Jorge "Macaco" Patino remembers fighting when tournaments were commonplace and an outlaw sport had yet to find an enduring name.
"It was called vale tudo," he told MMAjunkie.com Radio (www.mmajunkie.com/radio). "I only trained jiu-jitsu before. It started changing, and I had to learn boxing, muay Thai, wrestling and lifting weights."
Now 39 years old, he struggles to keep up with a tidal wave of younger, more well-rounded opponents hoping to piggyback off his status as a respected veteran.
Patino, a Sau Paulo native who now resides in Houston, spends five hours daily cross-training where once he may have simply practiced jiu-jitsu.
"When you get old, it's more difficult to recover, more difficult to learn," he said. "I have to take care of my family, my wife, my students, and still train to defend my title. It's very hard."
Injuries are a constant threat. He tore his MCL prior to defending his Legacy FC welterweight title this past fall. But he opted against surgery and fought one month later, when he said 800 of his students made a five-hour drive to watch him in Sao Paulo.
The good-natured Patino has amassed quite a following during his time in MMA, and he feels a duty to press forward for his loved ones. He's not ready to let go and transition into full-time coaching and gym-running.
He recently read that David "Tank" Abbott is returning to MMA at the tender age of 47. If that's the case, he thinks he can go to 55.
"I'm still 100 percent ready to defend my title," Patino said. "I like my job too much."
His attitude shows on the regional circuit, where he's notched four straight wins and claimed belts in two different promotions and weight divisions. On Friday, he defends a lightweight strap he won this past May when he meets Derrick Krantz at Legacy FC 18, which takes place at Arena Theatre in Houston. (Main-card fights air live on AXS TV.)
The 25-year-old Krantz (14-6) hasn't fared well against top-tier competition, but he might have considerably fewer miles on his body. Patino (24-13) said he likes the challenger's style.
"He does everything: standup, ground, and he comes forward," Patino said. "It's a very big challenge to me, and I really appreciate that he accepted the fight."
Patino, who runs an MMA gym out of Houston in addition to the one he manages back in Brazil, is bound to have the support of the crowd when they fight on Friday. But even if he wins, he said his work isn't over.
"If I win, I'm a champion on Friday," he said. "On Saturday, I'm not a champion. I have to train again to focus and win again. This is my life."
Source: MMAJunkie.com