In a world where rules could only be imagined, where weight divisions could only be hoped for and serious injury is just part of the game... welcome to the world of a PITFIGHTER, where illegal underground fighting is there job and inflicting severe damage is there only option. Two fighters, no referee, no rules and no judges... this is inside the mind of a PITFIGHTER.

“About the only rules there were was… no weapons. Everything else goes. Biting, eye strikes, groin, throat, knees they were all fair game.”

Elie: What is underground fighting?
Pitfighter: There are many ways I can describe to u what underground fighting is. Basically its fights that are not sanctioned by any type of governing body. People with a lot of money and nothing to do with it that enjoy watching people beat the crap out of each other for entertainment.

Elie: What made you want to compete in an illegal underground fight?
Pitfighter: Of course the money, not going to lie. But more then that, it was to me the ultimate challenge of man vs man, testing yourself and skill. Just like the days of the gladiators.

Elie: Give us a rundown of what happens and how it’s set up?
Pitfighter: Well to have fought in the best circuits you had to have know some powerful people, fortunately I did. You would get a call from someone saying they had someone for you to fight, in this city or where ever, and time. They took care of all your expenses, and the fight was set up. They took real good care of you, as long as you kept winning and making them money.

Elie: How is your opponent chosen? Was there weight divisions?
Pitfighter: What weight classes, I wish there were weight classes [laughs]. Nope, for the most part you fight whom ever they set you up to fight.

Elie: What was the competition like? Are these trained fighters with fighting backgrounds or just people from the street?
Pitfighter: Competition was tough, yeah there where no wanna be backyard or bar brawlers, not where I fought at least. they were very good at their disciplines and styles, pro fighters looking to make some good money from all over the world. Boxers, grapplers, muay thai champions, kickboxers etc... it was very well organized by very powerful people, it was done right.

Elie: Were the fights fairly matched?
Pitfighter: What’s fair in life, nothing. Man I was 185 pounds jacked up. I am a short guy. I was sometimes up against guys 230-240 pounds. That’s what people wanted to see and bet on, watching the smaller guys beat the bigger guys or vise versa. I made them a lot of money, and they took real good care of me.

Elie: What’s the worst thing you’ve seen in an underground fight?
Pitfighter: Next question, please.

Elie: What about the rules? What was aloud and what was not?
Pitfighter: Rules, man that’s a funny question [laughs]. About the only rules there were was… no weapons. Everything else goes. Biting, eye strikes, groin, throat, knees they were all fair game. Helped me out a lot, since everyone was much bigger. You could win by knockout, submission, or if the other persons gives up.

Elie: Where are they usually held? Paint us a picture of the layout? Type of venue?
Pitfighter: Wow, the fancy clubs, after hours, and some of the biggest ass mansions I have ever seen. People watching all dressed up in suits, women in dresses, lot of high class people, with nothing better to do with their money, lots of crazy ass betting.

Elie: What was the prize, how much was the prize?
Pitfighter: It was always different, depending on odds, and your value to them. Starts at a few grand to up to $100 000, like I said depends how good you are. If you kept winning, money was great. Sometimes they would even throw in some very beautiful women for you, [laughs] nice cars, hotel suits bigger then some houses. as long as you made them money. If you lose, they basically just get rid of you, your no good to them anymore. I had approximately 20 fights.

Elie: Does illegal underground fighting still occur today?
Pitfighter: Does it still happen, probably more then ever now. I stay away far away from it now. more into training, teaching and watching the MMA events now. MMA will take over the world in sports one day, there are a lot of good promotions going on, they take care of the fighters safety first, there are rules and they are legal. It’s the way to go.

Elie: How would you prepare physically and mentally for your fights?
Pitfighter: Physically, lots of training 2 to 3 times a day, I would get up 4am do my cardio, eat, go back to bed, wake up and train again. Eat, sleep and train… that’s all I did, had no life. You just had to train real hard and have good people in your corner, there was
no video watching to try to study your opponent, because you didn’t know who it would be that you would be fighting.

Mentally, that at first was the hard part for me in the beginning. Then I got real good at it. I would shut out everyone in my life, girlfriends, family and friends, everything. I would get myself to a point that I had no feelings or emotions at all. I became a very cold person, I usually would stay away from people I know, and everyday I would be by myself, just training and focusing on the fight. I felt that, that’s how I had to be, you can’t
go into a fight all emotional and caring, that’s when you get hurt. That was me then. I am now a real nice, loving, caring man [laughs].

Elie: Tell us about an illegal underground fight you’ve had that stands out in your mind?
Pitfighter: Hmm… a fight that stands out that I have had. I can’t remember, too many blows to the head. I have a bad memory [laughs]. Joking. Well one that really stands out to this day and always will to me is. I was matched up against this big ugly guy about 6'3 230 pounds of muscle, the fight must have went on for about 15 minutes, he kicked me in the nuts liked I have never been kicked before, I was out and in so much pain I even threw up. but no one stopped the fight. He kept kicking me when I was down, then all I
remember is that he was on top of me, punching me as hard as he could, man I really thought I was going to die that moment. But I am a fighter not a lover [laughs] and a lover now… but seriously it was so bad, and all of a sudden I just got my senses back and its like I turned into this crazy animal, I got him off me and was on top of him, just going to town. I put him in an armbar that was so tight, stupid guy wouldn’t tap, so I broke it. It was loud and one of the sickest things to look at. His elbow was sticking out, and man he was screaming like a little girl. That’s one story I thought I would share with you that wasn’t too gory for the readers. [laughs]. In the end it was a long and tough, painful fight, my ribs were bruised, black eye, and a very sore groin, that made me spend a few days in the hospital after. But I never gave up in the fight, and my mindset going into each fight was… that you would have to kill me to beat me, and no one was going to stop me from going home to be with my family. Kill or be killed...