MMA: Cabezas and Gallegos meeting at crossroad

Yosmany Cabezas and Julio Gallegos are two men attempting to move forward.

Both are in position to further their Mixed Martial Arts careers and it just happens their paths will cross Saturday night during the main event of Real Fighting Championships’ RFC 25. The card, dubbed “Blowout,” will take place at the Westshore DoubleTree and starts at 8 p.m. Doors open at 7.

For Gallegos (4-1), he’s attempting to distance himself from a heart-wrenching and tumultuous past. Meanwhile while Cabezas (9-2) has a potential UFC career in the balance.

“This fight is definitely going to make the difference,” said Cabezas, who holds the RFC and Florida State middleweight belts. “I can’t afford to lose this fight for no reason whatsoever. I can’t lose this fight. If I do, I think it will slow me down a lot. So I have it in my mind, if I win this fight, pretty soon I’ll be able to sign a contract with the UFC. I’m giving everything for this fight.”

Although neither of his belts are on the line, this could definitely be labeled a crossroad fight for Cabezas, a Tampa native who has also fought in Ballator and Showtime’s EliteXC events.

For Gallegos, sure, big time MMA is his goal, but for now, this is therapy.

“It’s like my own counseling,” said Gallegos, a native of Lexington, Ky. “I deal with my problems (in the ring). I couldn’t run away from my problems.”

Those problems started 14 years ago. According to Gallegos, his father shot and killed his mother with a rifle, then turned it on himself, committing suicide. All of which took place in front of a then-14-year-old Gallegos.

That created an angry kid, Gallegos admitted, which led to plenty of fights and some time with authorities. But that began to change when his girlfriend, Zeena Brady, booked his first MMA fight in 2007. He went 8-2 as an amateur before embarking on a professional career.

He’s gone from shutting others out of his life, to speaking to kids through a program called Walk in the Park as well as supporting children’s cancer programs such as the GJG Foundation and Fight Ribbon.

“That really turned my life around,” Gallegos, 28, said. “I believe God blessed me with a lady who was there for me. I probably would have ended up somewhere dead or locked up.”

The pairing of Cabezas and Gallegos has the potential for a crowd pleasing fight. Gallegos’ strength is in his boxing, while Cabezas is stronger on the ground. Cabezas, 27, made it a point to concentrate on his boxing during training camp, while Gallegos worked on his jiu-jitsu.

“Here’s the catch, Yosmany is the type of fighter, even though he has the advantage over somebody, he doesn’t play it safe or look for the safe way out,” RFC co-founder and matchmaker Joe Valdez said. “He’s mean, he likes to come in and destroy somebody. This guy looks to rip somebody’s head off. It’s fun for the fans, but it makes the fight a little more dangerous for him.”

No matter the danger, both just want to take the next step in their careers.

Here’s the entire fight card: 135 pounds – J “Lightning” Lee (3-7) vs. Jared Crawford (2-0); 155 – Julian Bryant (2-1) vs. Ryan De Rocher (1-2); 170 – Aaron Conway (2-2) vs. Hector “The Animal” Ocheo (1-0); 145 – Fernandon Souza (1-0) vs. Jarred Warren (1-0); 155 – Brandon Ocasio (0-4) vs. Aron Steadman (1-1); HWT – Rodney Bell (1-0) vs. Craig “Pitbull” Pittman (1-1); 185 – Kevin “Boricua” Abrante (3-3) vs. David “Bags” Baggett (7-7); 185 – Yosmany “The Spartan” Cabezas (9-2) vs. Gerardo Julio Gallegos (4-1).