Efren Escareno outlines his unexpected path to CFFC 109

Efren Escareno didn't always know he'd wind up competing as a professional mixed martial artist. In fact, as he was growing up, it was really the farthest thing from his mind.

"To be honest, the way I found MMA was crazy because out of high school, I was small," Escareno said. "Small kid, quiet kid, you know? I just wanted to always learn how to defend myself, then one day I'm hanging out with my friends. I'm walking down the street to my house. I look up, and there's a sign that says 'mixed martial arts,' literally right down the street from my house. I'm like, 'Let me go check this place out.'

"Once I checked it out, I started training, and next thing I know, I just fell in love."

Escareno had no previous martial arts training at all, but less than a year after he set foot in the gym, he was ready to take his first amateur fight.

"I had no background, like no wrestling or anything," Escareno said. "I was just in the gym every day, training, you know?"

Escareno's first amateur fight ended in a no contest. In his second, he suffered a decision loss. Still, he continued training and improving. Finally, in his third amateur fight, he picked up his first win. Then another, and another, until he had built a six-fight winning streak.

"After winning six in a row, I'm like, 'You know what, let's go pro,'" Escareno said. "I was just like, 'Let's test out the water of the pros,' and then I won my first three pro fights."

After nine consecutive wins across the amateur and professional ranks, Escareno saw that run snapped in a 21-second TKO loss to the always dangerous Charalampos Grigoriou this past October at CFFC 101. It was a frustrating result for "The Mexicutioner," but one he humbly accepts – though wishes he could have stretched it out a bit more and tested himself against a talented opponent.

"Hats off to Charalampos," Escareno said. "He's a good fighter, but I just feel like I may have went in too aggressive because I just wanted to put the pressure and make him work right away, which is what I did, but then ended up getting caught. Then, like, I tried to fight back, tried to take him down, but he sprawled and just finished the fight from there."

Escareno (4-1) returned to action just three months later, rebounding with a decision win over Jeffrey Glossner at CFFC 105. He'll now look to start building another lengthy winning streak as he takes on Teshay Gouthro (4-1) at Friday's CFFC 109 event, which streams live on UFC FIGHT PASS from Philadelphia's 2300 Arena as part of a special two-night presentation for the promotion.

Escareno is expecting another stiff challenge but believes he's prepared to prove victorious.

"Teshay is a good fighter," Escareno said. "He's definitely strong. I feel like I'll have the advantage in jiu-jitsu, but I'm not going to take away from him. His last opponent, he did knock him out. He overwhelmed him, and I'm sure he thinks that he's going to do it to me, but I just feel like I'm going to be able to control this. I'm going to be the one who's going to be taking it down and controlling, you know?"

Now fully vested in his fighting future, Escareno knows that a few more wins should be enough to start getting him some looks from the sport's biggest promotions, but he's also not in a hurry to get there. The 27-year-old realizes the value of experience, as well, and he's happy to be gaining on a platform as respected as CFFC.

"Right now, of course the path is to try to get to the UFC, try to get on the Contender Series but there's no rush," Escareno said. "Once I win, I'm hoping maybe they'll give me a call, but if not, just go back and see if I can get a couple more wins and hope for the best."

From unexpected beginnings, Escareno now has lofty dreams. Friday's card gives Escareno a chance to make some noise on a big stage, and he's planning on doing exactly that.

"This is going to be a good fight," Escareno said. "That's all I'm going to say. It's going to be an exciting fight."