“This isn’t jiu-jitsu”
Posted on | January 17, 2008 | 1 Comment
POPPIES MARTINEZ POUNDS ON ONE OF HIS PREVIOUS OPPONENTs
LEMOORE, Ca. – Poppies Martinez isn’t mad.
The Lemoore mixed martial artist is used to the “haters.”
“People think I’m the same Poppies Martinez that came on to the scene,” said Martinez, who will take on Ultimate Fighting Championship veteran Diego Saraiva on Thursday, Jan. 17 at Palace Fighting Championship 6’s “No Retreat, No Surrender” at the Tachi Palace Hotel and Casino.
“Sure this is a tough fight, but I’m ready to take this and I’ve been in tough fights before,” Martinez added. “I’m improving every day and work with the best team at Capital City Fighting Alliance. I work with Urijah Faber.”
Although Martinez is the PFC World Lightweight Champion, he is slated as the underdog.
Atlanta’s Saraiva (9-6-1) fought three straight times in the UFC — all loses with the most recent coming at UFC 76’s “Knockout” in September to Jeremy Stephens (12-2) by unanimous decision.
Saraiva has never been submitted or knocked out — all of his losses have come by decision.
“He’s fought three times in the UFC and is a Brazilian jiu-jitsu black belt. He is a good fighter and I’ve seen some of his fights. It’s going to be a challenge,” Martinez said.
But, Martinez warns, “This isn’t jiu-jitsu or some grappling tournament. When he tries to sub me, I’m going to punch him in the face.”
Martinez (14-3) defeated Stockton’s Brandon Jinnies (2-7) in October at PFC 4 for the PFC Interim Lightweight title and since has beat Minnesota’s Aaron Maldonado (3-2) and Taft’s Billy Terry (2-6).
In March, Martinez was beat by San Bernardino’s Shad Smith (9-8-2) for the PFC World Title, but Smith didn’t meet contract commitments with the PFC in October and has since been stripped of his title.
“Shad Smith blatantly breached our contractual agreement and we have every right to do what we want,” PFC President Christian Printup said. “There are a lot of qualified and hungry 155-pound fighters. The fact of the matter is, that anyone who holds a title in the PFC needs to be ready to fight tough fights every time out. We are committed to bringing in the best to compete in the PFC.”
And Printup believes that they couldn’t have found a tougher fight for the lightweight crown.
“I think the Poppies/Diego fight is the type of fight that defines the course of a fighters career. For Diego he has lost three in a row in the biggest show in the world against top-flight competition.” Printup said. “He needs a win desperately to get his career back on track. For Poppies this is his chance for validation. It’s simple he wins this fight and he has arrived.”
Saraiva is expected to be Martinez’ toughest fight since a May 2006 loss to Temecula’s Cory Cass (4-5) or a May 2005 loss to Fresno’s Cole Escovedo (11-4).
“I really don’t know much about him. I heard he is a good fighter and likes to come aggressive and has good stand up,” Saraiva said of Martinez. “A fight is a fight. You never know what is going to happen. I trained hard for this fight and I am focused.”
Saraiva has won eight of his nine fights by submission and of those, four were armbars.
“I’ve trained for this fight at every angle,” Martinez said. “I’m ready to see what he does when I punch him in the face. I’m telling you, I’m not scared of him being a black belt. I’ve regularly beat black belts before. This isn’t jiu-jitsu, this is MMA.”
Also featured on the 16-bout card is a PFC World Featherweight title fight between Oroville PFC titleholder Shawn Bias (12-5) and Oakdale’s Art Arciniega (3-1) and Porterville PFC World Bantamweight champ Shawn Klarcyk (6-1) takes on Oakdale’s Rolando Velasco (4-0).
Tickets are going fast and are priced at $40, $50 and $60 for public sale and can be purchased at tickets.com or charge by phone 1-800-225-2277. Doors open at 5:30 p.m. with fights starting at 6:30.
Weighins will be on Wednesday, Jan 16 at 5 p.m. at The Den sports bar located on the third floor of the Tachi Palace Hotel and Casino.
Also on the card;
— Fresno lightweight Casey Olson (5-1) vs. Anaheim’s Scott Brommage (1-2)
— Sacramento heavyweight Brad Imes (10-3) vs. Coarsegold’s Anthony Ruiz (19-10)
— Lemoore welterweight Andrew Martinez (4-0-1) vs. Taft’s Doug Hunt (3-2)
— Santa Rosa middleweight Nate Loughran (6-0) vs. Fresno’s Richard Montoya (6-3)
— Moscow, Russia welterweight Alex Serdyukov (5-4) vs. Hamilton, MT’s Mike Gates (4-1-1)
— Sacramento bantamweight Joseph Benevides (1-0) vs. Eugene OR’s Jason Georgianna (5-1)
— Light heavyweight Ricardo Barros (1-1) vs. Grand Forks, ND’s Eric Pribble (4-1)
— Lemoore welterweight Tony Alanis (4-3) vs. Visalia’s Tom Owens (2-1)
— Madera heavyweight Joaquin Sanchez (1-1) vs. Taft’s Austin Achorn (0-3)
— Visalia bantamweight Brandon Miller (2-1) vs. Albuquerque NM’s Ed Tomaselli (3-4)
— San Luis Obispo light heavyweight Scott Lighty (0-0) vs. Humboldt’s Derek Thornton (3-9)
— Arroyo Grande light heavyweight Glover Teixeira (4-2) vs. Brazil’s Jorge Oliveira (2-1-1)
— Lemoore featherweight Sergio Quinones (1-1) vs. Bakersfield’s Fernando Arreola (2-3-1)
For more breaking PFC news log on to www.palacefightingchampionship.com