Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) Champion Jon Jones helped turn a comment intended to mock a young man’s dreams into motivation to become a champion.
Jones, the reigning UFC heavyweight champion, reached out to Rayce Garcia after learning the 14-year-old was the target of an insensitive comment in the yearbook at McKinley Middle School. Instead of being named “Most Likely to Succeed” or “Best Dressed,” the yearbook stated he was mostly likely to become “a homeless UFC Champion.”
“He brought the yearbook home that day and he showed me right away, and it’s just a little upsetting to see something like that, something he enjoys so much,” Rayce’s father, Ray Garcia, told KRQE News.
Rayce has trained at Jackson’s MMA Acoma gym for more than two years and has dreams of competing in the UFC, the leading promotional organization in MMA (mixed martial arts). Rayce was devastated by the comment.
"It made me feel like they were mocking me and the gym that I go to, basically saying that they’re not going to get me anywhere,” the young man said, according to KRQE News.
Rayce's coach reached out to Jones, who sent the eighth-grader a motivational video to lift his spirits.
“Focus on the good, my friend," Jones said in the video. "I heard 'UFC champion.' It’s crazy that you’re 14 years old and people already know that you’re going to be a UFC champion… It’s really special, man. Make that come true."
Rayce took Jones’ advice. He competed for the first time in the American Grappling Federation tournament and finished in first place in his weight class.
Meanwhile, Rayce’s parents are demanding the school replace the current yearbooks and issue an apology. Albuquerque Public Schools told KRQE News it is looking into the issue.
Rayce is determined to follow Jones’ advice and make the most of a bad situation.
“I’ll make it and become like a big champion, just use it as motivation,” Rayce told KRQE News.