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We take a look at trainers behind some of Australia's greatest fighters.
 Steve McKinnon
Trained by Stuart McKinnon
What's your background and how did you get involved in martial arts?
I started in Shotokan Karate at age 4 under the guidance of my father Tom McKinnon, and I received my first dan black belt at 10. I competed and continued training in karate up to the age of 17, before starting Muay Thai and continuing everyday for the last twenty years.
When and why did you decide to start training fighters?
After starting my own Bulldog Gym at 22, it was the natural progression.
What does it take to become a trainer?
Patience, dedication, experience, and a love for the sport.
If you weren't a trainer, what would you be doing?
Is there anything else? Seriously don't know... probably something within the security industry.
How did you come to train one of Australia's best?
We're related! From 4 years of age, we have always trained together, so again it was just a natural progression when I hung up my gloves to solely concentrate on perfecting Steve.
What sort of relationship do you have with your champ?
Brothers, best mates, and training partners.
What sort of influence do you feel you have over your fighters?
You give respect; you get respect... experience is everything.
How active are you in the process of accepting or declining opponents?
They trust me and my judgement and whoever I put in front of them, they will fight.
How do you pick your fighter up from a run of losses?
When I come across it I will let you know (if it happened! - haha) Always stay positive and take the good from the loss.
In your opinion, what's the worst thing a fighter can do in or out of the ring?
Be disrespectful.
What makes a champ?
Attitude, heart, and hunger.
What advice do you have for up and coming fighters?
Fitness is the key. Always give 100% so you have no regrets after the fight.
 Peter ‘The Chief' Graham
Trained by Larry Papadopoulos
What's your background and how did you get involved in martial arts?
I have been training in martial arts and combat sports for 36 years.
I started in Judo when I was 10 years of age and since then I have attained Black Belts in Judo, Brazilian Jiu Jitsu and I'm a 4th Degree Black Belt in Japanese Ju-Jutsu.
I have represented Australia Internationally in Sports Ju Jitsu, Greco Roman wrestling and represented Australia in ADCC Submission Grappling in 2001, 2003 and 2005.
As a professional fighter I fought in Pancrase from 1994 to 1996.
In 2007 I switched to Shooto and in 2001 was ranked number 1 in the light heavyweight (84kg) division.
When and why did you decide to start training fighters?
I was training people in martial arts for most of my martial arts career, but when the opportunity to fight in Japan in the prestigious Pancrase organisation came about in 1994, I started to train people more specifically for Mixed martial arts. I needed to create a stable of fighters and training partners for myself.
What does it take to become a trainer?
A good trainer needs patience, good communication skills, technical knowledge, and the ability to plan and prepare. Most importantly I believe a trainer needs to love helping develop someone to their fullest potential. Trainers should not expect monetary reward as most fighters are notoriously poor.
If you weren't a trainer, what would you be doing?
I would have gone into teaching or natural health care.
How did you come to train one of Australia's best?
I was looking for coaches for a new Gym I had built and I was fortunate that Peter approached me for a job. Peter was training in BJJ and to his credit and the credit of his coaches, he was progressing slowly. I felt that was the wrong way to approach Peter's training for MMA as Peter was an older athlete and the job was to extend his career and his earning potential. Grading him in BJJ was not going to achieve either of those goals. Pete started to train with me with the plan not to train BJJ, but rather to help develop the MMA grappling skills and tactics that would best allow him to use his world class striking and keep him in MMA as long as possible.
What sort of relationship do you have with your champ?
Inside the gym I try to be a mentor as much as an MMA coach. I don't treat Peter any differently to anyone else training in the gym. Pete would not expect anything differently either, as he is as down to earth and humble as any man I have met. Outside of the gym we are friends.
What sort of influence do you feel you have over your fighters?
I was fortunate that I was one of the early pioneers of MMA and my fighters and peers respect me for that. I try to demonstrate the correct way of conducting myself as a coach inside the gym, and as a role model outside.
How active are you in the process of accepting or declining opponents?
I don't have any active role in choosing Peter's opponents and fight dates. I leave that up to his management team. My job starts when the opponent and date is set and we start to analyse his opponent and create strategies and training plans.
How do you pick your fighter up from a run of losses?
When the time is appropriate soon after the fight, I sit down with my fighter and discuss the fight. I make it very clear I don't care about the result; rather I want to discuss the process. I first identify and reinforce the positives of the fight. If it was quick and not much went right, then we identify the positives of the training and preparation that led up to the fight. Next we list and discuss and identify the internal (fight) and external (training) factors that led to the defeat. If we don't have to plan for another fight soon after this one, then we come up with a plan to correct these technical and tactical errors so there is less chance of making the same mistakes in the future.
In your opinion, what's the worst thing a fighter can do in or out of the ring?
Not have a clear picture of where they want to be and/or have a plan of how to get there.
As the saying goes, "failing to plan means your planning to fail."
What makes a champ?
A true champ has unlimited self belief, unwavering determination and a willingness to push themselves beyond their physical, mental and emotional limits. Physically, as a trainer I can make someone stronger, faster, more powerful and teach them new skills, but the mental toughness, the willingness to move out of, and go beyond the average persons limits, and to get back up after you have been knocked down can only come from the fighter himself.
 Thor Hoopman
Trained by Wayne Parr
What's your background and how did you get involved in martial arts?
