Kevin Aguilar Sees Big Opportunity in Legacy FC Bantamweight Championship Fight

When he first walked into an MMA gym, Kevin “Angel of Death” Aguilar had no fighting experience.

He’d never been in a fight before, let alone trained in any MMA discipline. Yet, over the course of the last couple years, Aguilar has gone from a work in progress to one of Texas’ top featherweight prospects.

“I feel like I’ve been doing great,” said Aguilar of his start. “They’ve been putting tough opponents in front of me and I’ve just been rising to the occasion and beating my opponents.

“I don’t really worry too much about whom I’m fighting, as long as I keep my training up and outwork the guy I feel like I’m going to win.”

When it comes to the area his game he feels like has grown the most, Aguilar said, “I’ve become an excellent striker now.

“With my boxing coach working constantly with me, my boxing and kickboxing has improved drastically. I’m no longer a single-minded fighter like I once was, who tried to take it to the ground and just TKO the guy. I have a striking game and a grappling game now.”

With back-to-back wins in Legacy FC this year, Aguilar (8-0) has placed himself into a bantamweight title match against former UFC veteran Leonard “Bad Boy” Garcia (17-11-1) on Friday, Dec. 6, in Houston.

“Cardio is going to be a big factor in this one,” said Aguilar. “Going five, five-minute rounds, I’ve got to make sure I go in there and don’t get tired.

“Leonard can take a punch, he swings wild, and he has cardio. So I’ve got to outstrike him, be the more technical striker, and keep my cardio up. I’ve got to push the pace, make it my fight, and push it to a level he’s not used to fighting.”

A win in and of itself over a veteran such as Garcia would be a big step for Aguilar, but to take a title in Legacy and head into next year as their champion, could very well be the platform to which he can take his career to the next level in 2014.

“Hopefully this opens the door to opportunities,” Aguilar told MMAWeekly.com. “I’ll enjoy being Legacy champion for a long time coming. I’m looking forward to being Legacy champion and fighting tougher and tougher opponents.

“If the call comes (to go to a bigger promotion), then my manager will set that up because we want to fight in the biggest show around, but if the call doesn’t come, I’ll keep working hard, fighting in Legacy, and be ready to step up.”