Issue 158
September 2017
Ernie Verdecia didn’t have the skills to survive in his lone UFC appearance, but he’s still involved more than 20 years later.
Alias: The Fighting Paramedic,
From: Miami, Florida,
First/last: seen April 1995 (UFC 5),
Record: 0-1.
Florida Kenpo Karate champion Ernie Verdecia had a tough task in the opening round of UFC 5. His opponent was one of the greatest fighters of the era, Oleg Taktarov and, after some early success on the ground – including landing with a couple of head-butts – Verdecia succumbed to a head and arm choke early in the bout.
Though he has no regrets, he feels the fight would have gone differently if he knew anything about grappling.
“It was a great experience,” Verdecia says. “It was the unknown factor. No one really knew what to expect. It was no rules. It was mentally different and you might fight three times in one night. As far as my performance, I was disappointed I didn’t know the ground game. Things would have been totally different for Oleg.”
The Miami, Florida native has spent the two decades since his lone Octagon appearance learning the finer details of the ground game which led to his defeat. His BJJ knowledge has grown exponentially and he challenges himself in completion.
“I still train Brazilian Jiu Jitsu at Carlson Gracie Miami with Master Buiu (Michel Porfirio Pereira),” Verdecia adds. “I have competed for years in tournaments like the US Open, NAGA, and many others. I like to challenge myself and I plan on competing in the worlds masters division in Las Vegas in August. I’m 50 years old now and still doing what I love.
“I’m training four times a week in BJJ,” Verdecia says. “I do work out resistance training three times a week. I do drills and free sparring plus standup, takedowns – I train everything. I work in the ultraheavy division, training with high-level BJJ champions at our school in Miami.”
Known during his time in the UFC as ‘The Fighting Paramedic’ due to his work in the healthcare industry, Verdecia still lives up to the moniker as he continues to do much of his work in the medical field.
“I work full-time as the director of medical transportation for Jackson Health Systems,” Verdecia says. “I’m currently the director of transportation for Jackson Memorial Hospital and was a lead rescue paramedic for over 20 years.
"It’s a rewarding career. I’m still known as ‘The Fighting Paramedic’. I cover pro MMA events like CFA and WSA. I’m in charge of the emergency medical services and safety for fighters.”
Away from combat sports, Verdecia has also developed a passion for something far removed from fighting in a cage. He’s now involved in horse racing and aligned himself with VEB Racing Stable Corp, a team in Florida – though not as a rider: the former heavyweight is too big for that.
“Racing horses started as a hobby,” Verdecia said. “It began with quarter horse racing then moved up to thoroughbreds under trainer Victor Barboza, Jr. It is one of my favorite things to be involved with.”
No matter how busy his life becomes, Verdecia is never far from MMA, and still enjoys it to this day. “I’m a huge fan,” he explains. “I travel to Vegas all the time to watch all the UFC events. It’s nice to see some of the guys from the original UFCs like ‘Big’ John McCarthy and the Gracie clan.”
BIG TICKET
It’s been 22 years since he last fought, but Verdecia says he’d come out of retirement to face an MMA pretender. “I would like to fight Jose Canseco. He challenged Shaquille O’Neal and he was running his mouth.
"I would love to get in the cage with him. I’m in great shape. Let’s make it happen!”
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