MMA Phuket -

We got a hold of Rithchie Whitson and asked him about the fight…

…and this is what he had to say:

The trip to Hawaii was really unexpected and a little intimidating. I had just got back to my hometown after a third round TKO victory over Schon Ellis in Anchorage. When I got the call to fight Ray Cooper I was doing the usual thing I do after fights which includes drinking beer, eating junk food and playing poker. I agreed to the fight not knowing who Ray Cooper was or what I was getting myself into.

One of the first things they had me do when I got off the plane was go to a press conference and talk in front of the media which was the scariest part of the hole trip. After the press conference I knew that the fight was a bigger deal than I originally thought and I knew that i was a huge underdog.

When I got into the ring I knew that I had nothing to lose so the nerves were not a factor. I knew my chance for victory would be on the feet and pretty much right after the bell rang I got punched in the face and taken down. Not a good start. I stayed calm and worked my way back to the feet and that’s when the fight started to turn. There was a lot of clinching and kneeing that followed. Eventually we separated and in a heated exchange I hit him with a short left hook right after eating a monster left haymaker myself. The difference was my punch was on the button and his wasn’t. I looked down and he was face down and I knew the fight was over.

I was the new X1 champion!

We got some new pictures from the fight to, see them here!