Prospect Fernando Garcia Expects to Get Back to Winning Ways At LFA 73

Fernando Garcia is set for his second Legacy Fighting Alliance appearance on Friday when he meets Marquis Smith at LFA 73.

In Garcia’s last fight, he lost a close split decision to Cody Freeman at LFA 72. It was the first career defeat for “Fernie,” who is looking forward to returning to the win column under the LFA banner against Smith.

“How LFA has been growing so much and that is where the UFC signs a ton of their fighters from that was the plan,” Garcia said to Sherdog. “At Fortis, coach Sayif Saud has a plan for all of us and gets us from LFA to Contender Series to UFC.”

Garcia hopes to follow a path similar to that of his Fortis MMA brethren. Recently, fighters such as Miles Johns, Steven Peterson, Geoff Neal and Ryan Spann have all taken similar roads to earning UFC contracts. But in order to get on the Contender Series, “Fernie” knows he has to win on Friday.

“It is good. It feels like any other day. The Bomb Factory is five minutes from Fortis. Saturdays we normally train, so instead of going to Fortis, I’ll just go to the Bomb Factory and get the win. It is just another day for me,’ he said.

If all goes as planned in Dallas, Garcia would prefer to stay active over the course of the next year, when he hopes to get his chance to perform in front of UFC boss Dana White.

“Of course the goal is next summer to be on the Contender Series. But, I’m always ready in case anything happens and I need to take something short notice,” he explained. “I’m always on weight. Just keep winning fights and win this one, then fight again in like a month or two.”