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NW Fightscene Interview with Olaf Alfonso - May 7th, 2009

Interview by Steve "Spaniard" Valentine


On May 8th, Olaf Alfonso is defending his Palace Fighting Championship Welterweight Belt against undefeated Kyle Pimental at PFC 13: Validation at the Tachi Palace Hotel and Casino in Lemoore, California. NW Fightscene's Steve "Spaniard" Valentine spoke with Olaf on the morning of the weigh-ins about the fight and more...


In previous interviews you've done, you talked about not knowing too much about the guy you are fighting except for right before the fight. Have you got into some stuff about Pimental yet?
Not yet, I'll probably check tonight. One thing, when I see my opponent at the weigh-ins and his behavior at weigh-ins kind of pretty much tells me everything about him usually. 

Now you're different from most fighters, this is something that is a hobby for you, something you do not for the money but more for the fun. Explain that a little bit.
Well, I love to fight you know... I'm a nice guy so [I] don't go out and get into fights. This is the best venue to compete. I also compete in wrestling and judo, and play tennis and do all kinds of things that's fun for me. This is another way to go, spend some time competing and do what I really like in a pleasurable way. You're not really hurting anybody. Its a willing competitor that's wanting to test himself with you.

How did you get into MMA?
(laughs) That's a long answer...


The short version.
Well, through the military was the way to do some things in my spare time since I was training for similar type work while I was in the military. It was just a way to keep my skills sharp for that. You know, going to the gym and working out different moves. And so its easily translatable to the sport. Obviously, the sport is a lot lighter version of the moves, and the submissions and stuff are a little bit different. 

As you don't study your opponent very much, how do you build a training camp?

I mean you're always in shape, you're always ready to go, always a strong competitor, so do you have the same training camp or are you always trying to incorporate new stuff?
Well, the reason I'm in shape is that I'm always doing other athletic things. 
Usually wrestling or running, or hiking, or doing some sort of sport. Swimming, I do a lot of swimming. That's what keeps me in shape, I don't necessarily build a training camp for a fight. There have been times where I've done that because my time allowed for it. And then sometimes I just don't. I don't think about the fight until just a few days before. I might not even hit pads. I might not even wrestle or do anything before a fight. Sometimes I do. It just depends on how it falls on my calendar.

The reason is more because of how you like to fight. You like the emotion of it, correct? Getting in there and feeling it out...

Yeah, I love the excitement of it... I come from an artist family. Where we're a bunch of painters, and musicians, and sculptors, and actors... we love to do our art and this is another way to express myself and enjoy the present moment. I mean I kind of live in the present, and I have a wonderful, wonderful life. I'm happy all the time and this is just another thing to do to continue that happiness. 

Talk about what goes on right before you get into the cage.
Well that's one of the things I enjoy, you know backstage, the things I enjoy. I get to see a lot of the fighters, because I don't really hang around in the fight scene expect for when I fight, or go to a special event to see one of my friends fight. I get to spend all my time backstage saying hi to old friends and old acquaintances, people I enjoy watching fight, to see their warm up routine and get to talk to them. I really enjoy that whole part of it. And I'm pretty much just relaxed and wait for my turn. When its my turn, probably the first thing that hits me is I start smiling because I enjoy that walk, walking out there to get to see my opponent for the first time and his mode ready to fight me, because a lot of fighters take it really seriously and they really want to beat you up. I really don't have that type of mentality. I put on a good show and make my creation stuff because everybody likes to see it but you know its really entertainment.. entertaining for me personally on my own level to walk down that ramp and step into the ring or the cage to see everybody's reaction. Get to enjoy the moment, I mean I love it. Its just very enjoyable. Along with a lot of other things I get to do in my life. Everyday is a wonderful day for me.

Now you're training in Oregon?
Yeah, I've been training in Oregon. I obviously have a house in Mexico and spend a lot of time on the beach there. The last two years I've been spending more time in Oregon. I got property up there and just spending time out in the country with my animals. And doing things in the US, traveling around the US. I went back East last month for a little while, just to travel around, checkin things out. But spending more time in Oregon. 

