Success at all costs
In order to support his family, Kevin Pastran has left his country, Venezuela, and works tirelessly in the hope of a better future. If fighting is a passion, for him, it is also a way to take care of his family: only victory counts, on June 17, during HEXAGONE MMA 9.
For Kevin Pastran, success is not a possibility, but an obligation. Because since he came of age, the 29-year-old fighter has carried with him the responsibility of an entire family, entangled in the harsh economic crisis affecting Venezuela, his country of origin.
“Like millions of people, I had to leave my city, my father, my mother, and try my luck elsewhere. It’s a tough story. In Peru, where he finally found asylum, Kevin Pastran stretches his time to accommodate working around training to help his family from a distance.
“I work as a delivery man at night, which allows me to send money to my family,” he says proudly. In the midst of this whirlwind, MMA still occupies a central place, and Kevin Pastran hopes one day that his efforts will allow him to reach the top of the pyramid with its financial rewards. So inevitably, when he enters the cage, the Venezuelan is under significant personal pressure which he does not hesitate to express: “I have no choice, I must succeed in this sport”.
“He fights to change his future”
For Brian Dugan, his manager, Kevin Pastran’s personal journey has largely shaped the fighter he is today, namely a “brave and mentally strong” athlete.
“He is fighting to change his future. It is a sign of a valiant state of mind. And he did not hesitate to agreeing to face a Frenchman, at home, two weeks before the fight.”
Confident, the fighter from Lima (the Peruvian capital) is accustomed to hostile atmospheres, and knows he is competent in every area of MMA.
“I started martial arts with karate. But then I did luta livre, jiu-jitsu and wrestling. So I have developed all the skills necessary to perform. On the one hand, I have heavy hands, and at the same time, I am perfectly capable of submitting my opponent!”