Chris de la Rocha never hesitates when he steps into the octagon. Since turning professional in 2012, he has won all four of his mixed martial arts fights within two rounds.
That’s why the 36-year-old from Washougal chuckles when remembering the most important phone call of his mixed martial arts career.
It came on June 26 while De la Rocha was at Larch Corrections Center, where he works as a corrections officer. An injury to another fighter meant de la Rocha was being invited to UFC Fight Night in Scotland on July 18.
For the first time in his mixed martial arts career, De la Rocha hesitated.
“Everything started running through my mind, like ‘Do my coaches have their passports?'” De la Rocha said. “I said ‘Let me check on my passport, and I’ll let you know.’ “
His head still spinning, De la Rocha hopped into his car and began driving home from the prison in the hills of east Clark County.
“On my way down the mountain I realized ‘What are you doing? Just say yes!,” he said. “Once I got into cell service, I just stopped. I called him back and said ‘I don’t know what I was thinking. Yes, I’ll take it. We’ll figure it out.'”
On July 18, De la Rocha will make his debut in UFC, the top tier of mixed martial arts. His fight against Daniel Omielanczuk of Poland will be one of 12 that night in a 13,000-seat arena in Glasgow. It will be aired on Fox Sports 1.
To understand De la Rocha’s excitement, one need only look at how long his journey to the “major leagues” of mixed martial arts has been.
On a recent 95-degree evening, De la Rocha and his training partners grinded through a sweat-soaked session in a sweltering gym.
That session was the latest step on his journey. Follow it backwards and you’ll trace a path through the sport’s lower and regional tiers.
In March, the 6-foot-4, 245-pounder won the Prime Fighting heavyweight championship at the Clark County Event Center at the Fairgrounds.
Go back to 2011, you’ll find de la Rocha winning amateur titles at Portland’s Roseland Theater. Though he has practiced Brazilian jiu jitsu for 14 years, he only made his competitive debut in 2010.
What keeps De la Rocha pushing his limits at an age when others might consider slowing down?
“I’m kind of an adrenaline junky,” he said. “For me it’s that challenge. There’s always something to learn in here.”
But De la Rocha’s team goes beyond himself, his gym Progressive Jiu Jitsu and coaches Trevor Burnell, Ian Vossler and Steve McArthur.
He credits his wife, Angie, for making his MMA career possible. Without her, he couldn’t balance his family life and a full-time job with a training schedule that occupies 20 hours a week. They have two daughters, ages 14 and 11, and a 4-year-old son.
Beyond whatever veteran guile he might bring into the octagon, De la Rocha says life experience helps in a fight.
“Now being older, I’ve learned what it’s like to lose,” he said. “I’ve lost those matches in high school wrestling that could have got me into the state tournament. I’ve lost those scholarships for baseball because I’ve hurt my arm. Those experiences in life help you in here because it allows you to dig deeper.”
And it means he is not taking for granted his shot at the top level of mixed martial arts.
“All that hard work, the time, the hours and sacrifices you make, your social life, family life, you can’t put it into words how exciting it is.”
