Get to know @Soathehulk (Soa Palelei)

Soa Palelei is an Australian born heavyweight MMA fighter currently fighting in the UFC. In 2002 Soa started his MMA career going undefeated in his first seven fights over the span of two years. Soa how did it feel to have an undefeated record over the span of two years, and out of those seven fights did you think you were going to lose one and end your streak? "Theres always a possibility of losing, i use those loses and learning curves, at time we need to be knocked down and get back up to open our eyes and learn something it all happens for a reason. I don't want to feel that again so i use it to fuel me in all my training and fights."  MMA isn't the traditional sport that younger people start off with. What influenced your decision to start competing in MMA? "As a child i always kept active i started of with boxing and moved onto to other aspects of martial arts and doing well on each one of them it was only fitting to move onto MMA and i was able to incorporate all of them together, i can truly say i have a passion for the sport and that's whats kept me going I've not lost interest in the sport and I'm always wanting to learn more."  MMA seems like a very physically demanding sport, do you train hard all year round, or is it a more laid back approach until you have a fight scheduled? "I do train hard, this is my job, my 9-5 so call it its not the generic job but as a professional athlete i know i have to be in great shape all year long, we amp it up come time to fight but i train hard regardless, i love what i do and there for i don't see it as work, more like a passion and i enjoy every minute of it even the sore days after a killer work out." So what does your daily training regimen consist of? "Depending on where i am whether its camp time or just general fitness it varies, right now I'm prepping for my UFC164 bout so i would do an early morning session at crossfit work on the strength and conditioning, then midday i work on technique with sparring and ground partners and in the evening i pad pad work with my boxing and kickboxing coaches, everything is structured in regards to training i rest on Sunday and take it back a notch on saturday but we keep active all the time." Your record is currently 18-3 a very impressive record out of all of those fights is one of them more memorable than another? "All of them are memorable in their own way, i take all of them and work on improving form these on to the next one."

What goals are you currently working towards in your MMA career? "To be the best i can possibly be, the chance to fight for the tittle is definitely something i aspire for who wouldn't? Keeping my fans happy and being active in the octagon should there be a opportunity for the tittle u betcha i will be ready and do my absolute best." MMA is obviously a very a physical sport. Do you think MMA is more physical or mental? "Both you can have one and not the other this is something I've come to find out and I've applied this in my last 8 fights and it seems to work i don't think that having the best body and being in the best shape is worth anything if you don't have the right mental attitude, when you walk into that octagon if your mind isn't right it wont work something will go wrong and cost you the fight, the mind is very powerful and we need to utilize it to our best abilities, i recommend 20 mins of visualization a couple of days a week you will see changes."  You seem to average between 2-4 fights a year. How do you typically spend your downtime between fights? "I'm pretty down to earth i like to unwind at home and spend time with my family, time is precious and its something we cant get back so i make the most of it, when back in Perth i like to see friends and just hang out. I love a good movie or karaoke yes you heard it right The Hulk likes to sign and i like playing the guitar. I'm just a normal guy in the end and i do the same things everyone else does."


There are a ton of fighters in MMA if you could fight any of them who would it be and how do you think you would do? "To be back in the UFC is an honor and a dream come true, there isn't one person i could pin point, whom ever the UFC believe i should fight i will fight, i respect the organization and all the athletes in there." That is a great view to take. What if you could see any two fighters battle it out in the octagon, who would it be and what is your predicted outcome? "That would have to be Anderson Silva and Jon Jones, this is a fight everyone wants to see there no doubt that it wouldn't be a fight for history. Jon Jones is whom i think would win but it would be a very close fight." You spent some time in Pride in between your chances in the UFC. What are the biggest differences between Pride and UFC? "The most obvious ones would be the arena UFC is fought in an Octagon and Pride was in a ring, the other one is Pride was held in Japan and the UFC is worldwide, the UFC is a worldwide phenomenon and as great Pride was it is no longer but the UFC is an amazing organization." 


We have covered the serious questions now lets ask a couple of fun ones. What is the weirdest thing a fan has asked you to sign? "Their baby lol, when in Japan people would go nuts for the sport there, they wait for you everywhere you go and i was handed a baby and asked to sign it" That is quite the interesting request! What if you could be a super hero or villain? Who would you pick and why? "That's already answered i couldn't be any one else but "The Hulk" and he's most definitely and hero, i like to smash things up whether its smashing weights in training or simply smashing some KFC i always do it Hulk Smash Styles."  You post a lot of inspirational messages on Twitter, what led you to start doing that? "I've said it in my blogs time and time again, time is precious don't spend it being negative,i want to inspire people to pursue their dreams and goals it can happen u can achieve it with hard work and dedication, it sounds cliche but its true I've been busting my ass for 3 and a half years and look at where I'm at today back in the UFC working on my fight coming up. I was told by many people i would make it and that i wouldn't amount to nothing should i have listened to them i would be in the same position as them sitting at home wishing i had worked for what i wanted. Life short spend it being positive." One last question for you, how far off is the typical stereotype on fighters (aggressive inside and outside of the octagon)?

"So so far, when you actually get to sit down with us fighters you will see where the same as everyone else we just compete for a living. As the saying goes don't judge a book  by its cover."
Is there anything else you would like to add? "I would like to thank you guys for this opportunity, my sponsors without them i could do what i do to the best of my abilities, Grant Tuckett from @MackBoots be sure to order my signature Soa boot from their website www.mackboots.com.au, Deon and the guys at MUS HD @MyUrbanSwagga www.mus.ae, David Filman and the team at Osborne Park Chrysler Jeep Dodge www.osbornepark.cjddealer.com.au, my management team at Paradigm sports management @paradigmsm follow them for a free bucket of KFC lol, Andrew and the team at Skinx @_SKINX make sure you check them out athlete or not  www.skinx.com.au, Paul Jols and the team at Adidas, The team at Southern Crossfit, Limousine Excursions if theres any one ive forgotten i apologize. My family without your support i couldn't keep on, and my fans thank you for the kind posts tweets etc, for buying tickets and if you're not following me and you're ready this check me out on @soathehulk on Twitter and Instagram."