With only three amateur fights in mixed martial arts in his career, Salvador Andres Macias became recognized as a fighter who has a potential to become local amateur 170 pounds champion.
Even though his record in mixed martial arts is not very extensive, his experience in training with martial arts and
When he was 12 years old he came to United States and quickly he signed up for wrestling at John Deere Middle School in Moline. He continued fighting when he went to Moline High School and United Township High School in East Moline. But it was on out there on the streets that he realized that he had a talent for fighting.
“[Fighting] was something that came to me naturally. Fighting on the streets made me understand that I am good at it and I decided to discipline myself. Obviously, I did not like people to hit me in the face, that’s why I practiced Jui-Jitsu a lot,” Andres says, “but it is part of the game.”
At the age of 22, Andres learned new martial arts techniques from his friend Mardy Perez. Mardy encouraged him to get a membership in Champion Fitness gym where they teach the fighting technique of previous UFC world champion Pat Miletich, Miletich Fighting System. There, Andres trained for years learning little by little from the best in this sport, Spencer Fisher, who now has his own training camp called Evolution. Andres just trained he did not have any plans of becoming a fighter. But it all changed one day at the fights he recognized that his level of training was even better than some of those who were fighting out there.
“Nowadays, when I fight I do it with a discipline and a lot of training. Before it was just a hobby, but now I train on a different level,” he explained.
The returns with Mardy Perez and in his first fight he won by submission. Now he trains at F1Gym in Moline and since then those who are familiar with the sport noticed that he has a good technique. Even his next opponent Clint Anderson, who is a amateur champion in weights of 170 pound, recognized that Andres has a talent when he saw Andres win a fight with Diego Rodriguez in July of 2009.
Andres’ goal is to lower his weight to 155 pounds, but now he has an opportunity to win a title at 170 pounds, since Clint Anderson indicated to his promoter that he wanted to fight against Andres.
“I got excited and I told him we should do it,” Andres said.
Even though he is just looking for local title for now, he plans to train young people so they can have an opportunity to become world champions and also he dreams to promote this sport among Latinos. He recommends to young people to “train hard and do not feel frustrated when going to a practice and getting submitted all the time, because this is how you learn,” he said, “if you are good at fighting then everything is much easier for you.”
For now he is preparing to use his own advice and abilities to face Clint Anderson on January 22 for “Soldiers of Fortune II” at Danceland, 501 West 4th St. Davenport. The doors open at 6 pm and the fights start art 7pm. To get tickets please call 563-505-1013.
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