In the Life of a FIGHTER
About Myself
A former Top 10 UFC feather wieght contender from the U.S living in Oslo, Norway.
Welcome to my blog! My name is Pablo Garza, and I'm a Brazilian Jiu jitsu balck belt and former UFC fighter turned front-end developer. I began training in mixed martial arts in 2005. Throughout my career, I fought some of the best fighters in the world, including Mark Hominick and Dustin Poirer, with a record of 16 wins and 4 losses. After retiring from MMA in 2013, I decided to move to norway and open a martial arts academy.The venture lead to opening two academy's, one in Lillestrøm and the second in Lørenskog. After some years, I decided to pursue a new passion for coding and enrolled in a front-end web development program at Noroff. Today, I'm proud to say that I'm well on my way to becoming a skilled (noob) developer and hope to one day launch my own tech startup, just kidding that would be crazy!. When I'm not coding, I love spending time with my fantastic girl-friend and two children and staying active. Thank you for visiting my blog, and I hope you enjoy reading about my journey!
Deep Dive
I was born in Wasco, California to parents who had emigrated from Mexico.
Growing up, my family and I eventually made our way to North Dakota where I attended high school and played three different sports: baseball, basketball, and track. Among these, basketball held a special place in my heart and I continued to play as a point guard for two years in college at the University of Jamestown. Despite my love for basketball, I knew I needed to think about my future and pursued a degree in exercise science and personal training at the University of North Dakota. During my time there, I also worked hard at two jobs - one at a factory that made windmill blades and the other as an intern at a gym. These experiences taught me the value of hard work and the importance of balancing multiple responsibilities.
The Ultimate Fighter: Team Gsp vs Team Koscheck
Learning form the loss.
I was at a crossroads in my athletic career when I made the decision to sign with the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) to compete on The Ultimate Fighter: Team GSP vs. Team Koscheck. As the show began, I found myself up against a formidable opponent in Michael Johnson, a highly regarded prospect in the sport. Despite my best efforts, I ultimately fell short and suffered a defeat to him in a two-round decision. While the loss was disappointing, it only fueled my desire to continue to improve and come back stronger in future bouts.
The Ultimate Fighting Championship
UFC Feather Weight!
In October 2010, World Extreme Cagefighting merged with the Ultimate Fighting Championship. As part of the merger, all WEC fighters were transferred to the UFC. Garza made his UFC and featherweight debut against Fredson Paixão at The Ultimate Fighter: Team GSP vs. Team Koscheck Finale. This was the first ever featherweight fight in the UFC. Garza knocked Paixão out 51 seconds into the first round with a flying knee. After being unconscious for nearly two minutes, Paixão was on his back for close to four minutes while being given oxygen, before being placed in a neck brace and carried out on a stretcher. Garza earned Knockout of the Night honors for the performance. Garza defeated Yves Jabouin on April 30, 2011 at UFC 129 via first round submission due to a flying triangle choke. The finish earned him Submission of the Night honors and $129,000. Garza faced Dustin Poirier on November 12, 2011 at UFC on Fox 1. He lost the fight in the second round after tapping out to a d'arce choke. Garza next faced Dennis Bermudez at UFC on Fox 3 on May 5, 2012. He lost the fight via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27). Garza was expected to face Josh Grispi on August 4, 2012 at UFC on FOX 4. However, Garza was forced out of the bout with an injury and replaced by Rani Yahya. Garza faced Mark Hominick on November 17, 2012 at UFC 154. He won the fight by unanimous decision. Garza faced Diego Brandão on April 6, 2013 at UFC on Fuel TV 9. He lost the fight via first round submission and was subsequently released from the promotion. Post UFC