The Road to 40 Day 6/365: Beyond Fighting

I never followed combat sports before 2016. But as a slave for money, I took on the challenge of interviewing a fighter in the Philippines because it paid more.

While I loved basketball, I was getting paid peanuts for what I wrote. I never complained because I had a day job and I enjoyed writing stuff that trolls comment on.

But when I was offered to interview, transcribe, and write a story about a fighter for at least five times what I was paid writing basketball, I was all in.

The first-ever fighter I talked to was Eric Kelly.

He was one of the first MMA fighters in the Philippines and was pretty good during his peak. At the time I talked to him, he was on a three or four-fight slide. I was communicating in pure English at the time because a name like “Eric Kelly” who fights for an international organization would naturally be some half-caucasian guy, right?

I was so wrong.

Dude was Igorot all the way and spoke good Tagalog (I note this because they have a different dialect up in Baguio).

His story was inspiring, one that had me rooting for him to get back on track.

Unfortunately, he lost.

It would be a trend for the next few fighters that I interviewed, and I almost thought that I was bad luck for them. Later, I realized the fighters that I talked to were either not really that good or their best days were behind them.

However, that’s not why I appreciated combat sports.

It was always the stories and struggles these fighters have and how fighting has helped them through it. Seeing them winning fights is just a bonus for me to see as a happy ending, but watching them do what they love to do and showcasing what they trained for was what kept me interested in what was going to happen to them.

On this day, I was tasked to speak to a fighter who was on her way to a world title match next month.

I was supposed to talk to her earlier this year for the same match, but an unfortunate injury forced her to pull out of the match.

After countless interviews at this point in my life, I feel like I chuckle less now in interviews, I’m less starstruck, and I have more confidence asking related questions even if it’s not in my script.

But, as a very empathetic and emotional person, I would still get rattled by heavy topics especially if I have personal experiences about it.

This interview was a rollercoaster of emotions because I didn’t realize how much this girl has gone through just in these past seven months. But she has such a bright personality, albeit having a shy energy radiating from her.

From family problems, injury struggles, career idols, life as a foreigner in Thailand, to fighting for a world championship, Avril Lavigne, and karaoke, we were just immersed in a fun conversation that I almost didn’t want to end. What I expected to be 45 minutes at most became over an hour of talking. She even had to scramble for a charger at some point.

It’s these people and their stories that really got me hooked on ONE Championship. Seeing the joy in their victories, feeling the pain in their losses, watching them offer respect to each other after trying to rip each other’s heads off – it always reminds me that this is not just a blood sport.

It’s not anger that fuels their every strike or every squeeze of a submission. They are always fighting for something bigger than their own hopes and dreams. It could be their person, their family, their country.

They don’t look for fights when they’re outside. They enjoy karaoke and good food. Their life may revolve around training, but for some of them, that’s their idea of fun.

I would argue that a lot of them are smarter than some people I know.

After my interview last night, I just hope that I’m on the cycle of giving good luck because this girl really needs a win in life. Not saying her opponent doesn’t, but it just feels right for her to get this win.

Now excuse me as I deal with a 79-page interview transcript.

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