Max Quinones has clear purpose ahead of Friday's CFFC 123: 'I'm willing to put my life on the line for my family'

The undefeated flyweight looks to take another step forward when he faces Israel Galvan on UFC Fight Pass.

Top flyweight prospect Max Quinones (4-0) looks to stay undefeated when he steps in the cage at CFFC 123 on Friday at the Parx Casino in Bensalem, Pennsylvania. With Quinones' fight against the more experienced Israel Galvan (5-3) just a few days away, "The Candyman" is locked in and counting down the minutes until he gets to step into the cage.

"I feel incredible – blessed beyond measure," Quinones said. "I'm going to go out there and make a statement. Weight's on point, mentally and physically healthy. I'm feeling good going into this fight. This training camp has been nothing but intensity, blood, sweat, and tears. I keep growing each and every time I step into the cage."

While he's been a professional competitor for just 14 months, fighting is nothing new to Quinones. It has actually interested him ever since he was a kid.

"Growing up, I was a big fan of WWE," Quinones said. "I actually started doing what I saw on TV. Then my mom would get a call nearly every week in regards to me being in a fight. When I got into high school, after a bad fight, my stepfather, who was into football as his main sport but did wrestling to keep in shape, was like, 'Dude, we've got to get you into wrestling.' That ultimately changed my life."

From those humble beginnings, Quinones getting to this current stage in his fighting career is actually quite remarkable. In 2019, he was involved in a rather serious car crash that nearly cost him his opportunity. However, Quinones continued to push through and kept pursuing his dream.

"I was in a really bad car accident that could have ultimately ended my career before I even started, but I didn't want to go out like that," Quinones said. "By the grace of God, I'm here today, able to live my dream and direct my energy into something positive, which is to fight and give my family something to be proud of."

While Quinones' car accident could have ended his run as a fighter six years into an amateur career, he says it actually helped him as a person and made him seek out his true character.

"Being an amateur for so long, I thought fighting was my only identity," Quinones said. "Going through that accident made me realize I'm not just a fighter. There are many titles I can hold myself to: hard worker, determined, motivated, inspirational. What it really comes down to is serving my purpose, whatever God has in store for me."

Outside of being a fighter, Quinones is a big family man. His wife, Linda, and their daughter Dorothy are Quinones' biggest supporters.

"I'm a person who loves to have fun with their family and enjoy simple things in life," Quinones said. "They put everything in perspective, but they also give me motivation and inspiration to say, 'Hey, look, people are willing to do certain things for their family, but a lot of people won't step in a cage for their family to try to provide a better generational wealth for them.'

"That's the mindset I'm going with. I'm willing to die for my family. I'm willing to put my life on the line for my family. I know this will pay off because of the skillset and the commitment. They are committed to me, as well, because it's not just my dream, it's their dream. It's the whole family's dream. It's the whole village. They're the biggest inspiration. Just knowing they have my back and I have their back is truly remarkable."

Quinones finished his last fight – which took place just six weeks ago at CFFC 122 – via submission in the first round. With his eyes firmly on the future, he plans on accomplishing a similar feat at CFFC 123, where his bout will stream live on UFC FIGHT PASS, along with the rest of the main card.

"I plan on finishing the fight," Quinones said. "As far as what round, I'm not going to make a prediction because I'm just going to keep touching him up, and he will get stung by my punches. I'm going to hit him to where it puts him out."

ARTICLE BY: SARA BAYAIT