At the age of four, Will “The Kill” Chope, who will be fighting at tomorrow’s PROFC event, learned about mixed martial arts (MMA) because his stepfather was a huge fan. From then on, MMA was a bonding experience between the two as they enjoyed watching matches together. At 18, Chope went to his first live event and was hooked.
“After that, I thought to myself I could do MMA, too, and started training,” Chope told the Taipei Times in an e-mail interview.
To pursue his dreams, Chope relocated to Thailand to learn Muay Thai. Within four years, he had earned a reputation as a skilled combatant and the biggest fighting organization in the world of MMA, Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC), came knocking.
Photo Courtesy of PROFC
“I just had a lot of fights in a very short period of time and racked up a 14-fight winning streak,” Chope said. “The UFC took notice and I got a contract… It was a dream come true.”
Royal Chiou, head of PROFC, first booked Chope for a fight on short notice in 2011, when one of his other fighters dropped out.
“Will Chope was the only person who stepped up to the plate against a well-respected fighter two weight classes above [him],” Chiou said.
Photo Courtesy of PROFC
Chiou said he remembers that Chope was eating pizza every day in an attempt to gain weight, and said the gym where he was training didn’t want the venue publicized.
“Nobody believed in this 193-centimeter, skinny, 19 year-old. He was the only one truly in his own corner and I had to have my cage cleaning crew act as his actual corner,” he said.
Chiou was proud when the UFC announced that Chope was getting a fight in their organization. “I felt happy for him more than anything else, as his story is truly inspirational,” Chiou said, adding that Chope has competed in over 50 MMA and Muay Thai fights in his four years of training.
Photo Courtesy of PROFC
“He accomplished something that most everyone who practices MMA or trains in martial arts wishes they could achieve.”
CRUMBLING DOWN OVERNIGHT
The night before Chope was supposed to participate in his second match for the UFC on March 23, online sports magazine Bleacher Report published a story about an incident five years ago in which Chope assaulted his wife, got put in a military jail for five months and received a bad conduct discharge from the US Air Force.
Photo Courtesy of PROFC
“When the UFC saw it, they immediately cut me without telling me or calling my hotel room,” Chope said.
“In fact, the way I found out they cut me was from Twitter. It was definitely a heartbreaking experience to fight so hard to get into the UFC.”
Following the Bleacher report, his now ex-wife came to his defense. Together, they released a 14-minute video statement via YouTube in an attempt to clarify the matter.
“We’ve been really close friends for the past three years,” said the woman, identified as Ashleigh.
“He deserves to be judged on the man that he is now instead of wrongfully judged on the person he used to be. He has paid the debt for those actions and more than proved himself to be a changed man,” she added.
Chope said that, although he informed the UFC of his criminal record when he signed his contract, he understands why it dropped him from its roster of fighters.
“They’re protecting their brand. They don’t want a guy who has domestic violence on the record fighting in the UFC, and I get that,” he said in the video.
THE ROAD AHEAD
But all is probably not lost for Chope.
“My manager spoke to them about me and if I win some big fights outside of the UFC and don’t get in any trouble, I may get a chance two years down the road. So I am just hoping for the best,” Chope said.
Chiou said he isn’t worried about Chope.
“If he never gets to fight for the UFC again, that sucks,” Chiou said.
“He’ll be fine redemption or no redemption,” Chiou said.
PROFC 9 takes place tomorrow at 6pm at Luxy, 5F, 201, Zhongxiao E Rd Sec 4, Taipei City (台北市忠孝東路四段201號5樓). General admission tickets are NT$600, ringside seats are NT$1,600 and front row seats are NT$2,500. Tickets can be purchased at the door and include one drink.
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