Are you still coaching and working with young fighters?
Yeah I got some young fighters. I actually coach where I live in Oregon. I coach the high school wrestling team. And obviously being coach to the high school I got keys to the gym and to the mat room. And I bring some guys who are obviously out of... the wrestlers I train, but I got guys that are out of school that want to come and train with me and learn Muay Thai and submissions and stuff like that, so we get to spend time doing that stuff. I like to help people with a lot of things. Fighting is one thing I help people with. You know other issues too. Finance, things like that. I try to help everybody grow as a person, that ask for help I guess.

Do you have any up and coming guys that you think are going to be the next big thing in the sport?
I got a few up my sleeve that are younger guys now that are between the ages of 16 to 22 who aren't ready to make a name for themselves but who are really working hard at polishing their positioning and their technique, standing and body control. All the things that I know how to teach, which anybody who's wrestled with me knows I know a lot of technique. I try to throw it out the window when I go into a fight because I like that experience. But when I do corner my guys and train them I definitely focus on the technical aspect and the winning aspects for them because I think that's really important for a young competitor to focus on. 

So, what would you say would be your biggest advice to a young MMA fighter that's looking to come up and who is looking for a place to be?
I would say one, probably first and foremost, is be true to yourself and know what your goals are. Where you want to get to, eventually, so you can begin to walk that way. And really probably one of the most important things is to surround yourself with good people. I don't necessarily mean people that have great armbars, great punches. Good people that are going to be a positive influence for you meaning people who aren't going to let you abuse your own life. That way you can be true to yourself and not do thing that later on you're going to regret in your life. Surround yourself with good people and hopefully you can continue to be a good person and really be honorable to yourself and that way as you continue to grow, regardless of what happens in the career... you could easily get into a car wreck and break your leg and never get to fight again but if you've grown as a good person and surrounded yourself with good people than you're still going to be all right.

What's your direction in the next couple years? Are you going to continue to fight? 
Well, I'm going to keep fighting as long as I'm in the US. I'm still going to be back and forth the next couple of years. I'm building a project down south that won't be done for a few years. Once that's done then probably you won't see me fighting anymore. But I've been focusing more on transitioning to my writing and my top-secret project down south... I'll continue to take fights as long as I'm here and its convenient for me. I'll always like it probably until the day I die. That's not going to happen forever. So I'm going to enjoy it while I'm here in the states and then pretty soon I'm going to move on to my next quest. As far as other sports, you know golfing is probably going to be.. (laughs) because I'm older I'll spend more time golfing. And probably a lot more time fishing. 

So are you a big avid golfer right now?
No, not too much. Working on the more heavily, physically demanding sports right now. 

Besides fighting what are some of your favorite hobbies?
God, I really like going out and hiking, disappearing into nature for a few days at a time. I really like music. Trying to get back into my violin playing again. Trying to pick up some other instruments for a while, haven't found one I've been as passionate with as the violin. 

Well, Olaf we really appreciate it. Everybody in the NW is pulling for you. Anything you'd like to say to your NW fans?
Well you know, like always, I appreciate they've all been supporting me, especially when I come around to work out with different guys. And don't forget a lot of the young guys haven't had a chance to train with me or work out with me. I encourage them to, while I'm in Oregon, to come visit or invite me to their gym. I'd love to work out and have a good time and meet some of these younger guys so I got someone to pull for when they become famous and great fighters themselves.

So where in Oregon is your gym located?
Well, I'm in the country so you're never going to..

...track you down easily
(laughs) I'm in southern Oregon, so anywhere in Oregon is close for me. Oregon's not a very big state you know. I go to Bend all the time, I'll go as far as Portland, Eugene, Roseburg, Medford, Ashland. 


NW Fightscene would like to thank Olaf for taking the time to speak with us. According to his myspace page (myspace.com/olafalfonso) his training space in Southern Oregon is at the Cascade Shopping Center in White City, Oregon, just North of Medford. More can be learned about Olaf at www.olafalfonso.com


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