# Future MMA fighter. The Road to the cage.



## Stephan Tripp (Aug 16, 2011)

Hello MMAFORUM.com. My name is Stephan Tripp I am currently living in Santa Rosa, California and I am 20 years old. I train MMA under Dave Terrell at Nor-cal Fighting Alliance. To say that I am not the most regular fighter there would be an understatement. But this is not without cause (or excuses depending on your point of view). I plan on fighting in the 155 weight class. However I weighed in this morning at 128. I am going to be posting threads and a blog complete with video weigh ins every Monday morning, tracking my progress as well as taking time every day to update and sort of blog my experience. I hope that all of you enjoy my ride to the cage and beyond.

I guess it wouldn't be a good first post without a little bit of background information on my. My childhood started with an abusive father who my mom divorced. Then she found my step father who proved to not be any better, and in some ways he was even worse. So I lived with him and his abusive nature in secret until I was 14. I chose not to say anything about any of this to anyone because I didn't want to cause anymore trouble than I already had. When I was 14 my step father blew up on me in a big way, the only problem being that this time my mother was there. I snapped a little bit due to this and broke a picture frame on his head and grabbed the family shot gun. I pointed it at him with the intention to kill him, but my Mom (a wonderful woman) broke down and cried. I blacked out and the next thing I remember I was running down the road blacking out every five yards. And there I was a 100 pound kid immediately changed for life. All though I didn't shoot him and he moved out maybe a year later. I have lived in a sort of a depressed and less lively mindset, trying to bury the truth of my past. I started training MMA when I was 16 years old and from the first session I was hooked. I was training as often as I could and as hard as I could gaining from 120 to 156 pounds. At that time I was living in Lakeport and going to High school. When I was 17 I moved to Santa Rosa under the false reason that I was going to college. My real intentions were to train under Dave Terrell, where I trained my hardest for a few great months. One day I was walking through a crosswalk and a car had ran a red light and took me out. I was injured out of training for about six months and lost weight under 130. I went back to training as soon as I could, trying to live my destiny in my new life as a fighter. However, only moving an hour away from my hometown didn't let me run away from my problems.

My step dad who took everything he could from me in my childhood wasn't ready to let me live my life. He started a law suit against my family for all of the "work" that he had put in at my ranch. Suddenly this man who I had put my whole life into forgetting came crashing into my life and I was forced to confront all of my buried feelings. This depression that I have gained through my time being injured was growing through my confrontations with the man who took my self worth. The most unfortunate side effect for all of this was my loss of will to train. I started feeling like that kid again who couldn't have his life to himself. All I wanted to do was help everyone and forget about my own existence. 

I have trained on and off for a couple of years now but I am done letting all of these antagonistic affairs keep me from what I know I am capable of. I am ready to take these problems by their horns and wrestle them to the ground. I am starting this thread to help keep me on track and to help people understand me so that I can better understand myself. I WILL gain up enough weight to fight 155 and I will NOT let anything stop me this time. I want to be the champion that I know somewhere inside of myself that I am. I am not unafraid but I am no longer unaware of my potential. From 128 to the sky. Thank you for reading and I look forward to sharing the journey with all of you and to gaining your support. Take it easy and keep your dreams alive.

-Stephan Tripp


----------



## Stephan Tripp (Aug 16, 2011)

Off to the gym. Going to lift for biceps and abs today. Then some yoga for flexibility. Take it easy and keep your dreams alive.


----------



## kantowrestler (Jun 6, 2009)

Sounds good dude. Is this supposed to be like a fight journal or something or something more detailed?


----------



## Fine Wine (Aug 30, 2010)

I probably won't follow the thread to be honest, may drop in from time to time. But nothing but respect to you for putting yourself out there. I wish you all the success the world has to offer and just giving this your absolute best even in all the times you will be defeated and feel like curling up and shying away from the world, will make you a real champion of life!


----------



## kantowrestler (Jun 6, 2009)

Well aren't we all defeated at some point. It isn't about whether we fall. It's how we rise that determines what we are.


----------



## MMAnWEED (Aug 8, 2010)

Most successful fighters come from a shitty childhood. There are obvious exceptions but just use what used to hurt you to fuel your fire. You have something that is known as killer instinct. Good,good. 

Best of luck.


----------



## kantowrestler (Jun 6, 2009)

I'm not sure if that is a good generalization. Though I do agree alot of fighters who were influenced by Bob Shamrock did come from crappy backgrounds. The Shamrocks, Diazs and Jens Pulver all were there.


----------



## Fine Wine (Aug 30, 2010)

Yeh, I don't think a poor background is required, but it sure is a motivation!


----------



## hadoq (Jan 6, 2011)

Fine Wine said:


> I probably won't follow the thread to be honest, may drop in from time to time. But nothing but respect to you for putting yourself out there. I wish you all the success the world has to offer and just giving this your absolute best even in all the times you will be defeated and feel like curling up and shying away from the world, will make you a real champion of life!


couldn't have said it better


----------



## kantowrestler (Jun 6, 2009)

Well this is going to be an interesting experience coming up.


----------



## Hawndo (Aug 16, 2009)

I'm away to bed so I didn't get a chance to read the full thing, but I completely respect you for what you are doing and wish you the best of luck in your endeavors.

Will be sure to check in on this.


----------



## kantowrestler (Jun 6, 2009)

Yeah, this is quite an endeavor.


----------



## Stephan Tripp (Aug 16, 2011)

Thanks for all of the support so far. I had a great week of lifting last week. I will post week 2s beginning post here within the hour. I had a long week and JUST got back into town really. And am about to head to the gym for the second week of lifting. Then I will be doing full training, lifting, training and yoga. Thanks for checking in and look out for "Future MMA fighter. The Road to the cage. Week 2" Thanks again.


----------



## kantowrestler (Jun 6, 2009)

Yeah, I have recently started working out again as well. It's a good thing I'm working with high schoolers. They are easier to handle.


----------



## Stephan Tripp (Aug 16, 2011)

http://www.mmaforum.com/general-mma...a-fighter-road-cage-week-2-a.html#post1459772 

Check out the new post


----------



## Stephan Tripp (Aug 16, 2011)

Also. If anyone has any advice on using the forum... I could use it. Its not my strongest point.


----------



## kantowrestler (Jun 6, 2009)

Start a single martial art then build off of it from there.


----------



## Stephan Tripp (Aug 16, 2011)

I already am quite well versed in jiu jitsu and have put in quite a bit of time boxing and kick boxing. My takedowns need work but my defense is pretty solid. I have been training on and off for about 3 years now. And I have a solid plan for my martial arts. But thanks for the advice. Always appreciated.


----------



## kantowrestler (Jun 6, 2009)

So you are already pretty well versed in the core martial arts. That is good to hear. If you need to work on takedowns then you can take out a wrestling class somewhere.


----------



## Stephan Tripp (Aug 16, 2011)

New post. I am finally back and please read.
http://www.mmaforum.com/general-mma-discussion/95325-future-mma-fighter-road-cage-im-back.html


----------



## kantowrestler (Jun 6, 2009)

Well I'm glad everything was going well.


----------

