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No Mercy From this “Matador”
Many mixed martial arts fans know Roger Huerta (Pictures) as an exciting 155-pound fighter
for the UFC. If you haven't caught a glimpse of him in the octagon,
you very well may have seen him on the cover of Sports
Illustrated.
It's been a whirlwind year for Huerta who, until recently, was just another wrestler fighting on local shows for a little extra tuition money.
Back in 2003, Huerta, a student at Augsburg College in Minneapolis, Minn., was introduced to a local promoter through a wrestling teammate.
When he wasn't employing his wrestling talent by punishing opponents to pay for room and board -- "Augsburg College isn't a cheap school. It's a private school. It's like $26-27,000-a-year" -- he took a more conventional route to making ends meet.
"Everything is a grind," said the promising UFC lightweight, "from mowing yards, to shoveling snow, to doing construction or anything; whatever you can to get by. This was just another thing to help pay the bills."
In a sport that prides itself on the seamless integration of fighting styles, Huerta made his debut with nothing but his wrestling skills. He understood early on that if he wished to make it past the $300 pay days he would have to develop a well-rounded skill set.
"I started reading the Gracie books and watching tapes," said the 24-year-old fighter. "I was watching a lot of the Sakuraba tapes and of course I was trying to pick up things here and there."
Huerta's wrestling coach was not pleased with the fact that some of his wrestlers were competing in mixed martial arts.
"My coach did not accept it at all. They were really scared that any of us would get hurt," said Huerta. "They kind of gave us an ultimatum and I went ahead and took MMA.
It was a choice that Roger's friends and family were nervous about.
In March of 2004 mixed martial arts began to take on a more prominent roll for Huerta. About 25 minutes from Augsburg, in Medina, Minn., Huerta fought to a draw against a game Joe Jordan (Pictures).
"That was such a wake up call for me," said Huerta. "I decided to get really serious. A guy like [Jordan], he was really tough, a good stand-up fighter, a good defense on wrestling. I was just like, wow."
The fight opened Huerta's eyes to the fact that his wrestling aptitude alone would not be sufficient if he planned on taking his career to the next level. That draw, along with the realization that he had a lot to learn, was a watershed moment in the development of the budding UFC star.
With an overall record of 18-1-1, Huerta has racked up four straight wins since his UFC debut in Sept. 2006. The Texan turned Minnesotan has found himself in the crosshairs of the media as of late, garnering the cover of SI in May of this year.
Proud of his accomplishments, Huerta hasn't forgotten his roots or all the hours of hard work he has logged in pursuit of his goal to be the best 155-pound mixed martial artist in the world.
"I have worked hard for a lot of things, and just put in my time," said an introspective Huerta. "I think of the things that really matter the most. A picture on Sports Illustrated, that's awesome and great but I think a lot about family orientated things. There's kids out in Africa and Mexico City who are still day by day not knowing where they're going to live or what they're going to eat. Those are the things that really matter to me."
Born in Los Angeles, Calif., Huerta did not have the easiest of upbringings. He bounced around from California to Mexico and Texas as his parents battled personal demons.
"I haven't seen my mom since I was in first grade," stated Huerta, matter-of-factly. "I wouldn't recognize her at all. My Dad, well he got heavily in to drugs when I was in fifth grade and haven't seen him since."
The hard-luck story is one many people would use as a crutch or excuse for why they could not reach their potential. That is not the case for Huerta, who is proud of where he has come from and his Latino heritage.
It is no mistake that he has found himself on television for each of his UFC fights. He is an important piece of the marketing puzzle for the aforementioned promotion's push into the Hispanic market, both in the States and abroad.
"I'm a fighter, it's in my blood. It's been in me my whole life. I have been fighting through a lot of things," declared Huerta in regards to his status as a drawing card for Latino fans. "If that's the case, that's cool but at the same time I will always come in to bang and come to fight and try to represent. Not only Hispanics but, I'm trying to represent anybody who wants to follow their dream or have hope for anything."
Following his fight on Saturday night Huerta will move a shade closer to his own little slice of the American dream when he closes on a house in St. Paul, Minn. Gone are the days of mowing lawns and shoveling snow for the man whose checks are a great deal bigger than the $300 variety he was helping pay his tuition with.
"I knew that it was going to be a good sport," said Huerta, reflecting on his choice of MMA over wrestling. "And something wrestlers could fall in to as a professional athlete"
The transition from fighting in local bars in Minnesota to the big arenas of Las Vegas has taken Roger Huerta (Pictures) down a road he never thought he would travel. Now living out his dream, "El Matador" is refreshingly thankful.
