By ALEXANDREA BAILEY
editor@portisabelsouthpadre.com
Current Port Isabel-San Benito Navigation District employee, Port Isabel native and former Tarpon linebacker, Robert Maldonado, 24, began training in mixed martial arts [MMA] a year ago. Since then, he has won two out of his three fights with Texas Clash and the Texas Fight League [TFL].
According to Maldonado, he’s loved MMA from a young age, but never had the funds to train, until he made several friends within the MMA community, and they took him in.
After graduating from Port Isabel High School, Maldonado moved to Austin, Texas, where his MMA story began, he says.
“I was living with some buddies, and they were like, ‘Hey, why don’t you try MMA?’ ’cause I was into contact sports, and I was like, ‘Yea, we’ll see.’ And then, one day, I went inside a gym and never came back
out,” said Maldonado.
Maldonado says MMA fighting has made a huge impact on his life.
“It’s like a new leaf turned over for me,” said Maldonado.
He returned to his hometown in the last couple of years, and currently attends two gyms in South Texas, BKC Ju Jitsu and Evo Fight Kickboxing Academy where he is coached by Jason Lee and Estilo Solis,
respectively.
Maldonado acknowledges Lee and Solis and hopes to train under them long-term. Maldonado says they have taught him to be hard-headed and to never give up.
He trains alongside Francisco “Cisco” Almendariz, Jorge “Bobcat” Solis, Ruben “El Vaquero” Gutierrez, Brayan Medina and Jesus Perez.
TFL held its debut fight night at the South Padre Island Convention Center on July 27, 2024, where Maldonado secured a win against Eddie Flores of McAllen, by a tap-out. More recently, on Saturday, Nov. 2,
Maldonado secured his second win with TFL at the Jacob Brown Auditorium in Brownsville, against opponent Ian Gonzalez from Weslaco.
“After a few scraps with him, I did feel he was a bit advanced in ju-jitsu. He was a decent dude. He had good hands. He knocked me down in the first round,” said Maldonado. “He got over-excited. He over-
committed. That was enough time for me to stand back up on my feet and hit the ground going.”
Maldonado won the fight after holding Gonzalez in a rear-naked choke.
“He was a decent little rookie,” said Gonzalez. “I think he has a bright future ahead of him.”
Maldonado had only a month to prepare for this last fight. He immediately had to begin cutting weight, and managed to shed 25 pounds within 15 days, implementing a super strict diet and training regime. He ran at
least five miles a day on top of his regular MMA training, and consumed mainly egg whites, asparagus and ground beef, absolutely cutting all carbs.
When Maldonado isn’t training, he’s working maintenance at the Port Isabel-San Benito Navigation District.
According to Maldonado, his determination comes from his humble beginnings. “When someone doesn’t have anything in life, and they want to come up, make a name for themselves, they come out with the grind,”
said Maldonado.
Maldonado’s goal is to go pro with his MMA fighting. He sends a huge thank you to his supporters. “I am not supposed to be here without them,” said Maldonado.
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