Khai Wu has had a novel journey by means of blended martial arts (MMA) to date.
At age 28, the Tracy, California-born Wu has had a plethora of experiences that almost all fighters by no means will. Essentially the most intriguing or eye-catching of the previous 12 months has been his tie with one of many world’s richest males, Mark Zuckerberg.
Wu (7-4) is a key a part of his health club, Guerilla Jiu-Jitsu in Pleasanton, California, the place he trains and coaches. Sooner or later, Zuckerberg contacted the health club and got here to coach, the place Wu admittedly wasn’t even too educated about who Zuckerberg was and anticipated it to be a one-time factor. Finally, the Fb founder needed to continue to learn MMA after working with the Skilled Fighters League (PFL) Bantamweight prospect and it’s led “The Shadow” to even be generally known as “Zuckerberg’s coaching companion.”
“I don’t assume it’s essentially a foul factor as a result of it bought much more eyes on me and two, lots of people are literally like, ‘Nicely, that’s not Zuckerberg’s coaching companion. That’s the ‘Shadow,’’ They know me as that,” Wu instructed MMA Mania. “To these folks, I say thanks, admire them being there from the start and I at all times love constructing. So it’s actually cool.
“Again then, once I was searching for fights, it was powerful,” he continued. “It was powerful for me to search out fights, as a result of not simply COVID, but additionally it’s like, danger vs. reward. Who needs to battle me, I don’t have an enormous title. I had a four-fight win streak. I used to be 6-2 on the time however now I really feel like John Wick like I’ve an open contract on my again and everybody needs to battle me all of the sudden. I had so many individuals reached out to me, they’re like, ‘Hey, inform PFL to signal me so I can battle you.’ I don’t know that that’s how that works, proper? It’s simply sort of humorous now lots of people that used to, you recognize, possibly flip my battle down are coming again round. So it’s sort of thrilling and there’s at all times professionals and cons to every little thing however in case you perceive the best way to leverage it to your favor, then you recognize, I believe you can use it to your benefit.”
A martial arts profession was by no means within the playing cards for Wu. The need to coach stemmed from Wu’s reference to Dave Camarillo, who was relationship his sister on the time and Wu has identified him since he was two years outdated. Dabbling out and in of jiu-jitsu till about age 9, Wu frolicked on the well-known American Kickboxing Academy (AKA) with a few of the health club’s all-time elites like Cain Velasquez, Josh Thomson, and Josh Koscheck. All the pieces snowballed from there after ultimately taking a battle only for enjoyable.
Whereas nonetheless working his option to stardom general in MMA, Wu has established a strong fanbase in Taiwan, the place he’s fought most of his profession. Punching and kicking folks for a residing and being a celeb of any kind wasn’t ever an expectation or care in thoughts, however “The Shadow” is completely happy to have given his dad and mom one thing to be happy with.
“I wouldn’t say it’s tremendous in style in Taiwan, particularly, as a result of that’s primarily the place I fought out of, however as I — it’s actually cool, man,” Wu mentioned of MMA in Taiwan. “I used to be sort of a no one and I used to be simply at all times visiting Taiwan.
“I lived there for like, three years once I was third grade to fifth grade,” he added. “Then I’d return yearly, twice a 12 months, typically, you recognize. Then subsequent factor you recognize, I’m combating in an enviornment that my pals in once I was youthful folks used to sneak out to go watch concert events and all stuff and I’m like, combating there now. Then I win after which I get to return as a result of they preserve inviting me and I began constructing a fan base. After one in every of my fights, I went to the restroom simply because I used to be like, you recognize, the fights over, I’m completely happy. Subsequent factor you recognize, there’s a line that begins constructing and I’m like, shocked. I’m like, ‘Wait, you need a photograph?’ and this man’s like, ‘I need a photograph!’ I’m like, ‘No method.’ It was ecstatic.”
Wu makes his PFL debut in opposition to Phil Caracappa on the 2023 PFL Championship in Washington D.C. on Nov. 24, 2023.
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