Q & Eh with Feature Fighter Ricky Goodall.
Q.) What should one fear in you?
Eh.) My will and my improvements.
Q.) What motivated you to take up MMA?
Eh.) I started training Karate when I was 13, moved on to Kickboxing when I was 15, and Judo/BJJ a bit in my early 20’s. A local fighter out of my hometown in New Glasgow put on a promotion and asked a few of us training at the time if we’d like to fight, so I dove in headfirst.
Eh.) The first person to ask for my autograph was a young teenager after my fifth fight. I felt awkward!!!
Q.) If all goes as planned, where do you see yourself in three years?
Eh.) Well I’m a full time marketing student, full time fighter and casual musician, if all goes to plan I’ll exceed my own expectations and be close to retirement by 35!
Q.) How old are you? Where are you from? At what age did you start MMA?
Eh.) I’m 26 years old. I’m from New Glasgow, NS and I had my first professional fight in 2007. I stayed inactive for nearly 2 years after that, fighting my next fight in May, 2009. I’ve been involved in MMA for three years now.
Q.) Who is the most influential person in YOUR MMA career & why?
Eh.) The most influential person in my MMA career would be my coach and manager Rob Walker. Rob took me at 240lbs in bad shape and molded me into what I am now, which I think is only the beginning to what I hope to be. Other huge people in my MMA career would be my father, who always supported everything in my life and has been to nearly every fight, my close friend and Karate black belt Jeff Kennedy, who started my martial arts education, and teammates and trainers Jaret MacIntosh, Mike Kitson and Jason Rorison, who introduced me to BJJ and my team, Titans MMA.
Q.) Name two things most people don’t know about you.
Eh.) #1. I am a sciences nerd, I love psychology and biology and almost went into a degree in this when I was 19.
#2. I also have been playing music for 14 years, taught guitar for many years and wrote an instructional guitar manual when I was 19.
Q.) Biggest misconception when you say you’re an MMA fighter?
Eh.) People sometimes assume you’re dumb, punch drunk, a criminal, on steroids, on drugs, out to hurt people, heartless, mean, and much more.
Q.) Biggest pro when saying you’re an MMA fighter?
Eh.) Unspoken respect from those who respect the sport. I have done many things in my life as far as jobs and hobbies, from sales, security, music, personal training and much more, but there is no “respect” like you get from being a pro fighter. It silences people sometimes.
Q.) What comes to mind when saying CMA voting a ban on pro MMA?
Eh.) As a fighter some people may get nervous, as a marketing student I think, “Woo hoo! Free publicity”
Q.) What would you change in this sport?
Eh.) How much the fighters get paid and knowledge of the sport. But time will hopefully bring that.
Q.) A Day in the life of Ricky Goodall.
Eh.)
4:30 a.m: Wake up,coffee and a quick protein shake with oatmeal
6:00 a.m: Crossfit class. Shower.
8:30 – 4p.m: School. “I bring all my meals to school in a cooler other than my only vice: peanut butter oatcakes!
5p.m-8p.m: Train. Wrestling, BJJ and muay thai.
Q.) What have been the biggest failures and frustrations in your career?
“Frustrations exist, but failures are just opportunities disguised. My biggest frustration is not having an extra 10 hours in every day to do what I want.”- Goodall.
Q.) Have you ever not made weight? If so, what happened?
Eh.) There was one time (I’m not telling when because my manager will kill me) where I cut so much that I was only off by about 0.04lbs but honestly couldn’t sit in the sauna any longer, so I lied and said I was at weight to my manager. We had about two hours before weigh ins so I spent the entire time visualizing myself being at perfect weight and imagined the feeling of satisfaction that comes from being at weight. Sure enough I stepped on the school with not one ounce to spare, but I made weight.
MMeh FIGHTER: You must have been wearing your birthday suit! (laughs)
Q.) Are you in conflict with other fighters if so, why?
Eh.) Just the teammates that punch me in the face everyday (chuckles). I think some people need to create some sort of origin of anger in order to fight someone, but for me it’s all business and I leave emotions outside of the cage. If I have a problem with anyone in the sport it’s purely because of their attitude or actions. So far no one has crossed that line.
Q.) Without naming the organization, which promotion do you recall being the most disorganized or the one you were most disappointed with and why?
Eh.) I’ve been fortunate to fight for some great organizations and haven’t had any major complaints personally, but I have seen some brutal promotions. I think the big rules in promoting are:
1) take care of your fighters, they’re your bread makers.
2) take care of your customers, they’re buying the tickets.
3) take care of the boxing authority, they’re the “hands that feed.”
If you can get through a show without severely pissing all of these people off then you’re doing alright.
Q.) Two words most people would use when describing Ricky Goodall.
Eh.) “Super Awesome!” I’d like to think, but probably more along the lines of “relaxed” and “busy.”
Q.) When you were a kid, how did you respond to a question like ‘what do you want to do when you grow up?’
Eh.) As cliché as it sounds, I wanted to train martial arts since I was 4-5 years old.
But before 10 years old I would have said Policeman.
At 10yrs old, I would have said Lawyer.
In my teens, it would be Rockstar (I still want to be one) or Physiotherapist.
In my early twenties, it would be business owner (I will/have been one).
Mid-twenties I would say business owner/rock star/MMA Fighter/superhero!
Q.) Tell me about your weight. How much did you lose, in how much time?
Eh.) In February of 2009 I was about 240 lbs and in May 2009 I fought at 195lbs (walk around weight of about 200-205). In Julyr 2009 I was walking around at 185 but still fighting at 185. I was ready to fight in the 170 category for quite a while before I actually got an offer so it was a little bit straining fighting bigger guys!
Q.) Last book you read?
Q.) You get your first check from the UFC and its burning in your pocket. What do you splurge on?
Q.) Your vice? Guilty Pleasure?
MMEH FIGHTER: Okay! Really? Your guilty pleasure is Oatcakes? C’MON!
Q.) TATTOOS? Where and why? Meaning?
Q.) Own a pet? If not, pet name?
Eh.) I have a 4 foot long black and white striped California King Snake named “Simon” and a Betta fish named “Rupert.
MMehFighter: Thanks Ricky! We wish you much success in your career. You obviously a solid individual with a strong business sense. All this motivation will surely take you places.
