An Amateur with the force of an all time PRO

An Amateur

with the force of an all time PRO 
August 18, 2013
By: Gina Yoryet Roman

When I  first met Fernando Mancillas at my dentist office a few months back, his short sleeved shirt revealed his toned up biceps right away. My first thought was, “This young man is a genuine athlete!” But I decided to meddle some more and get to the ‘how’ of such muscular body but I couldn’t come up with ideas of how to approach him without looking or being aggressive. 

The first time Fernando and I struck up a real conversation was in June when I brought the Guadalajara Reporter newspaper with my ‘How to Nurture a love for exercise and a good diet,’ interview for my Orthodontist to see since she insisted that I looked like a professional athlete myself (one day she poked my tummy out of impulse because she said she was curious since my body looked very toned up, ha, ha!). She started showing it off to all her office colleagues and it soon ended up in Fernando’s hands. From that moment on, we clicked and right there and then I got to the bottom of it. When I finally asked him for an interview which was finally done last night at his first (amateur) M. M. A. (Mixed Martial Arts) fight at Lienzo Charro, he didn’t hesitate to answer with a polite, “Claro que sí!

Here are the results of our chat!

Name: Fernando Mancillas Chavez

Sex: Male

Age: 27

Height: 1.87 meters (6 feet 1 inch)

Weight: 97 kilos (213.4 pounds)

Fitness level: Intermediate

Body type: A combination of Mesomorph and Endomorph 

Estimated BMI (Body Mass Index): 28.2

Plays/practices: Valetudo ((Vale tudo = “anything goes" or "No rules,” are full-contact unarmed combat events) 

and M. M. A. for eight months. Practiced kick boxing for two years prior to that. I’ve been been doing cross fit and weight lifting for some time as a strength back up. 

Total time doing martial arts: 4 years

Trains: M. M. A. Two hours daily, six days a week (takes Wednesday off). Weightlifting/crossfit every day.

Why: I like to be in shape and healthy, the cardio part of it keeps me in shape. Plus I like the adrenaline, power and self-fulfillment playing a sport on a competitive level.
Diet: Three months prior to competition, 0 grease, an overall clean diet to keep his energy level high and to be lighter and be able to move faster. 

Objective: As an amateur’s first fight and victory, I want to tone up my body more, get stronger, gain flexibility, learn more techniques, tactics, focus and self-confidence to keep winning.

Event: “Fight Hard Championship 4” 

Number of fights: 1

Date: August 17, 2013

Where: Lienzo Charro Ignacio Zermeño

Time: 6:00-10:30 p. m.

Category: Heavy weight: 95+ kilos

How did you get into Valetudo? I was invited by a family member about nine months ago and I immediately got into it. 

How do you feel after your first victory? Although I am quite satisfied and happy, I was somewhat nervous. I lacked strategy and technique. I got many blows that shouldn’t have happened. It looks very simple from an audience perspective but when you’re up there, you feel like you’re giving it all you’ve got but sometimes that isn’t good enough. 

Biggest challenges: Training and diet. Finding time to juggle everything can be very a real defiance for the most part: My profession (I am a dentist), going to school full time, my girlfriend and family, other responsibilities and hobbies and overall training but there’s a price and sacrifice involved in anything positive but I am willing to pay that whatever it takes.

Advice to young/amateur athletes: Get in real good shape, be disciplined, invest time, energy and effort, never let tiny matters defeat you, challenge yourself and don’t be afraid.

What do you think about Mexico being number 1 in overweight and obesity? It is very sad and disappointing. There’s A LOT of work our nation has to do in order to change that. We have to change our habits, eat cleaner, less portions, move around more and be be very careful with our health. 

Last night was only the beginning of this powerful amateur but he’s got the youth, will, discipline, focus and stamina that will soon lead him to celebrate one victory after another and I would be more than happy to follow and record his journey to use as an example to many other young or beginner athletes.

The most exciting about it all for Gina Yoryet, is that I get invited to new places, I met new people and see fresh faces, I get injected with energy and positive vibes. True, I don’t make money doing this BUT! It is one of my favorite hobbies and I don’t think I could EVER give that up! 

Plus going to sporting events allows me to chat with new athletes and one interview transitions into another. For example, last night I met a cyclist who sat next to me by mere coincidence...

So guess who will be one of my next interviews!? 

Celebrating Victory with THE winner!

August 17 Fight Hard Championship

Had to pose w/the other fighters!

That roll on my waistline would've NEVER happened prior surgery!  LOL! Posing w/the biker!