Alexander Poniris, a 25-year-old MMA fighter from Sydney, is on the pursuit to go pro in the fighting world.
With six wins and two losses to his name, Alexander told The Greek Herald his fighting journey was inspired by him growing up watching Bruce Lee movies and watching the famous Connor McGregor fight in the UFC.
“I was always into watching fights, and one day I was just like ‘I want to try martial arts,” Alexander said.
“I started with taekwondo from 12 years old, and now I have a Black Belt in it. As I got older, I began taking it more seriously, where I started fighting nationally and internationally in different competitions.
“Now I do Taekwondo, Muay Thai, jujitsu, wrestling and boxing as you pretty much have to stay sharp and well skilled in every aspect of Mixed Martial Arts.”
Alexander said after completing school, he went into carpentry. He worked in the field for eight years.
“I then pretty much gave it up to pursue fighting full time,” he said.
“Now I teach kids from ages three to adults, ju jitsu full-time, and I also train three times a day; in the morning, lunchtime and at night. I train roughly 20 hours a week.
“My schedule is really flexible which I love as it allows me to have lots of time to train.”
The 25-year-old fighter said he hopes to take his passions to a more professional level this year.
“Next year, I’ll be turning pro, and from there, I hope to make it into the UFC. I’ve been doing all the right things, training with top guys and I hope to continue chasing the dream,” Alexander said.
“I have fought in national competitions in Queensland and in Sydney for taekwondo, where I’ve claimed the title of a two-time national champion and six-time state champion. I’ve had probably over 100 fights in taekwondo over 13 years.
“In 2017, I also went to Korea and fought at the biggest taekwondo competition, and although I didn’t win, it was a great experience to fight internationally, and I hope more opportunities will continue to come for international fights.”
The future UFC fighter said going professional is all about making mistakes, learning from them, and working hard with your coach to make sure you’re well prepared.
“My goal was to have eight to 10 fights before I made it to a pro level, but obviously with COVID, fighting was a bit hard and I was set back,” Alexander said.
“Now as a result of this, I think I’ve had plenty of time, the right amount of fights and have gained a good amount of experience so I’m comfortable enough to take the next step to go pro.”
Alexander said he feels so lucky to be able to do what he loves full-time.
“Sometimes I feel like I need to pinch myself with the life that I live,” he said.
“It’s definitely a blessing that I get to do what I love every day, which includes teaching and training.
“It doesn’t even feel like I’m working, there’s just so much to love about the sport. I love the preparation, the commitment, the dedication and just learning different skills.”
The Sydney fighter said there’s no better feeling than walking out to the cage, being in front of an audience and putting on a show.
“I love the adrenaline rush, I love the excitement and it just makes me feel so good,” Alexander said.
“It’s such a rewarding feeling to see all your hard work pay off when you go to fight.”
To keep up to date with Alexander’s fights, visit his Instagram @alexanderponiris.
