Long Road Paying Off for Camacho
Caesar Garcia Jan 24, 2008
Joe Camacho (Pictures) grew up in an East L.A.
neighborhood known for its macho mentality. The violence of early
UFC events did not deter him, nor did the sight of two sweaty men
rolling around inside a cage. Instead, Camacho, who had dabbled in
taekwondo and boxing, saw a free-flowing art.
He might not have known it at first glance, either, but watching an early UFC would mark the first day of the rest of his life.
Fast-forward to the present. After fighting some of the best
lightweights in the game today, Camacho is ready to headline "King
of the Cage: Premiere" on Thursday against yet another tough
opponent. Thomas "The Wildman" Denny is a guy Camacho calls a KOTC
icon and someone he is definitely not taking lightly.
"He's an experienced, smart fighter," says Camacho of Denny, whom he'll fight at 160 pounds. "He's well rounded. Our styles mix well. We both can fight on the ground and on our feet. It's going to be a technical fight."
Yep, the same Stevenson who just fought B.J. Penn (Pictures) for the UFC lightweight title. That experience has given Camacho the long-toothed confidence to face an opponent who normally fights at 170 pounds.
And while Camacho's 12-11-3 record might not be the most impressive, it's the way that he built that record that is.
"When I first started, MMA hadn't exploded yet. It was still banned," remembers Camacho with a smile. "When I fought for Empire Submission Fighting, before it was called King of the Cage, we fought in a ring in the middle of a tennis court. That's when I first fought Joe Stevenson.
"Back then it was for fun. We didn't care about padding our record, stacking it with wins. Now you have to pad it. You have to be 6-0 or 7-0 to get into the big shows."
Camacho sees those "L's" on his record as lessons, not loses.
"I learned the hard way about taking last-minute fights," he says. "I fought Roger Huerta (Pictures) and, yeah, he beat me by TKO because of a cut, but I fought on a week's notice and I spent that whole week just cutting weight. I didn't even train for that fight and I dropped him with a right cross and had him in several submissions, but I was too weak [from cutting weight] and I couldn't finish him.
"Through trial and error, as I've learned and matured in the sport, I've gotten better and better and I've become a more methodical fighter, a more skilled fighter."
The proof is in the pudding. Camacho has put together a five-fight unbeaten streak, including a draw against top-ranked Shooto fighter Akiyo "Wiki" Nishiura in a bout that Camacho controlled and should have won.
Don't think that the big shows haven't noticed. Aside from fighting on Thursday's King of the Cage/EliteXC card, Camacho will roam the rings of the IFL in 2008.
But first he has unfinished business against Denny. With a win, not only will Camacho move one step closer to being a permanent fixture on MMA's biggest stages, the Garfield High product believes he can help make a big difference in helping Mexican fans start to see MMA the way they see boxing.
"I'm from East [Los Angeles]. I'm true Mexicano. I eat the cajetas, maza panes and churros," says Camacho of the traditional Mexican treats. "I went to school with Oscar De La Hoya. If [Mexicans] supported him, then I think they'll support me."
If he continues to knock out opponents -- nine of his 12 victories have been by knockout -- the highly sought-after Latin fan base will have to notice.
If that doesn't happen, though, maybe Camacho will one day become the Pat Miletich (Pictures) of East L.A. He currently trains fighters with the help of his cousin, WEC bantamweight contender Charlie Valencia (Pictures), whom he credits for introducing him to the ground game. Already Camacho has helped lightweight Armando Sanchez become a TFA champion and helped featherweight Albert Rios build an 8-3 record.
With all his experience, Camacho has built a foundation that will help pave the road for a future fighter to become MMA's version of De La Hoya.
That's one day. But right now, with a few more wins, that fighter could be him.
He might not have known it at first glance, either, but watching an early UFC would mark the first day of the rest of his life.
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"He's an experienced, smart fighter," says Camacho of Denny, whom he'll fight at 160 pounds. "He's well rounded. Our styles mix well. We both can fight on the ground and on our feet. It's going to be a technical fight."
It will be a tough fight for the Aloisio Silva BJJ black belt, but
it won't be his toughest assignment. Camacho has fought all over
the world, against top fighters such as Roger Huerta (Pictures), Wander Braga (Pictures), Antonio McKee (Pictures) and Joe Stevenson.
Yep, the same Stevenson who just fought B.J. Penn (Pictures) for the UFC lightweight title. That experience has given Camacho the long-toothed confidence to face an opponent who normally fights at 170 pounds.
And while Camacho's 12-11-3 record might not be the most impressive, it's the way that he built that record that is.
"When I first started, MMA hadn't exploded yet. It was still banned," remembers Camacho with a smile. "When I fought for Empire Submission Fighting, before it was called King of the Cage, we fought in a ring in the middle of a tennis court. That's when I first fought Joe Stevenson.
"Back then it was for fun. We didn't care about padding our record, stacking it with wins. Now you have to pad it. You have to be 6-0 or 7-0 to get into the big shows."
Camacho sees those "L's" on his record as lessons, not loses.
"I learned the hard way about taking last-minute fights," he says. "I fought Roger Huerta (Pictures) and, yeah, he beat me by TKO because of a cut, but I fought on a week's notice and I spent that whole week just cutting weight. I didn't even train for that fight and I dropped him with a right cross and had him in several submissions, but I was too weak [from cutting weight] and I couldn't finish him.
"Through trial and error, as I've learned and matured in the sport, I've gotten better and better and I've become a more methodical fighter, a more skilled fighter."
The proof is in the pudding. Camacho has put together a five-fight unbeaten streak, including a draw against top-ranked Shooto fighter Akiyo "Wiki" Nishiura in a bout that Camacho controlled and should have won.
Don't think that the big shows haven't noticed. Aside from fighting on Thursday's King of the Cage/EliteXC card, Camacho will roam the rings of the IFL in 2008.
But first he has unfinished business against Denny. With a win, not only will Camacho move one step closer to being a permanent fixture on MMA's biggest stages, the Garfield High product believes he can help make a big difference in helping Mexican fans start to see MMA the way they see boxing.
"I'm from East [Los Angeles]. I'm true Mexicano. I eat the cajetas, maza panes and churros," says Camacho of the traditional Mexican treats. "I went to school with Oscar De La Hoya. If [Mexicans] supported him, then I think they'll support me."
If he continues to knock out opponents -- nine of his 12 victories have been by knockout -- the highly sought-after Latin fan base will have to notice.
If that doesn't happen, though, maybe Camacho will one day become the Pat Miletich (Pictures) of East L.A. He currently trains fighters with the help of his cousin, WEC bantamweight contender Charlie Valencia (Pictures), whom he credits for introducing him to the ground game. Already Camacho has helped lightweight Armando Sanchez become a TFA champion and helped featherweight Albert Rios build an 8-3 record.
With all his experience, Camacho has built a foundation that will help pave the road for a future fighter to become MMA's version of De La Hoya.
That's one day. But right now, with a few more wins, that fighter could be him.
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