Nine times World BJJ champion Gabi Garcia was set to make her much awaited MMA debut for Chinese-based, Japanese-managed, promotion Real Fight Championship , in Japan on December 23, 2014 at the Ariake Coliseum. in Tokyo, Japan.
Real fight championship offered Garcia the face the experienced Megumi Yabushida. The Japanese fighter is 42 years old has 41 MMA fights, 19 victories and suffered 22 defeats.
Garci refused the fight and here were her reasons:
“We were negotiating numbers and my opponent. Then, out of nowhere, they scheduled me to fight without my permission. I saw the news on the internet and I had never heard of this girl. The talk was that I would fight on December 23rd, but there was no opponent. Yabushita asked to fight against me because she already had against bigger girls than her, but I wasn’t notified and it ain’t going to happen. I really want to have my debut soon but we are missing an opponent. Some girls want to fight me to have attention but I can’t turn this into a freakshow, a circus. I want to fight for real.”
Gabi told Brazil’s Tatame that she has signed with another organization and that she plans on fighting in Brazil in 2015:
“The deal is almost closed, but unfortunately, I can not talk about it now. Good news will come soon, I can tell you. I won’t be debuting in MMA this year, because we are already at the end of 2014. I can say that my debut will be next year in Brazil. Around March.”
She could have been signed by Brazil’s XFC. She also talked about what her minimum weight could be and who she would like to face:
“I want to fight in MMA because it’s a personal challenge for me, it’s not because of the money. I denied this last fight because of the size and weight difference. I was always judged for being stronger, so I think that accepting it would be bad for my career, my image. The minimum I can make is 191 pounds. I said that I could make 198 pounds for this fight in Japan. The problem is that Real Fight wants me to face a Japanese. Here in Brazil there are some promotions that want me, like XFC. What I really want is to fight. I have taken a look at some girls’ records, possible opponents. There is Amanda Lucas (5-1) and Lana Stefanac (6-0), who I faced in Jiu-Jitsu. They are big girls. If there isn’t and opponent for me abroad, I’ll make my debut in Brazil.”
Sloth Jiu-Jitsu: you can be slow and unathletic and still kick butt in Jiu-Jitsu.