Legacy FC 18 Undercard Profile – Getting To Know Gerzan Chaw

By Anthony Pepe, Contributor

HOUSTON, TX, February 28, 2013 – Recently, TXMMA had the opportunity to chat with Gerzan Chaw about his upcoming fight on the Legacy Fighitng Championship 18 preliminary undercard.

Gerzan received his introduction to the world of mixed martial arts while attending classes at “San Jac.” (San Jacinto College) It was there that he found a health and fitness club that offered a free Jiu-Jitsu class once a week. And he loved it. When the semester was over, he sought out a gym to continue training, started competing in grappling tournaments, and finally settled at Bushi Ban, where he has done all his MMA training. He has trained under the Bushi Ban banner for four years now, holding a black belt (traditional martial arts) since last year. It is also at Bushi Ban where  he teaches both children’s and adult classes in everything from their traditional system to cardio kickboxing.

When Gerzan is not in the cage getting ready for a fight, or on the mats accomplishing the fulfilling task of teaching others, he is a self-subscribed regular guy, trying to pay the bills and enjoy all aspects of life. He works forty hours a week as a massage therapist, and enjoys good pizza and beer. Chaw likes to spend his down time watching Netflix and his “awesome Dragonball Z video collection.”

Currently, Gerzan has a 2-2 record in professional mixed martial arts. He tells TXMMA that his two losses have been his greatest learning experiences inside the cage, teaching him invaluable lessons about patience and pace. Gerzan hopes to put these lessons into action this Friday when he faces David Armas in a fight which he describes as having been “a long time coming” and one he will be glad to “get it over with.” In this fight, he is going up a weight class, so he has been able to hit the weights more often. His training partners have been pushing his strength and conditioning, with a regiment Gerzan describes as being comprised of the “usual stuff” like “dead lifting trucks and bending steel bars with my teeth, etcetera.” All joking aside, Gerzan’s confidence is strong as he goes into this fight.

When TXMMA asked if he had any last words for his opponent before the fight, Gerzan said, “I’d tell him not to cut my face, because my mom gets pissed every time it happens.” His mom is Mexican, and he loves his Hispanic heritage, but he also hopes to one day visit China to learn more about his roots on the other side of the family tree. He is named after his dad, who is Nicaraguan. His grandfather is from the Canton Province in China. He believes that his first name is Brazilian in origin, that version being spelled Gerson. His last name, he tells us, was supposed to be Chau, but they got the spelling wrong when his dad immigrated.

The diversity of both his ethnic background and the origin of his name mirror his diverse interest in fighters. The fighters Gerzan studies the most are Georges St. Pierre, Lyoto Machida, and Anderson Silva. He admires their great skill, but especially admires the way they are able to express themselves through their style of fighting. He describes himself as a fighter that isn’t the most aggressive but has his moments. He likens his style to being a mix of George Saint Pierre and Lyoto Machida, since he has a traditional karate background, and “they aren’t cookie cutter MMA fighters.”

This no-nonsense fighter had a straightforward answer when TXMMA asked if he had any predictions for the fight, stating simply, “My prediction is I’m going to hit him in the face.” His plans for the rest of 2013 are that he would like to be a top contender for the Legacy 135-pound belt before the year is over. He just wants to keep going up. He is hopeful that Mick Maynard and Collin Cantrell will put him on a championship trail with their organization, letting them know that he is coming for whoever is above him in his division, “like the blue tortoise shell in Mario Cart.”

As far as celebratory plans for the weekend go, should he win this Friday, Gerzan tells TXMMA that he expects to hit up Nobi Public House, as well as finishing up some tattoo work he has been putting off. And, hopefully, in a year, firmly established as a top contender for the belt, he will be “full of barbecue from the rodeo cookoff,” since it seems like he is cutting weight every time it comes around.

Gerzan would like to thank Bushi Ban, Master Zulfi, Alex Black, Will Luse, and Henry Bravo for taking the time out to help him train; Dr. Orsak at St Michael’s ER for all the medicals, great stitching and free prostate exams. He sends a big thanks in advance to all the friends and family going to watch the fight, because he really does feel your energy when he is in the cage. And last, but not least, he would like to thank TXMMA and Mike Calimbas.

Legacy FC 18 will take place Friday, March 1st. The main event will air live on AXS TV from the Arena Theater in Houston, TX at 10:00pm (ET) 9:00pm (CT).