Queens MMA Fighter Heads To Vegas For Shot At Contract

BAYSIDE, NY – He’s rocketed from Queens to Las Vegas for a chance at mixed martial arts glory.

Julio Arce is fighting Tuesday on “Dana White’s Tuesday Night Contender Series,” in which competitors get a chance at a contract with the Ultimate Fighting Championship.

Arce, who coaches at Tiger Schulmann’s Martial Arts in Bayside, sounded pumped in a Monday Facebook video from Vegas.

“I want to thank everybody for all the support - the students, my family, everybody that’s been behind me all the way,” he said. “I can’t wait to go out and show you all what I got.”

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Arce started going to Tiger Schulmann’s 16 years ago to boost his confidence as he was bullied for being overweight, according to QNS.com.

“It all started as being that little fat kid who played games, loved reading comics. I was an overweight kid…then I was brought here. From day one I got hooked on it, and here I am today,” Arce was quoted as saying. “It was a journey for myself. I was able to evolve from a kid into a man and just grow. I had to take my own journey to get to where I am.”

Arce’s CV includes a second-degree black belt and a champion trophy from the 2011 Golden Gloves competition.

UFC owner Dana White launched the “Tuesday Night Contender” series earlier this year. The matches let young talent show their stuff while scouts look on. Arce will fight Peter Petties in the featherweight class on Tuesday.

His mentor Brian Gotthoffer said it doesn’t matter if he gets a contract in the end.

“I don’t care what happens, win, lose, knock the guy out, get knocked out, whatever, just get in there and have fun,” QNS.com quoted Gotthoffer as saying.

You can watch “Tuesday Night Contender” through the UFC.tv pay service. Tonight's matches start at 8 p.m.

Lead image courtesy Julio Arce.