"You know I didn't expect it," said a thankful Huerta. "It was always a dream. Honestly, I have been very blessed, and I thank God for all of the opportunities he has given me. I am just real thankful for everything that has happened."
It's been a whirlwind year for Huerta who, until recently, was just another wrestler fighting on local shows for a little extra tuition money.
Back in 2003, Huerta, a student at Augsburg College in Minneapolis, Minn., was introduced to a local promoter through a wrestling teammate.
When he wasn't employing his wrestling talent by punishing opponents to pay for room and board -- "Augsburg College isn't a cheap school. It's a private school. It's like $26-27,000-a-year" -- he took a more conventional route to making ends meet.
"Everything is a grind," said the promising UFC lightweight, "from mowing yards, to shoveling snow, to doing construction or anything; whatever you can to get by. This was just another thing to help pay the bills."
In a sport that prides itself on the seamless integration of fighting styles, Huerta made his debut with nothing but his wrestling skills. He understood early on that if he wished to make it past the $300 pay days he would have to develop a well-rounded skill set.
"I started reading the Gracie books and watching tapes," said the 24-year-old fighter. "I was watching a lot of the Sakuraba tapes and of course I was trying to pick up things here and there."
Huerta's wrestling coach was not pleased with the fact that some of his wrestlers were competing in mixed martial arts.
"My coach did not accept it at all. They were really scared that any of us would get hurt," said Huerta. "They kind of gave us an ultimatum and I went ahead and took MMA.
It was a choice that Roger's friends and family were nervous about.
In March of 2004 mixed martial arts began to take on a more prominent roll for Huerta. About 25 minutes from Augsburg, in Medina, Minn., Huerta fought to a draw against a game Joe Jordan (Pictures).
"That was such a wake up call for me," said Huerta. "I decided to get really serious. A guy like [Jordan], he was really tough, a good stand-up fighter, a good defense on wrestling. I was just like, wow."
The fight opened Huerta's eyes to the fact that his wrestling aptitude alone would not be sufficient if he planned on taking his career to the next level. That draw, along with the realization that he had a lot to learn, was a watershed moment in the development of the budding UFC star.
With an overall record of 18-1-1, Huerta has racked up four straight wins since his UFC debut in Sept. 2006. The Texan turned Minnesotan has found himself in the crosshairs of the media as of late, garnering the cover of SI in May of this year.
Proud of his accomplishments, Huerta hasn't forgotten his roots or all the hours of hard work he has logged in pursuit of his goal to be the best 155-pound mixed martial artist in the world.
"I have worked hard for a lot of things, and just put in my time," said an introspective Huerta. "I think of the things that really matter the most. A picture on Sports Illustrated, that's awesome and great but I think a lot about family orientated things. There's kids out in Africa and Mexico City who are still day by day not knowing where they're going to live or what they're going to eat. Those are the things that really matter to me."
Born in Los Angeles, Calif., Huerta did not have the easiest of upbringings. He bounced around from California to Mexico and Texas as his parents battled personal demons.
"I haven't seen my mom since I was in first grade," stated Huerta, matter-of-factly. "I wouldn't recognize her at all. My Dad, well he got heavily in to drugs when I was in fifth grade and haven't seen him since."
The hard-luck story is one many people would use as a crutch or excuse for why they could not reach their potential. That is not the case for Huerta, who is proud of where he has come from and his Latino heritage.
It is no mistake that he has found himself on television for each of his UFC fights. He is an important piece of the marketing puzzle for the aforementioned promotion's push into the Hispanic market, both in the States and abroad.
"I'm a fighter, it's in my blood. It's been in me my whole life. I have been fighting through a lot of things," declared Huerta in regards to his status as a drawing card for Latino fans. "If that's the case, that's cool but at the same time I will always come in to bang and come to fight and try to represent. Not only Hispanics but, I'm trying to represent anybody who wants to follow their dream or have hope for anything."
Following his fight on Saturday night Huerta will move a shade closer to his own little slice of the American dream when he closes on a house in St. Paul, Minn. Gone are the days of mowing lawns and shoveling snow for the man whose checks are a great deal bigger than the $300 variety he was helping pay his tuition with.
"I knew that it was going to be a good sport," said Huerta, reflecting on his choice of MMA over wrestling. "And something wrestlers could fall in to as a professional athlete"
The transition from fighting in local bars in Minnesota to the big arenas of Las Vegas has taken Roger Huerta (Pictures) down a road he never thought he would travel. Now living out his dream, "El Matador" is refreshingly thankful.
"You know I didn't expect it," said a thankful Huerta. "It was always a dream. Honestly, I have been very blessed, and I thank God for all of the opportunities he has given me. I am just real thankful for everything that has happened."
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