Tommy Espinosa

Tommy Espinosa ahead of Maverick MMA 2 – “I just like to fight man”

Tommy Espinosa will make his fourth trip to the cage this calendar year when he takes on Cristian Rodriguez in a flyweight bout at Maverick MMA 2, July 1.Tommy Espinosa, Maverick MMA 2

Espinosa made his professional mixed martial arts debut in January at Ring of Combat 58 in Atlantic City, New Jersey.  Although the Pure Mixed Martial Arts instructor did not walk away with the win that night, he bounced back with a quick TKO win over Greg Saumenig at Maverick MMA in April.

Espinosa then returned to the cage in May earning a second round TKO over Christian Medina at Dead Serious Pro 1.

Now with a 2-1 pro record, the 24-year old Espinosa is destined to fight as of as he possibly can.  We caught up with him at the Maverick MMA 2 open workouts at MMA Signatures MMA & BJJ Asylum in Stroudsburg, Pennsylvania over the weekend to talk about his future.

“Well I’m healthy 100 percent every time afterwards,” Espinosa said.  “I just like to fight man.  I fight because I like to.  You don’t make money here doing this.  It’s really just all about performing.  That’s my biggest thing and if I’m 100 percent after this fight, I’ll probably take another quick one after this also.”

Training and Instructing at Pure MMA

“I occasionally train at Carnicella’s, but it’s rare.  We have a lot of people in our gym at Pure.  I have a lot of people come to us at Andy (Main’s).”

From left (Craig Hannigan, Tommy Espinosa, Andy Main, and Melvis Figueroa)
From left (Craig Hannigan, Tommy Espinosa, Andy Main, and Melvis Figueroa)

Andy Main and brother Mike own Pure MMA in Rockaway, New Jersey where Espinosa is an instructor. Espinosa instructs Muay Thai, but also holds a purple belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu.

“Before I came to Andy’s, I only did no-gi.  I only got into jiu-jitsu three years ago and then they saw I was getting familiar with the gi, and I loved it ever since.  I started out with Muay Thai recreational at another gym.  Andy doesn’t just let anybody instruct there, so he obviously saw I was winning my fights standing, showing a little technique, showing dedication.  He asked me if I wanted to teach and I said yes, and it’s been fun ever since.”

Why the return to Maverick MMA?

“I know Willy (Sisca) (Maverick MMA promoter) for some time now, and he’s been great to me.  I like to fight too.  The promotion is really good too.  I knew the kid (Saumenig) was a good wrestler from Maine.  I just knew where the fight was going and knew I could implement my game plan which was elbows, and keep reigning on him until it stopped,” Espinosa said of his Maverick MMA debut.

Espinosa on his opponent

“From what I’ve seen I think he is picking his guys by their technique.  A lot of the guys he has fought are either strikers with no ground game, no wrestling defense, and I’ve got that.  I feel I’m going to be his toughest opponent now and I’m just gonna try and get another finish.”

In a perfect world, how do you see this fight going down?

“Walking out, doing our thing, walking to the music, and just try to trip up him standing, and if he does take me to the ground, then he is gonna wake up because I don’t implement my jiu-jitsu in my fighting.  I try to keep it standing as much as I can.  I like to put a show on, but if he takes me to the ground, that’s a different story.  I am a purple too and I am fairly good at jiu-jitsu so it’s not going to be a boring fight.”

Follow Tommy Espinosa’s fanpage on Facebook

Maverick MMA 2 takes place at the Sherman Theater in Stroudsburg, Pennsylvania, Saturday, July 1. For ticket information follow Maverick MMA on Facebook.

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