Much was made of Omar Trinidad’s clash with fellow Los Angeles product Adan Ochoa in April, and Trinidad closed the door on the rivalry with a near-shutout win. Two victories and eight months later, it’s time for another turf battle, as the unbeaten featherweight faces Jose Perez at Commerce Casino on January 27.
How many more of these does the 27-year-old have in his back pocket?
“My whole neighborhood is full of them,” Trinidad laughs. “Even if they're not featherweights; some are heavyweights, man.”
It’s a good problem to have, as Trinidad is getting matched up in the fights that will not only keep him moving and developing at 126 pounds, but they’re also garnering him a fan base locally and everywhere UFC FIGHT PASS is accessed. But the big thing right now is that winning local bragging rights is quite motivating.
“I wake up early regardless, but it makes me want to work harder, get up earlier and go the extra mile,” he said. “I always push myself, but knowing that I'm fighting a local guy, it just adds to it and makes me want to prove myself even more.”
Through 15 pro fights, Trinidad has made his mark as a fighter to watch, and as 2024 dawns, he’s on the verge of big things. He’s headlining this upcoming show, he recently made the rounds in Las Vegas with 360 Promotions stablemate Callum Walsh, taking in UFC 296 along the way, and in November, he made his New York City debut, letting the east coast into the party.
“It was a dream come true,” he said of his visit to Madison Square Garden’s Theater, where he halted Andrew Bentley in less than a round. “I never really thought of that. I knew I was going to fight there one day, because that's one of my dream arenas. But I thought, at first, I was going to go to Stub Hub or the Crypto, but they told me New York and I didn't even hesitate.”
Trinidad didn’t hesitate on fight night, either, which pleased everyone, perhaps no one more than the fighter’s father, who has instilled a strong sense of boxing history into his son.
“Oh man, he was speechless because we come from a small neighborhood, and going all the way to New York and the Mecca of boxing was unbelievable. My dad was just happy.”
Needless to say, it was a good Thanksgiving in the Trinidad household, but then it was back to work, which meant no Christmas dinner, no New Year’s Eve festivities, and not even a birthday dinner for Trinidad, who turns 28 on January 21.
“It's no big deal,” he said. “I'm ready, and I don't mind it because I love boxing. I love what I do and I'm just getting ready, enjoying time with the family during the holidays and I get to take advantage January 27th.”
To get to this point, Trinidad had better love the sport, because in LA, every day’s a fight in the gym.
“Oh man, I am glad I'm in LA,” Trinidad said. “That's where all the work is at. You got our gym Fundamentals, you got Manny Robles’ gym Knockouts, you got Wild Card, you got all these gyms that have a lot of work and a lot of featherweights. So, one way or another, it's always work and it's very essential for my camp. We like to have tough sparring, so the fight is easy.”
If someone isn’t all the way in on this sport, the prospect of traveling from gym to gym, fighting the toughest competition each step of the way and moving on to the next one for nothing but experience could be a daunting one. Trinidad embraces it.
“Of course, you're going to take some punches, and maybe one day you're going to get dominated, but I don't mind that,” he said. “I don't got any ego when it comes to that. I don't got any fear, either, so when I go there, all I'm worried about is getting good work, learning, and getting adjusted to the plan that my coach puts together for fight night. And once we execute that plan, we know we're ready.”
Come January 27, expect Omar Trinidad to be ready. To win. To entertain. To rep LA.
“I feel like I'm setting the tone,” he said. “Every time I step in a ring, I want people to see that I’m a showman. I like to look at the old school fighters, so I like to fight that way. And yeah, I see myself as one to watch. I train hard, and hopefully I'm one of those guys that when it's all said and done, they put me up there with the greats.”