sports
Bayside fi ghter wins in UFC debut
BY RYAN KELLEY
rkelley@qns.com
Twitter @R_Kelley6
He fi rst walked into Tiger Schulmann’s
Martial Arts gym in Bayside as a chubby
12-year-old kid just hoping to get in
shape, but today at age 28, Julio Arce is a
winning fi ghter in the Ultimate Fighting
Championship (UFC).
Arce made his UFC featherweight
debut on Jan. 20 in Boston against another
fi rst-time fi ghter, Dan Ige, and won
the three-round fi ght by unanimous decision.
90 THE QUEENS COURIER • FEBRUARY 1, 2018 FOR BREAKING NEWS VISIT WWW.QNS.COM
Aft er working his way up through
the amateur ranks, fi ghting as a professional
kickboxer, then going pro in mixed
martial arts in the Ring of Combat league,
Arce fi nally got to showcase his talents on
the biggest stage.
“It’s just an unreal moment because it’s
been a journey just getting there,” Arce
said. “It was just constantly staying in
shape, staying ready, and just waiting on
that moment to happen.”
Yet, this was not Arce’s fi rst opportunity
to prove himself to UFC. Nearly six
months prior to his offi cial debut, Arce
was invited to compete in “Dana White’s
Tuesday Night Contender Series” on Aug.
8, 2017, a fi ve-fi ght series in which the
president of the UFC, Dana White, evaluates
potential new fi ghters to join the
league.
Arce defeated his opponent in a second
round technical knockout (TKO),
but despite the win he was not awarded
with a UFC contract.
“Everybody felt he should’ve got the
contract, because out of the fi ve fi ghts
that night, his was one of the top two fi nishes,”
said Bryan Gotthoff er, the shihan
(master) and owner of Tiger Schulmann’s
in Bayside. Gotthoff er has been Arce’s
trainer since that fi rst day he came into
the gym.
Aft er the Contender Series fi ght, Arce
had no idea when he might get a call from
the UFC giving him another chance, but
he knew it would come eventually. So
he stayed ready the best way he knew
how, by accepting a kickboxing fi ght in
Madison Square Garden. He won that
fi ght with a second-round TKO as well,
and continued building momentum
toward his ultimate goal.
When the UFC came calling in January
it was a last-minute off er because another
fi ghter got hurt and had to drop out. Arce
accepted without hesitation, and when he
stepped into the octagon he won in dominating
fashion. Arce struck his opponent
72 times and got hit just 35 times.
He barely had a mark on him, Gotthoff er
said, and aft er the fi ght Arce went back
into the locker room and helped warm
up his teammate who was about to fi ght.
Since he walked away from the fi ght so
cleanly, Arce was not given a post-fi ght
suspension that is the standard for letting
fi ghters heal before their next bout. Th at
meant he could start communicating with
the UFC promoters right away, and he
is eyeing an April 7 fi ght in the Barclays
Center. If he gets it, Arce said, it would be
another amazing achievement to notch
his fi rst UFC fi ght in his home city.
“He’s like a son to me, more than just
a student or an employee or anything
like that,” Gotthoff er said. “I’m just super
proud, and if you see the way his students,
who are also his fans, feel about him, it’s
unbelievable the respect and the love they
have for him.”
Arce said that his goal is now to make
it all the way to the top and win a championship
belt in the UFC, but for now he
is still in shock about the outpouring of
support he has received, especially from
his family’s native country of Colombia.
“An immense amount of support just
came out of nowhere,” he said. “I’m the
only Colombian in the UFC, so to them
over there it ignites something for them,
and everyone comes together and is so
proud about it.”
Photo by Ryan Kelley/QNS
Julio Arce (left) lands a kick on the padded
hands of Bryan Gotthoff er (right).
OPEN HOUSE
&
Thursday, February 8th
6:00pm - 7:00pm
Saturday, February 10th
10:00am - 12:00pm
Please come see our facility,
and we'll answer any questions you have.
Any child turning 4 years old by December 31st, 2018
is eligible to start Pre-K this fall!
Registration begins February 5th, 2018!
We also offer Infant and Toddler Day Care,
Nursery School, Pre-K Classes And Bus Service.
2 to 5 Day Programs, Full or Half Day Available.
Fabulous Appointed Classrooms - Very neat and clean environment
Fully secured
Please call us for more details:
(718) 767-6655
(718) 416-1624
preciousmoments2@verizon.net
Space
is
Limited
Come in
Now
to Register
Early Morning Drop-off
and Extended Day Hours
7:30-am to 6pm
at Affordable Rates
Bus Service at Affordable
Rates
Fully Secured Premises
Parent Involvement
Easy Transition
to Kindergarten
New York State Standards
and Curriculum
New York State Certified
Licensed Teachers
Class size limited to
18 students per class
Hands on Learning
(Common Core Practices
& Work Sampling)
Licensed by the NYC
Department of Education
& Bureau of Day Care
The Pre-K Program
at Precious Moments
FREE High-Quality PRE K FOR ALL