In the midst of the growth of MMA in Spain, especially after Boom Media of Ilya Topuria’s successes, Asturias has taken a leading role For the future. Beyond Joel ochelvarez, a fighter already devoted in the lightweight of the UFC, in Bandoj Academy The talent of generations is found in Gig Ermen: Merch is Irma’s neighbor.
The 16-year-old Asturian fighter is Sweeping in the Under-18 Championship Who comes to him. Wrestling, G-wrestling, MMA Council… Merch wins in all areas, with a record that scares because of her young age. Completion of another season Full of successes, Merch meets with Marka to reveal her future plans, Limited at the moment Being a minor.
“This year at the MMA we went to the World Cup and had a fight in the Canary Islands and another in the American Football League. The development has been remarkable. We also began to put more effort into boxing , and it became noticeable though You can’t see him yet.”, Mersch comments on the 2024 in which he has not yet been able to show his combat skills at 100%, due to Spanish law regarding minors In this kind of sport.
In the lower categories it was possible to see my superiority
Despite this, the Scope Being an Asturian in whatever discipline she competes in is great, something she credits herself with People who share a gym with them. “In the lower categories, my superiority was seen. I came from a club where All men’s, And that the suffering and the work that I apply through training and then You can see it in the competition.”, Confirm.
Warrior spirit
On his last big date, the The world is grappling and G is grappling In Astana, Mersch went with the expectation that he would become with Two gold medals. However, in the first fight He broke a bone in his hand. “You always go to such competitions with a lot of desire and expectations. We had the misfortune that It happened to us in the first fight. They are the Jags of the trade. It could have been worse , that’s what happened to us and We started training almost two weeks ago.”, The fighter confesses to a dog.
Although she suffered a serious setback , the Asturian was presented with Gold in wrestling mode, Prove that it is made from another dough. The other side of the coin was his Withdrawal method grapples the digestive system, Which was the next day. “To any fighter who has invested a lot of effort and time in preparing for that moment is a little frustrating , but We had to finish that day no matter what.”, Recognition.
The next day I knew it would be impossible to compete, so I gave it my all
The idea was to compete in the second mode Completely ignored, Since “from the moment I noticed that it was in the hand I knew that it was broken. The next day I found out that It will be impossible to compete, So I gave everything.”So much so that if he did, Another went to the group.
Joel O’shelvarez, a reference to mirch
Such actions as those already mentioned have allowed merch Making a name for yourself Especially at the national level, taking advantage of the great moment that the MMA is going through in Spain. “Especially in Asturias, in our gym, This prosperity has been observed since Topuria won the belt. Also with Joel, B. ochrezh… He notes that People see it more.”, He says.
My dad did two angles – to Joel-in and decoded, and he’s an example to follow
One example he gives, Joel, is Very close to Mersch, Because she shares the city and has The connection that many do not know. “Joel and I trained together once , my father did his two corners in the WFC , and He is an example to follow. He started at a late age and got to where he is A lot of work and effort”, He tells the ASTRI , whose father was part of it Pancho Villa’s Army Especially that they form a ‘phenomenon’ team.
Without stopping , but without haste
As for the future, merch He does not press on himself or in a hurry, Knowing that at the age of 16 she still has Long and optimistic I walk ahead. “We still have to make one Long amateur career To make the leap to a professional as sharp as possible. There is still time, At least a few years or three years. When we focus more on MMA, I will try to fight for a few years as much as possible, every two or three months, and At 21 or so I’ll be ready to take the leap.”
Once it’s a topic Potential companies Which may come to fight , the world champion has only An idea in mind. “The goal is to finish in the WFC.”A Lack of references The National Women’s MMA Council, where the Examples to follow From the Spaniards. “I didn’t have any female references in Spain, but at the WFC level it was Valentina Shevchenko. Initially it was Ronda Rousey, And when he retired, Valentina appeared, ” he admits.
Especially after the ‘revolution’ there are people blocking me on the street
If we talk about the ramifications in the networks, Mersch already has More than 10,000 followers On Instagram, which also has its consequences in everyday life. “It was especially noted after the “revolution” that There are people stopping me on the street. The networks today are Very important.”
A dream for 2025
“For me it’s a networking issue I don’t like it very much, But in such cases as Topuria does it very well. She shows all her preparations, goes out with eBay… This is important To make yourself known”, Add.
Topuria does it very well. She shows all her preparations, goes out with eBay…
Mirchi’s name is your neighbor Irma You will start to hear frequently In the world of mixed martial arts, in another proof of this Asturias is a talent factory Who has a reason to get excited about a career Diamonds are in the rough. At the moment, step by step. “By 2025 my wish is To be able to start doing amateur fights right now, With real blows to the face.”