Xavier Foupa-Pokam is determined to get back to his ways starting with SFL fight

Putting the Art into Mixed Martial Arts: Xavier Foupa-Pokam

Through their cuisine, through their fashion and through their art, the French have shown the world a
unique style that is simply incomparable to others.

For many years now, Xavier Foupa-Pokam has been the fighting personification of that style.

Many a fighter enters a bout with thoughts of theatre in their mind, putting on a show for the fans and
wowing the crowd. But none has done it in the manner that is as quintessentially Gallic as the Parisian
native known as ‘Professor X’.

“I was 11 years old and I watched a Chuck Norris movie called Sidekicks. Right at that time I knew
what I wanted to do with my life, I had found my passion.”

It was not just the moves of Chuck Norris that struck a chord within Foupa-Pokam though, it was also
the world of cinematography that he fell in love with.

“Along with fighting, I’ve got another passion and that started at the same time; TV & cinema. After I
watched that film I went out and found the nearest karate club. Even as I got into MMA I was always
maintained my interest in working in TV and film too. I’ve been working part-time as a TV & cinema
director-assistant for 8years now. I’m own my own telecoms company with my wife; www.jox-
telecoms.com.”

Foupa-Pokam’s passion for karate saw him learn the discipline for seven years before joining a Muay-
Thai class where he fatefully ended up getting trained by ‘The Snake’ Cyrille Diabate. Currently
fighting in the UFC light-heavyweight division, Diabate has formed one of Europe’s most elite striking
schools, producing fighters that have fought in most of the world’s elite organisations.

“My team I have trained with for more than 10 years is The Snake Team. We are also known as “The
School of the super strikers”. We are one of the best teams in France and maybe in Europe. We have
been fighting all over the world – Russia, Japan, America – on all of the best shows. I have fought in
15 different countries myself. So now I am happy to show our style to the Indian public.”

Not only is he relishing the chance to perform on another huge international stage, Foupa-Pokam is
also glad to be able to be part of the Indian MMA movement.

“I have always known that India has a martial-arts culture through the history of the country. Just like
French fighters, Indians can also reach the level to fight against the best. When I was young my trainer
Cyrille Diabate made me join the French Connection, which at the time was the only French MMA
camp but now its reputation has spread across the world. So everything is possible. And with the way
the SFL is working, things are moving very fast.”

Foupa-Pokam’s very next fight is a sign of just how fast the SFL is moving, by matching up the
internationally respected veteran Frenchman against one of the hottest fresh talents from Brazil in
Claudio Henrique Da Silva.

Having not lost a fight since his debut five years ago – where he lost by disqualification – Da Silva has
gone on an eight fight streak of destruction, stopping every single opponent and only going out of the
first round once. Having already faced some of the very best in the sport (including Martin Kampann,
Paul Daley and Murilo ‘Ninja’ Rua) Foupa-Pokam is not one to be intimidated.

“Da Silva is a jiu-jistu expert but I am from the school of super strikers, I am a knock-out fighter. I
expect to win, I have been working hard for it. I will be very careful about his grappling but I expect to
win, in fact I aim to finish via a flying gogo-plata submission.”

After his SFL debut, where he destroyed Joey Guel until the doctors were forced to stop the fight,
Foupa-Pokam has been itching to get back on stage. However, his heavily pregnant wife took
precedence over his fighting career. Two months since the birth of his daughter, Foupa-Pokam is now
ready and excited to be back fighting again.

I am just always in a very happy mood because I’ve just had Mila, my wonderful baby daughter
just two months ago. I hope to welcome her to our world by dedicating a victory to my wonderful
daughter.”

Through his work in the media, Foupa-Pokam will always be near enough the spotlight. There is
something about the lights-camera-action that simply impassions the man, and for now he is happy to
express that in the cage when he fights.

“I am happy to be fighting in front of the Indian fans again. People may say I am a knockout-artist, so I
will try to show them a knockout. But after Friday, I think they will call me an artist too.”

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