Interview with Ray Sloan

Ray "Ray Gun" Sloan

 Ray has been training Jiu Jitsu for 8yrs + and currently holds the rank of Brown Belt.  He has a very smooth, flowing Jiu Jitsu game and is transitioning into MMA and currently holds a 2-0 record.  He has a fight coming up on July 20th, 2013 against a game opponent In the XPlode Fight Series in Valley Center, Ca. and he is ready to go!

 

Ø  When did you start Jiu Jitsu and why?

Ray:  Started Jiu Jitsu when I was 20yrs old.  I didn't understand how Jiu Jitsu worked and I started because I wanted to feel that magic that everyone talked about.  I kept hearing that Jiu Jitsu can beat anything and I didn't believe it until I tried it!

Ø  Did you do any other sports before Jiu Jitsu?

Ray:  I did football, basketball, I weight lifted, and actually that's what made me question Jiu Jitsu because I was bigger and stronger than everybody.

Ø  You get a lot of compliments about your ground game but I do remember, as your coach, the humble beginnings of first starting Jiu Jitsu.  You used to get the tar beat out of you!  Over the years, I've seen you grow and mature into quite the athlete with much skills.  Any advice to the beginning Jiu Jitsu enthusiast, that is just starting out?

Ray:  It takes time to grow on that mat.  Jiu Jitsu is like life...it doesn't happen in one day.  Show up to practice...stay focused, & no matter how many times you get beat up or tapped...you need to come back for more!

EXCEL MMA

Ø  There is much to be said about loyalty and everyone has the right to choose where they train and with whom.  Why choose EXCEL?

Ray:  I choose EXCEL because I started Jiu Jitsu with Michio Grubbs, a friend brought me to Michio & I've doing it ever since...I wouldn't go anywhere else!  Where Michio goes, I go.

Ø  Tell the readers about your experiences in MMA up to this point.

Ray:  At first, It is a big, BIG difference **laughing** I love my Jiu Jitsu and for self defense, it may be enough but for MMA, as a sport, you need to know a lot more!  You need to learn the all around game.  It is a world of difference!

Ø  what weight do you fight at?

Ray:  I fight at 205, light heavy-weight.

Ø  How is the striking and the wrestling coming along?

Ray:  Striking is coming along very well.  I started with Bubba Pugh in MMA working boxing, kickboxing, wrestling and now along with Bubba, I have Sio Makihele to work my hands.  Sio has given me a lot of confidence in my hands to go along with what I already know.

Ø  How do you see your future in the combat sports?

Ray:  As long as I take care of myself, my body and my mind...I see it going very well.  Keeping a good teammate attitude is a big key.  Can't train by yourself.  Need good teammates.

Ø  what inspires you to train day in, day out...knowing that with the intense training comes a lot of pain and fatigue?

Ray:  What inspires me is that I love the fact that I never, ever thought that I could do any of this.  When I seen it on TV, it looked magical and I thought I couldn't do it.  But now, I'm in the cage and training every day.  Learning technical things and learning about the Art of fighting.  It's not just about...Get 'em, GET 'EM!  It's about the Art of fighting and I want to learn everything I can, to help me prepare for competition.  I know if you're not training hard...you are not going to win!

 

Ray Sloan getting the win!  EXCEL Mixed Martial Arts

How does your rest and nutrition help your training?

Ray:  In pre fight mode, I cut out all the junk food, the bad eating habits that I have and work a schedule for my eating patterns.  And it helps!  I call it a cleanse.  Cleaning out all the bad habits.

Ø  What all do you do to prepare for competition? 

Ray:  I train hard.  Get good rest.  Focus on keeping up good spirits, keeping my spirit up.

Ø  take us through a typical day of training?

Ray:  Typical day of training...after working all day, I come to class...do cardio, cardio, cardio...then we'll spar but it's up to the coach.  To tell you the truth, I let me coaches choose how I train.  And I don't ask questions.  They tell me what to do and I do it.

Ø  Are you still working two jobs?

Ray:  Yes!  I actually am.  I do what is necessary. 

Ray Sloan with BJJ Coaches Corey Bennin and Michio Grubbs

Ø  What are your hobbies and what other interests do you have?

Ray:  My hobby is training and fighting.  I'm interested in teaching in the future, opening up a branch of EXCEL where I live.  I do not live close to my gym, I travel a long way to train but wouldn't trade it for the world.

Ø  how supportive is your family & friends about you putting it on the line to compete?

Ray:  Everyone in my life understands what I'm doing and what I'm about.  It went from no one believing that I was going to do it, thinking it was a fad to everyone knowing...This is what I do!  I don't want to be old saying I should have done it.  My family & friends understand this.

Ø  What shout outs do you want to throw out there?

Ray:  I would like to throw a shout out to first of all, my family, my friends, my teammates, my coaches, the gyms I go to, the sparring partners that come to train with me.  A special shout out to Corey for having us, Michio for bringing me up...I feel like I was his baby in Jiu Jitsu and he has raised me up to this.  Bubba Pugh, he doesn't have to do what he does, but he does...and I'm proud to have him in my corner.  He is the voice in the corner that I listen to when it comes to fight time.  My other coaches...Charlie, Jon, Sio, so happy to have them.  And with Sio, my boxing coach, I want to give him a special shout out to his gym.  Sio, is the Michio of my hands!

Ø  What do you want to say to your teammates, your brothers & sisters in arms that are reading this?

Ray:  Never give up.  Life happens and there are always going to be issues pop up.  Family issues, work issues, personal issues.  There are going to be times where you'll ask yourself why?  Why am I going to this class, why am I doing this?  You know what?  Don't even ask why.  Just get up and go.  If you catch yourself sitting down and thinking about training?  You should be going to go train.  If you're thinking about it...you should be doing it.

Ø  Have you ever done any fitness modeling?

Ha, Ha, Ha!  **We both bust up laughing!**  Ray:  For the right amount of money...I would!  Ha!

Thanks for the Interview Ray!!!

Ray:  Thank you!

-Team EXCEL