Miami Dade College student Carlos Vivanco, 23, is fulfilling his dream of pursuing a career in mixed martial arts.<\/p>\n
Vivanco became interested in the sport after he joined the wrestling team at Hialeah Senior High School. After graduating in 2006, he enrolled at MDC.<\/p>\n
\u201cIn high school I tried wrestling; it\u2019s where I got my first taste for competition,\u201d Vivanco said.<\/p>\n
However, Vivanco said his dream came to a halt when he discovered his mother\u00a0Dermi Pozo was diagnosed with cancer.<\/p>\n
\u201cMy mother was diagnosed with breast cancer,\u201d Vivanco said. \u201cI had to work two jobs to [make] the house payments. I started caring less about life and gave up on my dreams of going to school.\u201d<\/p>\n
After five years of chemotherapy,\u00a0Pozo is doing better.<\/p>\n
Vivanco is once again pursuing his dream. He trains with Howard Puig, a martial arts teacher and owner of Padrinos M.M.A. gym located in Hialeah.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s a nonprofit organization that helps kids by giving them new meaning to their lives,\u201d Puig said.<\/p>\n
Thanks to rigorous training such as cardio, strength lifting and endurance, Vivanco has posted a record of 4-1 with Alpha Fights Premiere MMA at the light heavy weight division.<\/p>\n
\u201cHe has what it takes to become a professional fighter,\u201d Puig said. \u201cThe kid is like my son.\u201d<\/p>\n
His family is also proud of Vivanco\u2019s endurance through the rough times. Vivanco hopes to make it to the Ultimate Fighting Championship.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt shows his ambition,\u201d his brother, Christian Vivanco said. \u201cI look up to him.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Miami Dade College student Carlos Vivanco, 23, is fulfilling his dream of pursuing a career in mixed martial arts. Vivanco became interested in the sport after he joined the wrestling team at Hialeah Senior High School. After graduating in 2006, he enrolled at MDC. \u201cIn high school I tried wrestling; it\u2019s where I got my […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":367,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"nf_dc_page":"","tdm_status":"","tdm_grid_status":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[14],"tags":[],"class_list":{"0":"post-7191","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","6":"category-sports"},"yoast_head":"\n