By TXMMA Staff
Close call leads to renewed perspective for Austin’s original MMA fighter Nick Gonzalez
AUSTIN, TX – Sometimes you have to hit rock bottom to gain clarity in life. Those wake up calls can come out of nowhere, making you realize the problem when you didn’t even know there was a problem at all. For Nick Gonzalez (18-12, Pro), that moment came this past July. It was then on the 26th when a night out on the town led to him being involved in a vicious car wreck. “The Ghost” almost turned into a ghost for real and yet somehow he walked away unscathed.
“I feel good about being alive,” says Nick about the incident. “I’d been drinking a lot over the past few years, even in camps. I know this affected my career. It affected my personal life. I guess that kind of stuff has an impact in everything you do. Talk about a real eye opener. I almost needed that wreck to happen [to see how it was]. On the 26th it will be two months of being sober for me and I feel really good about being alive. I’m very thankful I walked away uninjured and I’m thankful I get to continue doing what I love to do.”
Gonzalez steps back into the cage this Friday the 26th when he takes on fellow Austinite Warren Stewart. It’s an interesting fight because these two have gone back-and-forth on social media for quite a while now. One could call it a grudge match but Nick doesn’t see it as such. He actually sees it all as kind of goofy but it’s an important fight for him nonetheless.
“I don’t care about him [Stewart] at all or this supposed “beef” he has made up in his head. My original opponent fell off, they asked if I knew of anyone local and mentioned him. Mostly to help him out, he has a wife and 2 kids with no job so I know he can use the money. Other than that he’s never been anything to me, his delusional drama is childish actually. I don’t have beef or ever have gave 2 shits about you Warren. This fight is important to me for other reasons. The last time I fought at the Cedar Park Center for Strikeforce I lost in dramatic fashion. I didn’t tap but I lost and now burying the past is what I want to do. I want to win in the place where I had a loss that mentally broke me. That’s what important, not my opponent. Then after this I want to continue fight, rack up a few wins and get a contract somewhere.”
Fighter Acknowledgements
Thanks to everyone at AKATX! Myself and my fighter Lindsey Marino have there for a while now and its home. So many talented people and a great coaching staff. Thanks to Onnit, Corrupt Clothing, American Electric and my friends and family who have been here through the ups and downs. Appreciate all you guys! – Nick Gonzalez
