Sal Guerriero ready to take career to next level with impressive showing at Titan FC 77
Having spent most of his professional career fighting for the Titan FC promotion, Sal Guerriero had been spending the early part of 2022 preparing for a title fight opportunity within the promotion. Whether it was an interim belt or pulling current champion Ira Lukowsky, who won the belt in 2021, into his first title defense, Guerriero has been ready for the biggest opportunity of his career so far, but now, he’s just focused on showcasing himself.
Ahead of his scheduled matchup against Wendel Araujo, Sal Guerriero will step into the cage on June 3 with two things on his mind: pick up another victory and send a message to other promotions that he’s ready for the next step up. With five fights already under the Titan FC promotion, Guerriero has picked up four wins in those five fights with the promotion, getting finishes in all of those wins, including most recently at Titan FC 73 in December of last year.
Speaking to MyMMANews, Sal Guerriero opened up about his lifelong training at American Top Team in Florida, his fight at Titan FC 77, and looking to make his performance one that will stand out and lead to bigger opportunities with other promotions. Admitting that he doesn’t necessarily focus on a specific strategy because matchups and plans are always changing, Guerriero pointed out he’s been ready for a fight and while he was hoping for a high stakes opportunity, he’ll focus on showcasing himself.
“I don’t put too much emphasis into it [strategy], just for example I’ve been ready to fight now for over a month, had some roadblocks that were out of my control. I was ready, I was supposed to fight for a title and this guy had some issues that kept him from making. Tried setting up multiple interim fights for a belt, multiple fights fell through, it just doesn’t pay to be ready for one specific opponent. There’s this caricature of an opponent and then whatever this guy brings, I’m ready for it. I think it really just ultimately comes down to me and me putting my work out there.”
With the focus on himself and not his opponent, Sal Guerriero said that he will look to make the most of his opportunity at Titan FC 77, including sending a message to other promotions like the UFC and Bellator MMA.
“This is one segment leading into a large timeline, my goal is to get into that [UFC] Contender [Series] or Bellator. I stay fight ready year round so after this fight, if I’m in a pretty good position and someone gets hurt on Contender [Series] I’d love to jump in there. That’s not my focus, that specific point, but being prepared for what’s to come too, just constantly being prepared for many things. My intention is on this fight here.”
A part of the incredible gym at American Top Team in Coconut Creek, Florida, Sal Guerriero has had lifelong family ties to the gym, ties he says only makes him stronger and more prepared for anything thrown his way.
“I’ve been a part of ATT since I was a kid, from like 7, 8, 9 years old. My Dad and Uncle are black belts under Conan [Silveira] so I’ve been part of the gym. I’ve been blessed to walk around some of the best fighters and learn from them, pick their brain, and I really like to pick some of their brains and just get some way of how they think of things and kind of meshing it with myself. Experience is everything and I’m grateful to be around the guys that I am at ATT.”
While not everything has always lined up as planned for Sal Guerriero, he knows the opportunity which lies in front of him at Titan FC 77 and for someone who stays ready year-round, he plans to showcase himself to the world on June 3.
“My message is to watch me hand out this extremely clean performance, if people have been following me they can watch all the new facets of my game that I’ve been tweaking and tuning all during this time. Just to get to know me a little bit better. I feel like through this fighting experience a lot of people can learn a lot about themselves. Just tune in, watch this clean ass performance.”
It will be hard to deny Sal Guerriero if he has yet another clean performance at Titan FC 77, no matter what the next level may be for him, the always-ready fighter has the skills, the mindset, and the team behind him to have him ready to seize the moment.
