I am that dude that knocked out the tatted up jerk in 20 seconds. AMA!

This video made me laugh so hard. What was going through your mind when he was acting that way?

"Just wait until tomorrow"

Is it true that some of his tats was imprinted on the gloves after the fight?

Haha

Hey man, awesome work in that fight. Have there been many examples of this type of "intimidation" technique that you've gotten used to from the past, or have you just always been a badass? Any examples of other douchey behavior that you've learned how to handle outside of the ring?

This was the first time I've encountered this type of behavior but I don't pay any attention to it. I've always looked up to Solid Snake from MGS and thought "wish I could be like him" or "what would Snake do in this situation".

What's your shoulder routine? 'Mirin

Wrestle sweaty dudes and punch people in the face! But no seriously I don't do any weights. Just train my butt off.

Did you feel like you had the advantage going into the fight? You seemed to be laughing a bit at the weigh in.

We new he had heavy hands so the plan was to wrestle him but he stood so close in front of me so I just hit him until he went down.

What made you want to do MMA? Did you fight much as a kid inside and outside of the 'ring'?

I was bullied when I was in middle school which lead me to taking up Tae Kwon Do at a young age. I loved martial arts and competing so MMA was just a natural progression.

Have you ever fought someone outside of competition? Did you ever fight a bully?

Ever since I've take up martial arts, I haven't had to.

Did you want to kiss him?

No

What was going through your mind as he kept pushing you? Did you have any other prior incident with him?

He talked a lot of trash up until the fight. I just remember thinking "keep cool Ben, save it for tomorrow". Thank god i did.

Two questions:

1. How much of that pre-fight "thing" (sorry) was just playing for the camera? Was the other dude just trying to seduce you with his eyes?

2. What got you into MMA? Do you ever get concerned about riding and the potential to dereail your fighting career?

1. I'm not sure. He's done this in the past in his previous fights.

2. I love riding so much that it doesn't bother me. I commute on a motorcycle on average about an hour and a half daily. I love it!

Great punch, Ben! Were you close to punching him at the weigh in? Because if you were, you hid it very well! Nice job!

Not at all. I knew I had a lot of punching to do the next day :)

Did the little face-off before your fight intimidate you or did it work in your favour? Looks a lot like the latter to me.

It was probably the best thing to happen to me TBH.

What's the most brutal fight you have been in?

Probably my fight in Canada years back. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lMROTueJLcw

How does it feel?

It was a big relief because I knew I had to prove this guy wrong.

Which bikes do you ride?

I'm glad you asked this question.

Yamaha 2001 YZF-600r Thundercat

2006 R6

Now 2005 FZ6n(I commute an hour and half daily now, much more comfortable)

You seemed pretty confident about the fight. Did you know you had the guy beat during the weigh in?

I knew I had better wrestling than him so the game plan was the clinch and take him to the ground. That plan went out the window!

How are personalities of other fighters?

Are there a lot of showy jerks like this or is it mostly folks just doing their jobs?

Anyone with an outstanding or notable personality?

Many fighters like showy jerks but they have the ability to back it up. This guy didn't.

With UFC 193 being officially set in Melbourne, any chance that you'll be on that card?

Being a local Aussie now with a 7 fight win streak I'd love to fight on that card!

Did you get that belt he was holding? Is that like an MMA trophy?

Yes, I go to bed with it at night!

How would Ronda Rousey do in a MMA fight against a man in her weight class?

Ronda would crush them. She is all finesse, not strength!

What's your favorite PC game?

CS, Starcraft, Mass Effect, League, Skyrim, RUNESCAPE!

Have you had any negotiations with the UFC regarding a contract?

None so far. Fingers cross!

Can you speak or read Vietnamese and have you ever been to Vietnam ? I'm a Vietnamese too :D

I speak about 50/50. I try to go back every year!

Have you two met after the fight? If yes how did he acted?

Edit: spelling

I haven't seen him since. Lol...

What is your opinion on beards?

I sometimes wish I could grow one. They can look cool. It's a misconception that it pads your chin though!

How'd you first get into MMA?

I was put into Tae Kwon Do when I was 12. I loved martial arts and competing so MMA was just a natural progression.

how can I get into MMA training?

google in your area for MMA gyms. If you're happy with a gym stay there and train your butt off. Definitely one of my passions.

how long have you been training?

Professionally, for about 8 years now.

Was the knockout out of anger or were you trying to help the guy out by smacking the stupid tattoos off his face?

Little bit of both ahah

Have you ever experienced anyone getting physical (straight up hitting/kicking) at the weigh-ins?

Not yet thankfully. Not sure what I would do in that situation. Maybe go to de-pants the guy. That's the best way to defuse a fight.

What disciplines do you train?

Tae Kwon Do, Judo, Brazilian Jiu-Jitus, Muay Thai, Wrestling, and a little bit of Wing Chun.

I do not usually like to watch MMA, but you've got a new fan! For being a fellow Vietnamese-American and knocking out a douchey tatted up jerk.

Did you watch any Monkey King/Te Thien Dai Thanh growing up? Who do you look up to as a fighter?

I'm pretty sure every 90s Vietnamese kid had experience Monkey King and it's millions VHS tapes stuffed into a clothes drawer.

Kinda Cliche but Bruce Lee. Be like water my friend!

What is your opinion on Cross-Fit training? It has a lot of negative press about it so I'm curious to see what someone who does training/fighting for a living feels about it.

I'm not a big fan on Crossfit. Olympic lifts are not designed to be done in many reps. All my MMA training is sports specific. The best way to get better at something to do that something.

I love kids.

I love martial arts , competition, and putting in hard work to achieve a goal. My advise is to keep an open mind and NEVER give up!

Ben, fantastic job. I just glossed at your record and you're at 13-5 which is very respectable and this fight happened last year? Have you heard from Bellator or UFC at all? Or possibly for "The Ultimate Fighter"? Have you been scouted? I don't know what the process is of them picking up guys like you but I think you should be given a shot.

My management have been in contact with UFC. They know I'm on the radar and that is all I know. Hopefully soon.

Yay motorcycles!

What do you enjoy riding the most, and where? (Track, motocamping, commuting, weekend rides, all of the above, etc)

Really enjoyed that fight. Thanks for the AMA!

I really love my sport touring bike(FZ6n) because its versatile. It's good for commuting, touring, and twisties. I have a spot up in the mountains full of twisites I like to run. Here's a vid: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WMnGER264Ow

What BPM are the roads in Australia?

Mind=blown

We were going what 80MPH on that road so maybe 100KM's or so?? On the left side!

Have you ever watched Hajime no ippo? And if so what did you think of it?

It's my favorite anime actually! My walk out song is "Inner Light". I've also cosplayed as Ippo at cons

What does a weekly workout routine look line?

I train around 12-24 hours Mon-Sat. Much of it depends on the schedule of the gym i'm training at, what stage I am at during my camp, ect.