RAY SEFO
The gene pool that circulates on the island of Samoa produces some truly tough guys. The Pittsburgh Steelers had Troy Polamalu, the bone-crunching defensive back with the luxurious locks. Sumo wrestling had Saleva’a Fuauli Atisano’e, better-known as Konishiki, the first non-Japanese to reach ozeki, the second-highest rank in the sport. The UFC has Max Holloway, its current featherweight champ. Perhaps the most famous Samoan badass is “The Rock” Dwayne Johnson, pro-wrestling phenom turned action star.
In a contest to pick the “Baddest Samoan on the Planet,” they all might pale in comparison to Ray Sefo. In case you’re not familiar with Sefo’s background, know that he competed in four combat sports — boxing, muay Thai, kickboxing and MMA — over the course of four decades, and in his wake of destruction, he left a pile of 54 KO’d opponents in 110 professional fights.
Black Belt recently had a chance to chat with this legend about what fueled his fistic grit. Open, honest and better-looking than a man with so many years in the “hurt business” has a right to be, Sefo represents the best of what you’d expect a world champion to be. Whether he was discussing his humble beginnings, his career or the secrets of his success as President, Fighter Operations for the Professional Fighters League, Sefo pulled no punches.
BACKYARD SCRAPPER BECOMES WORLD CHAMPION
Born in Auckland, New Zealand, on February 15, 1971, into a family of seven boys and two girls, Sefo learned that fighting had been in his bloodline for generations. He quickly learned that it continued in his generation.
His younger brother Rony Sefo became a two-time world-champion kickboxer who
