Steve Garcia | Not Just Here To Take Part | UFC Freedom 250

This weekend’s matchup with Lopes and its placement as the first bout on the South Lawn is the precise type of opportunity the unheralded, but ultra-talented “Mean Machine” merits given what he’s accomplished of late. After alternating results through his first three UFC appearances, Garcia has been lights out over his last seven outings, settling it at featherweight and putting together the second-longest winning streak in the division.

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Finishes over Chase Hooper and Shayilan Nuerdanbieke got him rolling, and after a quick lightweight detour against Melquizael Costa, Garcia added wins over SeungWoo Choi, Kyle Nelson, Calvin Kattar to his run of success. While Kattar was able to take Garcia the distance, Onama didn’t make it out of the first round as Garcia collected his sixth finish in his last seven wins and a fourth Performance Bonus.

Now, he’s paired off with the all-action Brazilian, who opened his year challenging for the featherweight title for a second time, in what should be the perfect way to kick off Sunday’s festivities.

“There are not too many cards where you wanna be the first fight,” Garcia said. “I have been the first fight, but this is a little different. We’re opening up this epic card,and if you look at my history of fights, you know that I bring it. If you look at Diego’s history of fights, he brings it; it’s a recipe for a banger, for such a good fight to be put on…. We can set the tone for the rest of the card on Sunday. I would love to do that, and I think I have a solid dance partner to join me.

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“Everything that I’ve done, I truly feel like I’ve earned it and not been given it; I’ve literally worked my butt off to get to this point… When I heard it was Diego Lopes, I was through the roof because he’s No. 2 right now, so I go and I beat Diego Lopes, I can (move to) No. 2 or be right there, put myself in a solid spot to where I can contend for a title and reach my ultimate goal of becoming champion.”

In addition to being something Garcia deserves, Sunday’s fight card is also a much-needed opportunity to step into a greater spotlight and elevate his profile, both in the division and within the UFC fanbase. The Jackson-Wink MMA product is a quiet, humble competitor who prefers a round of golf and spending time with family to being in front of the camera and building his social media presence. As a result, Garcia remains a bit on unknown commodity, but don’t think Garcia is just happy to take part in June 14’s festivities. 

“It’s more like a win-win for the UFC,” he added. “If I go out there and do what I do, what I’ve been doing, now they got new blood in the lineup, in the Top 5, and they’ll start pushing me a little bit more. If he wins, ‘Our guy’s back on track.’ I think UFC looked at it, saw it, and it made sense to them, and I’m excited to go out there, perform for everybody, and represent my country.”

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Although Lopes is several spots ahead of Garcia in the rankings, Garcia does have a height and reach advantage as well as the kind of power that makes him one a live underdog on the card. He is inclined to finding a home for yet another fight-ending strike, but he’ll do whatever is necessary to get his hand raised.

“I just plan to go and dominate — that’s my whole intention on Sunday,” Garcia said. “It’s not to go out there and chase a big knockout, go for Hail Marys the whole time — not that that can’t happen, but that’s not what I’m planning on doing. I’m a professional fighter, I’m a professional athlete, and I’m gonna act like one… If we get into some crazy exchanges, then you’re welcome, and there is a likely chance of that happening. I wanna make sure I’m game, and I know he’s game, so it’s gonna be something special to watch for sure.”

Where plenty of his contemporaries are shifting away from a results-based mindset to something more performance-based self-evaluation, the perennial underdog  isn’t going to be satisfied with simply making the walk and giving a good account of himself on Sunday night. 

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“I don’t know if I will truly be satisfied if I didn’t win,” Garcia said. “I think that would be something that would haunt me for a long time, just because I know my abilities, I know what I’m capable of. At the end of the day, I’ve always been able to bounce back after something difficult, after a loss, and that definitely resonates with a lot of people, and I connect in that way, but I do think this is my time and it’s going to be special.

“I have high expectations for myself, and I plan to go out there and win.”