Anthony Figueroa set to fight Darren Uyenoyama Saturday
Gilroy
Anthony Figueroa’s nickname is an obvious play off of his first name, but there seems to be more to it when considering his fighting style as well as the size of those he is inflicting punishment upon.
Known as “Antdawg” in the steel cage octagon of mixed-martial-arts fights, Figueroa has a sculpted physique, albeit in a compact, 5-foot-6, 135-pound frame. Often battling in preliminary fights before men of 200-plus pounds, Figueroa is a figurative ant in a world of muscle-bound maniacs who trade punches, kicks and submission holds that snap bones like raw pasta.
It’s the second half of the nickname that encompasses exactly what style of fighter Figueroa is. Usually entering the cage a few pounds under the 135-pound weigh-in limit, the Gilroy-based brawler often finds himself against opponents that cut weight to make 135, and balloon up to 145 or even 150 pounds by the next night.
“Pretty much everybody I fight cuts weight,” Figueroa said. “The last two fights I had, their normal fight weight is 145 but they made the 135 cut. So, I’m kind of used to it.”
After a recent bout at the Playboy Mansion, Figueroa’s opponent came over to congratulate him on his victory, as well as let him know he had a 15-pound advantage.
“That was after I knocked him out,” Figueroa said.
As the saying goes, it’s not about the size of the dog in the fight, but the size of the fight in the “dawg.”
Figueroa (4-1, 3 KOs) will be back in such a setting Saturday night when he takes on Darren Uyenoyama (3-1) in one of the undercard bouts of the Strikeforce event being headlined by Frank Shamrock and Cung Le at HP Pavilion in San Jose. Figueroa won his last bout in the Shark Tank by taking a clear split-decision over Pete Sabala.
The upcoming matchup should prove an intriguing contrast in styles considering Figueroa prefers to use his hand skills developed from time spent boxing while Uyenoyama is trained in ju-jitsu, and will most likely try to take the fight to the ground.
“I plan on keeping on my feet and hopefully connecting with a nice clean shot,” Figueroa said, “but I’m prepared for the ground too. In this sport you have to prepare for everything.
“[Uyenoyama] choked out my teammate (in a previous fight) pretty quick. I know he’s a ju-jitsu guy and that’s his forte. He wants to get you on the ground and get you to submit. I’m gonna try to let him eat my jab as he comes in.”
If things go according to the way they did in November, Figueroa will be one of the most popular fighters at the venue. Introduced as a San Jose native despite hailing from Gilroy, Figueroa was cheered louder than every other fighter with the exception of Le, as both ended up winners on the evening. Having a repeat performance would be especially satisfying for the pair considering that Le and Figueroa train together.
“Since he’s getting ready for the fight and he’s my head coach, we’ve worked a lot together,” Figueroa said. “We work side-by-side together, six days a week. He’s an athlete and his work ethic is really good and he pushes me to get better and be the best that I can be.”
With a work ethic and mindset like this, it appears Figueroa isn’t letting anything weigh him down.
