad, so I don't have too much experience with this but the 4 months I do have I will say it's long days man. I get up at 5:00am get my strength and conditioning work in until about 6:30am. I work 7:00am-3:30pm at my regular job. After that, I come coach here at The Empire, that's my second job. Then I get my training in after that from 7:00pm-9:00pm. I do some Striking and Jiu-Jitsu. Then I come home and go be with the baby, put him to bed, and get my rest in. My girl man, my girl helps out alot. She's got a job that's really flexible, she works from home and takes care of the baby. I kind of just take care of the dream right now, if you want to call it that. It's hard but I wouldn't want it any other way. It's fun, it's exciting. It gives me motivation.
Q: Well you have the results, you're not a SoundCloud rapper. You're 4-0, all finishes. You're out here actually making the dream real.
A: Yes sir. Soon to be 5-0.
Q: You're really active on the grappling scene for an MMA Fighter. Does that help you cut weight and prep for MMA, or because of the Leg Lock revolution, are they too disconnected at this point and almost 2 different sports?
A: No, they go hand in hand. When I took time off from fighting to be with the baby, I still trained regularly in Jiu-Jitsu at The Darkside. It's always there man. Even if I'm not getting ready for a competition, I'm always there. I'll stop in, get a good sweat in, and go back to my life. I'm always active though, even without a comp, I train Monday-Sunday.
Q: You've been pretty loyal to Fury up to this point, obviously you're their champion so they keep making offers, but what is it about them that you like as a fighter? Can you speak a little about Fury and what makes them stand out?
A: I think Fury is the best local promotion there is, at least down here in Texas. They're sending a lot of fighters to the UFC. Alot of fighters in the UFC started their amatuer careers with Fury. They're right there with the UFC. Also they're on UFC Fight Pass so we get a lot of views. They also work with me. I asked for some time off to take care of the baby and they were fine with that. It just feels like more of a team. They're trying to get me there and I'm trying to get there also so we're kind of in it together at this point.
Q: What's something you'd like to accomplish while you're still on the grind on the Regional level?
A: Man I'd like to be a 2 weight champion in the Pro divisions. I did it at amateur, a little bit chubbier at 205 but if I get going as a Pro... maybe 170 and 155 that would be ideal. If I do get the call to go to the UFC as a Pro it will be at 155 because those guys are huge.
Q: That's all I have for you but anything you'd like to say? Any shout outs?
A: Shout out to my team Victor at Darkside & Ken at Empire. Shout out to my sparring partners we bang everyday, so thank you to those guys. We're all putting in the grind together to get there. They're right here with me. Shout out to my team. My girl she is also part of the team and shout out to you guys. This is my first interview ever. So shout out to Combat Sports Report.
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