For nearly a decade, Oakdale resident Angel “The Dream” DeAnda has been working toward one goal: becoming an Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) fighter. This Tuesday night in Las Vegas, DeAnda will get his opportunity.
“I am blessed, and I have been working hard for this for a long time,” DeAnda said.
On Tuesday, July 18 DeAnda (18-5) enters the octagon against Daniel Spohn on Dana White’s Tuesday Night Contender Series in front of UFC President Dana White himself.
“He (Spohn) is a big dude, and a heavy hitter. He is the Ultimate Fighter, it will be a big task but I will be prepared and ready for this, I have to be,” said DeAnda.
Spohn holds a record of 15-5 in the octagon and was on The Ultimate Fighter Finale this past weekend where he lost to Patrick Walsh via decision.
DeAnda and Spohn will go to battle in the 205-pound weight class, DeAnda currently weighs 185 pounds.
“Spohn is a big dude. He is six-foot-five, 225 pounds and I am five-foot-nine and at 185. But this is for the UFC, so when you get the call that they want you; you have to be ready for whatever, including advanced weight classes.”
DeAnda got the message that he was going to be on the new UFC show highlighting up and coming talent in MMA, from his agent Jason House at the end of June and has hit the gym twice a day in preparation of the big event.
“When I got the message, I was pumped. This is what I have been working for at Oakdale MMA. I started here when I was 23, so nine years ago, almost ten. Oakdale MMA has been great to me; there is not a better place to train.”
DeAnda has a background in kickboxing and is a brown belt in Ju-Jitsu.
“I feel I am pretty well rounded in the octagon. I can adapt to whatever the situation is. I don’t really know a lot about Spohn’s fighting style, I really don’t look up the information on my opponents, but like I said earlier, he is a big dude.”
DeAnda last stepped into the octagon on May 18 against Mike Morales and won the fight via a first round TKO. DeAnda vs. Spohn can be seen live on the UFC Fight Pass.