Name: Andre Soukhamthath
Age: 23
Height: 5’8
Fight Weight: 145
School: Tri Force MMA, USMMA, Tim Burrill Brazilian Jiu jitsu
Record:MMA 0-1
City/State Born: Providence, Rhode Island
Achievements: list any kickboxing, mauy thai, boxing, nagas, any type of awards.
2010 Rocky Marciano Champion, 2010 #1 ranked amateur on NortheastMMA.net
1. When and Why did you get into MMA??
It’s a long story, but to make a long story short here’s how it happened. I was a senior in high school getting ready to go to college. I was recruited by a number of schools for soccer. My girlfriend Jamie than got pregnant, so I decided at that time that I needed to work full time and support my seed. I put college and soccer on hold but wanted to stay active. I always loved combat sports as a kid growing up and always wanted to box. A friend of mine took me to a gym the next town over (USMMA) and I’ve been hooked ever since.
2. Do you have a background in martial arts, boxing , wrestling etc?
No, I do not have any background prior to when I took my first class at USMMA. My father tried teaching me martial arts when I was a kid, but I had no interest in that. Lol
3. What's your nickname, how did you get it?
Haha…. You can now call me the “THE ASIAN SENSATION”. My friend Chris use to call me that. Never thought about it but than I did one day and just made it official. I had All kinds of names people use to call me like Andre 3000, Sexyama, Ninja, Asian Persuasion, The Laotian etc… but I stuck with “THE ASIAN SENSATION”.
4. What are your ultimate goals in the sport?
This sport is never easy but I love the challenge it brings. Right now I’m just focusing on 2012. This year I’m planning to go undefeated.
5. What do you think about your next opponent?
I don’t really know my next opponent. I’ve seen him fight and he has pretty good standup. But that I am not afraid of.
6. How do you see the fight going/being finished?
I see my hand being raised by some sort of finish, it doesn’t matter I’ll take what I can. I also see the crowd going crazy!
7. What weight do you walk at/how much do you cut to fight?
I walk at about 155lb to 160lb.
8. What's your favorite part about fighting?
My favorite part about fighting is HEART! I am able to show whether it’s in practice or in a fight. People love to see that.
9. What's the worst part about fighting?
The Worst part about fighting is the dedication and commitment. It takes a lot of time out of your life when you really take it seriously. You have to be disciplined and go to practice rather than hang out with your family and friends. You miss dinner time, little brothers wrestling matches, friend’s parties, your kids growing (if you have any) …..You miss a lot of things…..and on top of all that a win isn’t even guaranteed.
10. Anyone locally or in the big's that you really would love to fight, and why?
I take my fights one Fight at a time, so the only person I want to fight right now is Gilvan Santos.
11. What do you feel is your best weapon in your fights?
I think my best weapon in a fight is my hands. My opponents want nothing to do with them. And if they do however decide to try them out…… they get rocked!!
12. What is your favorite foods that you miss while cutting weight??
AWWWWW MAN! I miss it all! Haha…. I love food man and I eat so much! You can ask my girl what I think about and talk about all day long when I’m cutting weight ….I miss it all man! Burgers, pizza, calzones, desserts, Chinese food, Hispanic food, Laos food, Italian food, American food, Moms amazing cooking, Wifey’s amazing cooking…. Man when I’m not fighting I’m eating something different every day…and you better believe that I am eating lots and lots of it! Sorry, I got excited writing all those foods down!
13. What is your most memorable moment to date in MMA??
My most memorable moment in MMA is every time I fight… when I see the different faces that come to my fight each time. I have so many friends, family, and people I don’t even know supporting me! I am very thankful to have so many good people in my life.
14. How else do you spend your time when you are not training??
When I am not training I find myself hanging out with my family. I have two younger brothers (17 and 7) and one younger sister (12). They sleep over my house a lot and I also like bringing them to fun places when I am not busy. My girls always hanging with us too, but of course she has her Andre time also. Andre time consists of going out to eat, shopping, watching a movie, or just walking the dogs. Haha and when I can you can catch me on the courts playing basketball.
15. What do you do for a living besides fighting??
I work at the local Boys and Girls Club. It’s the best job I ever had. I love the kids I work with and I am very blessed to have a job that fits perfectly into my training schedule. I work about 30 hours a week.
WHAT UP WESTERN MASS MMA! I want to give a shout out to Jamie, my girl my manager my backbone thank you for everything you do for me…my mom who is such a beautiful person….all my teammates at USMMA, TRI FORCE MMA, and TIM BURRILL JIU JITSU….. My main coaches- William Soukhamthath (coach and dad), Tom Hafers, Matt Martin, Rolando Griffith, Keith Jeffrey, Pete Jeffrey and Tim Burrill….. I want to thank all my coaches in the past as well…..I want to thank all my sponsors that support me!…I want to thank my employer The Boys and Girls Club….. Shout out to my Siblings- Mathew, Sophia, and Patrick Soukhamthath…….shout out to My family and friends that all come and support me every time I step into that cage! And lastly- My Angel that’s watching over me…I know I can’t see you but I feel you here with me all the time…. I Love you all
I have been waiting a long time to do a featured fighter on Dre! I am very excited to see him fight Gilvan Santos this Friday night at CES at the Twin River Casino. I did not see his last fight but I heard alot of mixed reviews that the fight was close and Andre won. I know Dre will be ready and determined to get his first pro win this weekend!! You are right Dre we will be going nuts and cheering for ya. Some come to CES to cheer Dre on and what a great way to start off the Superbowl Weekend....Go Pats!! Thanks for allowing us to share you new nickname first!!
If You Enjoyed This Article Please Comment. Support us by following our twitter and our facebook fan page. It is the best way to stay up to date on local MMA! Any news you would like us to share email us at westernmassmma@gmail.com. Thanks!