Joshua Montoya: ” My game plan is to go out there and just do me, just have fun”
Joshua Montoya has over 25 professional fights. The 28 year old has been in the fight game for more than twelve years. Since becoming a father of twins, “The Destroya” has had a change of outlook about his fight career.
December 2, at King of the Cage: Starbound II, well known, well respected, veterans of the New Mexico fight scene face off, as Santa Fe’s, NM, Joshua “The Destroya” Montoya faces Belen’s, NM, Gene “The Kid” Perez.
Perez really is the guy who’ll take any fight at almost any weight, no matter how short the notice. Montoya respects that, cause he used to have the same mentality, but also isn’t happy with what Perez did after their contract was signed.
“The one thing about Gene and Derek and all those guys, I have to say they’re down to fight. They’re real fighters and you just got to respect that. They’re really down to take a fight anywhere, anytime, it don’t matter, which I really admire. This is awesome. I think the sport needs a lot more people like that. But, I found out that Gene fought this past weekend in Denver (CO) in a boxing fight against a really tough guy, a guy who’s like 10-0 (Perez lost a decision in the boxing ring on Nov. 17 to Misael Lopez) and I watched the fight . I was just hoping that he would go the distance and he wouldn’t get stopped, so he wouldn’t get suspended. That was the Biggest thing on my mind, just being able to fight, because all my family and friends you know they’re going to buy tickets. You know we’re gonna have a big following there. That was my main thing. He passed, he didn’t get stopped, you went to whole distance of the fight, so that’s cool.” “I feel like there has to be a little bit professionalism in
this sport thing too. I don’t think it’s smart to like take a two weeks notice against a rally tough boxer and then having to go against someone like myself that prepare for 8 to 6 weeks on just you. I don’t really recommend that for people. But, hey he thinks, he can do it. In my eyes the fights on and I’m not going to over look him, and I haven’t. I’m super excited to square off with Gene.”
After forty months away from competition Montoya returned to the cage in the main event of Fight Night 3 at Isleta Resorts & Casino back in June. The bout hit the ground early and Abel Cullum quickly found a fighting finishing guillotine choke. Montoya expects a totally different fight with Perez.
“Just to be able to go out there and show people what I been working on the last few years. My last fight with Abel, that was a tough pill to swallow. Able was one of my biggest fights, that I could have beat somebody, and he beat me twice. Not only beat me twice, but finish me twice. That was tough man, that was not fun. Me am Abel in our last fight I was able to really judge the distance from the Kickboxing. He didn’t want none of my Kickboxing. I wish we’re able to stand up a little bit more and I could’ve been showing off what I’ve been working on, but it’s all good. I think he’ll let me do that. Gene’s the kind of guy down to stand. I’m really excited about that so I can showcase what I’ve been working on. The last couple of years.
For a while, Montoya trained in Rio Rancho, NM, where the Star Center, which will host the event is locate. In preparation for December 2nd, the Bellator vet has trained at a few gyms.
“This fight camp I been training with Luttrell/Yee MMA up in Albuquerque, NM, and then I train down here (Santa Fe, NM) with my team at the Gracie Barra (Santa Fe,NM) and ANK Muay Thai. I got a bunch of different looks. It’s really cool because I’m able to really have coaches that are gonna look at me, for what I need to work on. Having different wrestling coaches, then jujitsu coaches, and then a striking coach. It’s not that 
big of a gym, that where you have so many different fighters around me that people aren’t going to pay attention to me and not see where I need to make improvements. So that ‘s been awesome. The main thing is staying healthy, training differently, not sparring hard every week That’s the biggest thing for me. I already know how to fight. I just need to be in shape, the best shape I possibly can. Just keep working on different techniques, different outlook of the game, and training smart; just not getting hurt. That’s like the main thing it doesn’t make any sense now of days for people to just go out and spar hard all the time. That’s something I don’t encourage people to do, especially if you’ve been in the fight game for a long time. You just have to train smarter and have longevity in your life and be healthy. Not beating up my body. Protecting my brain, my body, my future. That’s the biggest thing for me now that I’ve got a family. I want to be able to take them on trips and be there for them. Have conversations, help them with their homework. Not just be almost brain dead. That’s not cool to me anymore. It used to be more of a ego thing and now it’s more of being smarter and being able to provide for my family. The whole training smarter is awesome.”
When it comes to fight night against Gene Perez, Montoya feels he has multiple advantages and avenues to obtain victory.
“Without giving to much away. I think I have the whole package. I can stand. I can wrestle. I could take this to the ground. I think I have a better submission game than he does. But also I feel like I can fight both lefty (southpaw) and righty (orthodox). I’m able to kick box lefty (southpaw) just has well as I do righty (orthodox). Being diverse is my biggest advantage. Not being to open about what I’m going to do. I watched his fight this last weekend. I got to see a lot that he does that I think I can capitalize on and most importantly he’s been trading for a boxing fight and this isn’t a boxing fight, this in my eyes is a real fight. He’s got to worry about a whole of things, my leg kicks, my knees, my elbows, me closing the distance, if I’m going to take him down or not, or how it dose feel when I take him down. I don’t think he’s ever felt somebody of my caliber. What I could do to him, if I take him down. I don’t necessarily want to take this to the ground. I know that’s what he’s thinking, but that’s not my game plan. My game plan is to go out there and just do me, just have fun.”
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