BOOM…. Well my 3 a.m. phone just came in, and when you are MMA agent you have to answer, and you know it’s not good news. Of course a million things go through my mind before I can stop this horrible cell phone ringing, buzzing, lights flashing. So I quickly try to focus, and realize, that I am not in a night club with lights and noise.
On the other end its Macaco, and I can not help but think one of the fighters is hurt, did not get medicals done, missed their flight. The news is that one of Lucas Martins‘s corners is ill and can not make the flight to Croatia. I need to contact UFC and see if we can get a last minute replacement corner. This is an easy problem to solve.
I have had a lot of big time fights in the past month and also have some big time UFC fights coming up. Lucas Martins is fighting Robert Whiteford at UFC Fight Night 86 in Croatia this weekend. I have always been impressed with Lucas’s power, he really does have a puncher’s chance in every fight he is in. I really like this match up, I believe Whiteford’s style is just too passive for Lucas. One thing that I know for sure, is that Lucas is going to cause a lot of damage to Whiteford early in the fight. Like Lucas says, his striking turns MMA fighters into wrestlers.
I have been telling people Thomas Almeida is the best 135-pound fighter in world since he was 8-0. Thomas is finally booked for May 29 at UFC Fight Night 88 in Las Vegas. It took a little longer to book his fight because some fighters would rather pass instead of fighting Thomas. We had to go out of the top 10, and accept a fight with undefeated Cody Garbrandt. I think they already have The Fight of Night bonus check with both these guys’ names on it. Garbrandt has a great striking style and comes to fight, this is what Thomas likes, and being offered the main event, it took less then 7 minutes to agree to it. If Thomas can finish Garbrandt, a title fight could be in the very near future.
I also have Jonathan Martinez fighting in Combate Americas on NBC Universo April 18. Jonathan is the nicest family guy fighter I know. He is extremely mature for 21, I never have to worry about him getting his medicals, fight licenses, or making weight. He is really focused on his family and his career. When I am looking at fighters this is something that I find is a common trait in successful fighters. I am still having a hard time dealing with his DQ loss at Legacy. Jonathan was disqualified because of an illegal knee, the knee was accidental but the fight was still ruled a loss by the Louisiana Boxing Commission. I argued with them a little and said it should have been a No Contest. I still consider Jonathan an undefeated fighter and you will be seeing him fight at big time events, for big time titles very soon.
Stay tuned, I am hoping to have some Charles Oliveira news, I will talk about Anderson Berinja’s win at Titan FC, and some of the bigger fights from last month. Thanks everyone.
Big Fight Management‘s Wade Hampel helps manage several big name MMA fighters’ careers as well as some very hot up-and-coming prospects. Get an inside look at the life of an MMA agent in this recurring column on ProMMAnow.com.