Eric Gonzalez has found the right gym, and now he is having fun
trying to be the best fighter he can be.
By Greg Chapman Staff Writer
Gilroy – Eric Gonzalez has found the right gym, and now he is having fun trying to be the best fighter he can be.
Gonzalez and Tobias Farmer, owner of Roks Power and Glory Fight in Gilroy, have been friends for a couple of years.
“He’s an awesome kid. He has a heart of gold,” said Farmer, a trainer and fighter. “He’s a dynamite kid. That’s why I let him train. I don’t just train anybody. We’re a family here.”
What appealed to Farmer was Gonzalez’s heart, which is why he opened the door for him.
Farmer described Gonzalez, 27, as being sincere, Gilroy orientated and a awesome mentor.
Giving back to the kids and talking to the kids are some of the things that Farmer does that he saw in Gonzalez.
Farmer knew why Gonzalez came back to his gym –the treatment wasn’t the same
“They [other gyms] treat you like punching bags,” Farmer said.
At Roks Power & Glory Fight, Gonzalez said, “We sweat together, we bleed together, we do everything together. We’re a big family.”
Not only has Farmer been around Mixed Martial Arts 35 of his 47 years, but he has provided aspiring fighters with the only MMA school in the area.
“It’s about teaching here and giving the tools to succeed,” Farmer said.
Since Gonzalez was eight years old, martial arts has been apart of his life and his brown belt in Tae Kwon Do has been a good base for him now that he is practicing MMA.
Fighting is Gonzalez’s passion and he takes it seriously. He trains six days a week for about three hours to improve his skills.
Farmer said that Gonzalez will train in the morning, at night, Sunday evening or by himself.
“I want to be the best when I get in there, not just some guy who thinks he can do it,” Gonzalez said.
His ultimate goal is to make it to Strike Force, UFC or King of the Cage.
Right now, Gonzalez is participating in Smoker’s, amateur events held every month by one of the fighting schools to gain more experience and he’s taking his time.
Farmer said it’s necessary to fight as many opponents as possible to be efficient.
“You got to have a lot of amateur fights to get ready for the pro’s,” Farmer said.
Fighters have various fighting styles and Farmer said, competing is the only way to learn how to combat against it.
Roks Power and Glory Fight was one of 80 gyms at Unlimited Kickboxing’s ‘Submission Wrestling Smoker’ on June 16, and Gonzalez held his own.
Gonzalez, the only fighter from the gym participating in the smoker, had three fights and he won two.
During his first fight, Gonzalez didn’t have his calming trainer in his corner.
However, Farmer was there for the last two, and he said it gave Gonzalez confidence because he knew he would guide him.
“I’m so glad you’re here coach,” Gonzalez said when Farmer arrived, and he defeated his next two opponents.
In each of his next two fights, Gonzalez shot in, did a single leg take down on his competition, got to the side mount position, which is the dominate position from an 90 degree angle with both fighters being chest to chest, and then controlled his opponent getting them in the triangle choke.
Both matches were over within a minute. It only takes six to eight seconds to pass out from the pressure of the triangle choke move.
Up next for Gonzalez is the Gracy Open, held in Pleasant Hill at the end of the month.
The Gracy family started Brazilian Jiu Jitsu and the UFC, so their events have good turnouts and Farmer expects pro fighters and some of the best amateur’s in the world to be in attendance.
“If you win, it’s even better,” Gonzalez said.
Gonzalez is a full-time father and barber, and is trying to be a full-time fighter, which hasn’t been easy, but he has received a lot support and is grateful.
