- PETE SPRATT FIGHTS TONIGHT
Mick Hammond - MMAWeekly.com
Pete "Secret Weapon" Spratt is one of the true professionals of fighting. Every time out he raises not only his own game but that of his opponent's and regardless of winning or losing, he gives his best in whatever discipline he's participating in.
After many successful years in the Muay Thai and MMA ranks, Spratt has shifted his focus on the World Combat League's unique style of team based martial arts. Initially created and conceived by martial arts legend Chuck Norris, the WCL is poised to make it's Las Vegas debut this Friday night at The Orleans Casino with Spratt as one of the featured fighters.
While in Vegas finalizing preparations for his Dallas Dragons (coached by MMA vet Guy Mezger) to take on the Denver Destroyers, Pete talked with MMA Weekly to discuss the league, rumors of retirement, and his future in combat sports.
MMA Weekly: First off Pete, tell us how you got involved with the World Combat League?
Pete Spratt: The actual headquarters for the company is based out of Dallas and they've been talking to Guy about it and I'd been training with Guy so he approached me about it. I went to the open try-outs and we just kind of ran from there.
MMA Weekly: They made you try out, they didn't know whom they were dealing with huh?
Pete Spratt: [Laughs] Yeah, pretty much. I don't know exactly what the deal was, but when I KO'd a guy with a neck kick that I was sparring with it was done then [laughs]. We all had to go try out, it was myself, Jason House, and Tra (Telligman), we all had to do our thing trying out.
MMA Weekly: What does it feel like to be a part of something that's just starting out and growing with unlimited potential?
Pete Spratt: It feels good to be at the ground floor with the start of this thing because there's an opportunity to do big things with this company. It feels good and honorable to be part of something that's a vision of Chuck Norris. It's a neat concept and I'm enjoying my experiences with the WCL. I had a chance to meet with Chuck at his house for three or four hours and discuss his vision of the future of this league. I have the absolute most respect for Chuck and working with him on this is a good thing.
MMA Weekly: So when you were meeting with Chuck, you didn't throw down and show each other a thing or two did you?
Pete Spratt: Nah [laughs]. Actually he was telling us the stories about how back when he was first getting into full contact fighting and how there were basically Karate guys who never had any experience with boxing and basically getting the crap punched out of them. So no, Mr. Norris didn't have to show me anything [laughs].
MMA Weekly: Now this kind of fighting is very fast paced because you have to only fight two three-minute rounds with a break in between them. So we're definitely going to see full-throttle nonstop action right?
Pete Spratt: Yeah, I'm just looking to go out there, land bombs, use angles that I learned out in Australia, score as many points as I can and stay aggressive. One thing they will do is take away a point if a fighter is being passive, so if you don't get in there and fight or run around too much, they'll take away points. It's kind of like full-contact Karate with the points and everything, but they're looking for action, they're looking for knockouts. I fought in the inaugural one in Dallas, we had a great reception and turnout and it went great, and you know what, a lot of people can get banged out in three minutes. It's different, but it's one of those things I could do all day [laughs], I could fight three minutes, take a break, and keep doing it all day.
Recommended Articles
MMA Weekly: All right let's discuss you a little bit. There had been some talk, some rumors if you will, that you may have retired or were contemplating retirement. Can you shed any light onto that for us?
Pete Spratt: Well yeah there was some truth to that rumor. Quite honestly the way the WCL is set up I'm looking at it like this is my semi-retirement promotion. It's a lot of hard work involved with it, but only have to go out there and fight three minutes, break, and fight another three minutes. So it's not like five rounds in a Muay Thai fight or five-minute rounds in an MMA fight.
And to be honest, I'm looking at this year being my last year fighting. I'm a bit enthused, I have a couple of things going this year, I've got a couple of injuries that I'm over, but I am 35 years old. I've been fighting hard in the game for six years and did quite a bit in that short time and the body just isn't recovering like it used to. But like I said I'm seeing how I'm feeling in 2006 and how it goes to determine if I'm going to be fighting or not in 2007.
MMA Weekly: Any chance we could see you back in the MMA world again?
Pete Spratt: Actually I've got some stuff on the table, some MMA offers, and one of them is with the promotion Rumble on the Rock. There's an offer on the table for a rematch with Ronald Jhun, which was one of the most talked about fights in Hawaiian history, so I've definitely got some good stuff lining up.
MMA Weekly: And what about beyond fighting?
Pete Spratt: One of the things with this league, with the way they have it set up is that I may get the opportunity to work for the home office. As they say, get to move up the ladder and work for the WCL. If I'm not fighting again so I may get the opportunity to help the promotion, do fighter relations and things like that.
MMA Weekly: So we may be seeing Pete "The Businessman" Spratt huh?
Pete Spratt: Oh yeah for sure, definitely [laughs].
MMA Weekly: Good stuff Pete. Is there anything you'd like to say as we close this out?
Pete Spratt: I've always got to thank my sponsors, Real Fight Gear, Tapout. This concept is different, but it's extremely exciting and extremely fan friendly. So if there is any people out there in the Vegas out there that want to see some high-impact fighting, just come out to the WCL and I promise you you'll get your money's worth.
MMA Weekly: And since there's no cage or ropes or anything on the WCL's fighting surface, people may get a souvenir fighter knocked into there lap courtesy of Pete Spratt right?
Pete Spratt: Yeah you know they may get a chance to catch a fighter's mouthpiece or something good like that [laughs].
For more information on the WCL please visit their website at www.WorldCombatLeague.com.
