Pablo Garza is a featherweight prospect and former TUF 12 competitor. Introduced first to boxing and then muay thai, Garza went on to become a kickboxing and muay thai instructor at the University of North Dakota. Athletically, Garza is a former basketball player who played point guard at Jamestown College and he does bring good reach to the 145/155 divisions.

Long and lanky, Garza is an aggressive striker with good reach. He showcases a strong kicking game on his feet, using his reach and kicks particularly well from the outside. That arsenal consists of nice high kicks, low kicks, body kicks and push kicks. Strong in the clinch, Garza delivers powerful knees to the body from in close and isn’t hesitant about letting his hands go. His aggressive brand of standup does lead to some exciting exchanges on the feet, including a sensational, highlight reel flying knee knockout of Fredson Paixao in his octagon debut.

Garza shows surprising strength in his takedowns and a decent sprawl. Although he works diligently at keeping off his back, he has proven susceptible against powerful wrestlers who’ve been able to drag him to the mat and control him there. Garza should continue working on his takedown defense, especially if his goal is to continue competing in the ultra-competitive lightweight division. Fighting off his back, Garza shows good positional skills and competent submissions. He’s good in at least maintaining position while working off his back for sweeps and subs. Garza will need to work on controlling his opponent better, as strong fighters have been able to posture up and really work their ground and pound against him. Aggressive from the top, Garza isn’t shy about utilizing his fists on the mat. He lets his ground and pound go, while also showcasing an aggressive submission game fighting from top position.