Natürlich hoffe ich, dass ich nicht gleich zu Beginn in einen blöden Schlag reinlaufe, bevor sich mein Nervensystem daran gewöhnt hat, dass es jetzt ein paar Schläge auf den Kopf gibt.
LAOLA1: You fight bare-knuckle now. Could you explain what that means and what techniques you can use? It’s not just boxing without gloves, is it?
Weinpolter: You fight with bare knuckles; only the wrist can be wrapped. You can't just throw punches at random, otherwise the hand breaks easily. I use the sniper fighting style (precise strikes from a distance, note), with hard punches. But you can describe it as boxing without gloves. Normally we fight five rounds of two minutes each.
LAOLA1: What makes your fight on November 7 special?
Weinpolter: I'm defending my belt. Plus, we're fighting three-minute rounds, and elbow strikes are allowed, which adds even more spice to it – and the last round is open-ended – there’s only submission or KO.
LAOLA1: You're actually a heavyweight MMA fighter and have won 14 out of 22 fights. Why are you doing bare-knuckle now?
Weinpolter: I come from Muay Thai and did MMA; I know all these disciplines inside out. Bare-knuckle is simply the ultimate discipline for me; we’re a step tougher, and people love it. We are the modern-day gladiators, completely real and without gloves – and environmentally conscious without plastic (laughs). I wanted to do this for a while, but Mathias Markic and I were the first to do it in Austria.
It was received so well that there are regularly four to five fights. It's growing continuously because more people want to do it on the one hand, and the audience is increasingly interested on the other. It's fascinating because one punch can decide everything. It’s basically a "war of attrition", you bleed quickly – I think the fans like that.
LAOLA1: Who is Ronny Zesna, your opponent?
Weinpolter: I met him at the face-off and I'm very curious. He's a southpaw like me. You could hit him with a baseball bat and he'd get right back up. He'll definitely try everything to knock me out. He's already won several fights in the first round by KO. Also, his nickname Pitbull Rakete isn't a coincidence, he has a fast punch. So it’s Destroyer vs. Rocket.
LAOLA1: What is your relationship with your opponent actually like?
Weinpolter: It's a fight and there's a lot at stake for both of us. We go out there, beat each other up. I think he's a respectful, sportsmanlike guy, even if he doesn't look like it. After the fight, there will definitely be some small talk. Whether we'll go for a beer afterwards, I don't know.
Ich versuche, so realistisch wie möglich zu trainieren, um mich daran zu gewöhnen. Ich schlage beispielsweise mit einem Stock auf die Handgelenke, um mich daran zu gewöhnen.
LAOLA1: How do you approach a fight like this tactically?
Weinpolter: Beforehand, you always think you'll do something this way or that way, but once the fight starts, you do everything a little differently. A lot comes down to your instinct. You do something wrong a hundred times in training and in the fight it works – and vice versa. So luck plays a part as well. But I know I'm a tough guy and have great stamina. Of course, I hope I don't walk into a stupid punch right at the start before my nervous system gets used to taking a few hits to the head. Once the engine is running properly, I can fight through. Once I smell blood, I'm not going anywhere.
LAOLA1: What does it actually feel like to get hit in the head, with and without gloves?
Weinpolter: It's really completely different, much harder, somehow more real. You get a cut very quickly, and in my weight class the punches are really hard. That's what I mean by war of attrition...
LAOLA1: How do you train for that?
Weinpolter: In training, you still wear gloves at first, and only at the end do you do it just like in a fight. I try to train as realistically as possible to get used to it. For example, I hit my wrists with a stick to get conditioned to it.
LAOLA1: There are numerous fights at Vendetta Fight Night, and you're up last. Do you watch the others?
Weinpolter: A little bit. But everyone handles their pre-fight nervousness differently. I like being around people at first, then I warm up in the locker room, go out for my fight, and execute. But in the locker room, you do occasionally ask yourself: Why am I putting myself through this shit? But once the switch is flipped, I'm a killer.
LAOLA1: You mentioned earlier that you want to defend your title – what would it mean to you if you succeed?
Weinpolter: Then I know I did a good job and the training paid off. But I also don't want my opponent to fall down after two or three punches. I want a bloody battle. I have a large fan base, and I sweat and bleed for my people. That's why I sacrifice myself in training, so I can leave my whole heart in the cage. I expect the exact same thing from my opponent. Then something really great comes out of it.
I want people to be so thrilled afterwards that they come back next time I fight. So far they do; I've sold almost 1,000 tickets this time, with fans coming from all over Austria, Switzerland, and Germany just for me. I could kiss every single one of them for making that effort. I even have a hotel partnership for my followers and gave out discount codes for them.
LAOLA1: How many will Ronny Zesna bring along?
Weinpolter: He's from Germany, I think his people will probably watch it from home.
Bei uns in den Gyms gibt es so viele verschiedene Menschen von dort und da und die Wilden lernen Regeln, Disziplin, Beständigkeit und Freundschaft.
LAOLA1: You've fought in Germany yourself. What was the biggest event?
Weinpolter: The biggest one was in front of 20,000 people in Germany. It's nice that the sport is coming to Europe more and more now and is growing.
LAOLA1: LAOLA1 is broadcasting the fight. How satisfied are you with the media coverage?
Weinpolter: I'm very grateful for the media coverage. I think it's a shame that the sport doesn't have the same significance in this country as it does elsewhere. In Germany, people are much more open-minded. For example, I had my own mascot made, and lots of people over there want to take a picture with me. I'm trying to bring my sport to the forefront. People think we're all just mindless brawlers. But behind it is a disciplined, hard-working athlete and human being.
LAOLA1: Nowadays, running, for instance, is very trendy, and many people are encouraged to get into sports themselves. How are you a role model in that sense when standing there covered in blood?
Weinpolter: To do combat sports, you have to train hard, be consistent, and be mentally tough. Especially for young people who might come from difficult social backgrounds and otherwise have little guidance, combat sports can be very valuable. The coaches act as role models. In addition, you train in a group, wanting to achieve something together, and you motivate each other to come back the next day. I don't smoke, I don't drink alcohol, and I don't gamble. I completed my education and I pursue my athletic goals. That can be a role model for others as well. You learn to train towards a goal – your first fight.
LAOLA1: Marcos Nader also specifically targets guys with his boxing gym in Vienna who otherwise have few goals.
Weinpolter: Hanging out on the streets isn't a good crowd. People often pick on the weakest person there. In our gyms, there are so many different people from all over, and the wild ones learn rules, discipline, consistency, and friendship.
LAOLA1: What is your Celsy doing in the meantime (editor's note: his Havanese dog)?
Weinpolter: She's waiting in the hotel room for now. When I go to McDonald's afterwards, I'll bring her a little treat.
LAOLA1: Thank you for the interview!
