Interview by: Dustin De La Torre
This upcoming Saturday, May 21st the people who put together the controversial and at times hilarious Felony Fights (youtube it you are drawing a blank) will put on a show at the LA Sports Arena that falls with in the brand they have created. Cage vs. Cons sets to put ex cons against Law Enforcement officials. Talk about a already tense situation and adding the fuel that both parties will have a bit of aggression towards the other for causing a bit of stress in their current or past life’s.
Once ex con, San Diego based Rick Slaton has changed his life around prior to participating in this event. Slaton, who trains with the likes of Evangelista Cyborg is the main eventer taking on officer Ismael Gonzalez and is looking to get in some serious deep seeded pay back from a life now gone. We had a chance to speak to him about his thoughts on the event and more.
FHTV: Can you talk about the opportunity to get to headline such a big event that is getting some much publicity?
RICK SLATON: It feels great. It is great to be involved with a event like this. The event is going to show what kind fighters cons can be; but also how we have changed and shows what kind of people we can be and how we changed our lives. Someone like me getting the opportunity to fight a cop in front of thousand and thousand of people and get paid for it and not go to jail, who doesn’t want that!
FHTV: It is a great way to relieve some stress?
RICK SLATON: Exactly, it is time to get some revenge.
FHTV: What do you know about your opponent officer Ismael Gonzalez?
RICK SLATON: He has 17 pro fights and got a good martial arts background. I know he was 18-1 in Muay Thai and I hear he is really tough. My coach Pat Speight just fought him and beat him. He’s just really tough. I know he’s a good kick boxer with good cardio. It should be a good stand up brawl.
FHTV: So do you really think he will try and stand with you?
RICK SLATON: I think he is playing head games, I have heard that he said he was going to take me down and beat me up for three rounds then submit me. That’s not going to happened. I have had 13 pro fights and have never gone past three minutes in the first round and I don’t expect this fight to go past the first round.
FHTV: When I was researching you I kept reading that your favorite technique was the face punch?
RICK SLATON: Yeah I love it! Face punching is my thing.That is what I am here to do. I want to punch people in the face and put them to sleep.
FHTV: Have you ever hit someone so hard that you thought they were going to go down and they didn’t?
RICK SLATON: Yeah I hit this one Russian guy so hard and I thought he was going to go down but he didn’t. After about the forth or fifth one he finally went down! When he went down he went down hard.
FHTV: Besides the face punch do you have any other favorite techniques’ in the cage?
RICK SLATON: Anything where I could inflect pain on my opponent is a good time! I also like the art of face cupping, which is an old technique where you put your cup into someone’s back. I changed it where I will slam my cup into peoples face and anywhere else I can.
FHTV: We are using a steel Muay Thai cup right?
RICK SLATON: Oh yeah and the best part is it is completely legal and within the rules.
FHTV: So we need to look out for the Face Cup?!?!?
RICK SLATON: Yeah I will cup anyone and any part of the body.
FHTV: So if we see any submission from you it is probably going to be via the Face Cup?
RICK SLATON: You probably won’t ever see a submission from me. But if you do it’s going to be from the face cup. If he does try to shoot on me and take me down he will be feeling the cup.
FHTV: How’s preparation for the fight going? You are training here at the Arena MMA in San Diego.
RICK SLATON: Everything is going great, we have great coaches like Pat Speight, Cosmoe Cala, Jeff Clark, and Cyborg Santos . I have the greatest coaches and training partners around. Getting to training with Mr. Cyborg, he fights just like my opponent. If I can take his kicks and punches I should be ok with Ismael.
FHTV: I bet. He has that crazy Muay Thai that just keeps coming.
RICK SLATON: Yeah he is relentless and it hurts!
FHTV: What is the game plan for the fight? Defending the take down?
RICK SLATON: He keeps telling people he will take me down but I doubt that. He has an ego and he will try and stand with me. If he is smart he will stay on the outside. I am going to try to stay on the inside and brawl. I am not going to change my fighting style for him. I am going to stick to what I do best.
FHTV: You will be fighting in a cage? Do you have a preference between fighting in a cage or a ring?
RICK SLATON: I prefer the cage! I love fighting in cages. I am not very good in rings. The rings throw me off. The cage is perfect for me, there is nowhere for anyone to run and hide. It is just me and him.
FHTV: No hiding behind the ropes or anything looking for a stoppage or a break?
RICK SLATON: Exactly that is why I love the cage.
FHTV: After your fight with Ismael how will you feel about him and cops?
RICK SLATON: You know I don’t have any hatred towards him, it is all good, just all business. But you know I have had issue with cops before so this is a little bit of sweet vengeance for a lot of people. I would’ve done this event for free.
FHTV: I saw somewhere that you said you would drop down to 135 in order to fight a cop?
RICK SLATON: Oh yeah I would do whatever it takes. I’ve already dropped 20 pounds and have another 20 pounds to go. It is a big cut but I am ready for it.
FHTV: Can you talk about all the community service that you do in the San Diego area?
RICK SLATON: KJ Noons and I are working on a foundation called Pride Kids foundation. To help get kids off the street and try to get them out of trouble; we are just trying to give back to the community give them a place to go. Maybe them and their parents can come train together. It helps them build a bond with one another and helps them stay out of trouble. I also speak at middle schools and high schools, I talk to kids about my life and how I grew up. I was a gang member at one point in time getting into trouble then going to prison. Now I have a whole different life. I just go and talk to them and let them know that, that lifestyle isn’t cool. Being a bully isn’t cool.
FHTV: When you show up to a school do you ever get weird looks? You are a pretty intimidating looking guy.
RICK SLATON: Yeah I do at first, but the kids listen to me.
FHTV: I am pretty sure once you start to talk and they realize that you are just a normal guy they start to open up?
RICK SLATON: Yeah of course, I get them to talk. I think the kids listen to me and what I what I have to say to them.
FHTV: I would think that since it is coming from someone like you and know you are doing great things with your life it sticks to them a little more then someone who hasn’t endured anything like you?
RICK SLATON: Oh for sure kids are smart, they are not dumb. They know when someone is being real with them.
FHTV: How long have you been speaking at schools?
RICK SLATON: I’ve been speaking at schools for about five years now. I see kids and their parents that I have spoke to a few years back and they come up and thank me for talking to them and helping them change. I always tell them to thank their parents and to give them a big hug and to thank their parents.
FHTV: At what point in life did you realize that your lifestyle wasn’t for you and make you realize that you wanted to change?
RICK SLATON: I was already changing before I went to prison. At that time I was with the Lions Den and Ken Shamrock would always have talks with me about staying out of trouble and telling me that I was a better person then that. I remember the day I went to prison I was already missing my wife and my dogs; I didn’t want to be away from all that. I missed my freedom. The more I lost and the more I got away from everyone I realized life is precious. I went 4 years without seeing a tree. I am just trying to enjoy every moment in life now; enjoying my freedom.
FHTV: Who wants to give away their freedom?
RICK SLATON: Yeah that’s right. I lost a lot of days of my life and that wasn’t worth it. Any punk can go to prison and do jail time. Being out here in the real world; free working a real job taking care of your family, that’s being a real man and a real person. You should be more proud to do that then to be in jail. There is nothing cool about being in jail. Anyone who says it’s cool to be in jail is lying to you.
FHTV: Would you like to thank anyone?
RICK SLATON: I would like to thank The Arena Gym, Cage vs. Cons, FightHubTV.com and all my other sponsors.
FHTV: Thank you for taking the time to sit down with us and good luck in your fight.
