FF: Travis, unfortunately I haven’t seen you fight yet. Can you tell me a little about yourself and your fighting style?

TP: I come from a really strong wrestling background. I grew up wrestling, wrestled through high school and college and was an All American in college, and I’m a high school wrestling coach in Alliance Nebraska right now. I coach at the High school, middle school, kids club and everything.

I started off like that and I missed competing and I was coaching at the college level and still in great shape from working out with those guys and wanted to do something, and this was the thing to do. I tried it and loved it and so I went out and started learning about it. I had the opportunity to travel some places and learn. I’ve never had the great opportunity of having a great gym where I lived, which sucks, but other than that everything taken off from wrestling.

FF: So has your career been fought entirely in Nebraska so far? I know you’re coming to Colorado this time, have you had the chance to do that much? What’s your career been like so far?

TP:  Actually, I have never fought in Nebraska. I had a couple fights in South Dakota, Quite a few in Wyoming, one in Colorado last March…two Marches ago rather. I tried getting a fight out in Lincoln, Council Bluffs, Iowa, Omaha area and it just hasn’t happened yet…so I don’t know what’s going on with that.

FF: You’re going up against Andrew Trace who’s coming in from Wisconsin…Do you know anything about him?

TP: Nothing except for he’s got a damn good record. 11 amateur fights without a loss and two professional fights without a loss and I can’t find a video or hardly any pictures of the guy. He’s like a damn ghost. I looked up his home town and high school and he obviously wrestled in high school. He seems like he wins by submission quite often. So I think he’s also somewhat of a grappler. Other than that, I don’t know a lot about him. He’s beaten one pretty damn good guy and as far as the rest of his opponents, I just don’t know.

FF: So do you have any sort of game plan coming into this fight?

TP: It’s kind of hard to, but mostly I feel comfortable standing up with a guy like this. He doesn’t have too many knock outs or TKO’s or anything like that. I’ve been working stand up quite often…actually, that’s pretty much all I work these days. My wrestling’s strong, so I’m pretty sure he won’t be able to take me down. Work on my feet, and get a takedown and as long as I don’t spend too much time in his guard I’ll be fine.

FF: How did camp go for this fight?

TP: Good. I started off looking for like a “get back into the swing of things” fight, I wanted to fight early March. I have been training since I got done coaching high school wrestling. Started out looking for just a get up and go fight and it turned into training and training and no one would fight me, people were backing out. It’s been two months of training, so I’m ready to go for about the biggest fight I’ve ever had right now. I’m in real good shape.

FF: Awesome. You mentioned you were just cutting at this point, is it a big cut?

TP: Nah…I usually keep myself right at about 82. I just got done losing weight for the first time, and I got all the way down to 75. I’ll be good as soon as I get some rest and fluids back and that will make the next cut pretty easy.

FF: Alright man, well I’m really looking forward to this fight. Steve always puts on great shows and part of that is his ability to match up the fights. With your guys’ records I’m guessing this is going to be a barn burner. Anything you would like to say to your sponsors or Andrew?

TP: Good luck, you came a long way. I’m going in there thinking this kids probably as tough as I’ve ever fought, so I’m expecting a battle.

 I would like to thank Vigil’s trucking, Igo Oil Field Service, Health for Life Chiropractic in Alliance, Kevin Taylor at Tough Enough and Disorderly Conduct Management.