Umm background in Ninjitsu, but it isn't that popular so I pretend to be a Muay Thai fighter in my spare time.
When and why did you decide to start training fighters?
We opened Boonchu gym July 1999. We started it out so we had a place to train, but then slowly started taking fighters to shows and have never looked back.
What does it take to become a trainer?
Having lived in Thailand for so long, I have been lucky enough to see how they train people, and I try and keep along the same style, making sure everyone has good technique.
If you weren't a trainer, what would you be doing?
Hmm, no idea. I really love what I do. It's so much fun you can't really call it work, and I enjoy going to the gym everyday to teach people.
How did you come to train one of Australia's best?
I am very lucky that I have a good stable of famous fighters. I knew Thor was going to be special from the very first time I held pads for him, as his power for his weight was crazy. Thor also pushes himself hard, so it makes it a pleasure to help him.
What sort of relationship do you have with your champ?
I think we are pretty good mates outside of the gym as well as training partners. It's fun to have a joke and muck around outside of the gym as well as the training side.
What sort of influence do you feel you have over your fighters?
I have no idea? Hopefully when they watch me fight they can see I use what I teach them, so they can see I'm not a pretender. Also, never giving up no matter how far you're in the deep end.
How active are you in the process of accepting or declining opponents?
100%. I like to make sure it's an even fight, or if it isn't, that the prize money equals the risk factor. You can't win them all, and if you can't, you might as well get paid for it.
How do you pick your fighter up from a run of losses?
Losing fights sucks, all we can do is talk about what went wrong, work on it in the gym, and hopefully never let it happen again.
In your opinion, what's the worst thing a fighter can do in or out of the ring?
Last thing you want to do is go in too cocky. If you lose, then it makes the loss 100 times more embarrassing, and everyone will be cheering for the other guy to beat your guy up. I am lucky all my fighters are pretty respectful.
What makes a champ?
Hard work and a desire to be the best. Everyone loses a fight from time to time, but what makes a champion, is getting back in the gym not long after a loss, and pushing harder than before. You're only as good as your last fight, so if you can get back in there and get a win, then the loss is just a bad memory.
What advice do you have for up and coming fighters?
Never give up. You're always only one punch away from winning. Your body might ache and be cut up, but nothing feels better than winning. Bite down on that mouthguard and do your best to put your opponent to sleep all the way up to the final second.
 Jason Scerri
Trained by Jason Lapin
What's your background and how did you get involved in martial arts?
As a kid I watched Bruce Lee movies with my Dad and I was always interested in martial arts. I started training in my mates garage with his Father and my passion was ignited. I had my first fight under Rhett Junker at Fite Right before having a few more fights and picking up a few titles on the way.
When and why did you decide to start training fighters?
I stopped fighting in 2000 and the opportunity arose to buy an old gym in 2001. The natural progression was to start training fighters and there was some promising young students in my classes, so when they were asked to fight, they stepped up and we haven't stopped.
What does it take to become a trainer?
A broad knowledge of martial arts and the ability to evolve as the sport changes. To be passionate and to want to help people achieve their goals. I genuinely care for and respect all my fighters.
If you weren't a trainer, what would you be doing?
I would be at the Sydney Fruit Market, where I worked since I was 16 right up until I bought my gym.
How did you come to train one of Australia's best?
Jason walked into the gym one day with no fight experience, started in my beginners class and has been flying the flag for Jabout ever since.
What sort of relationship do you have with your champ?
I love him as if he was my own brother.
What sort of influence do you feel you have over your fighters?
I like to think they respect me and look up to me, as I try to set a positive example by pushing myself in my own fitness and life goals.
How active are you in the process of accepting or declining opponents?
100% - I take care of the management of all my fighters as I know what they are capable of.
How do you pick your fighter up from a run of losses?
I just try to keep them positive. I have a little look at their training but most of all I just keep a positive attitude. You have to look at who the losses are against, because if you've lost against the best fighters in the World... well I don't really see it as a loss.
In your opinion, what's the worst thing a fighter can do in or out of the ring?
Disrespect the sport.
What makes a champ?
Dedication, sacrifice, commitment, trust in your trainer, natural ability of course, and a touch of ‘killer instinct'.
What advice do you have for up and coming fighters?
Listen to your trainer! Be prepared to give up partying, music festivals, food and late nights. You have to do the hard work. There are no short cuts. Being a Champion does not come easy - if it was easy, everyone would do it.
 Paul ‘The Sting' Slowinski
Trained by Alan Wong
What's your background and how did you get involved in martial arts?
My maternal Grandfather was a ‘famous' Chinese Kung Fu expert. Mum always talked about his feats and the idea of getting involved in MA just grew within me since a very young age. At the age of 8, I was set upon by four teenagers and was beaten senseless. So without hesitation, my father made sure that it would never happen again by taking me to a man everyone calls Sifu and asking him to train me. This man was Master Wu Tak-Ming, an expert in Shao-Lin Kung Fu. Through him I learnt discipline and the importance of hard training. We trained almost everyday . The state I lived in actually borders Thailand, and as a consequence there were quite a lot of Thai nationals living and working in my town. Through common interest of MA, I met a Thai (of Chinese descent) when I was about 15 years old. He wanted to learn Chinese Kung Fu so I started teaching him what I knew, however I noticed that he moved well and there was something about him that I couldn't work out. Eventually I pestered him enough that he finally told me that he used to compete in Muay Thai as a youngster (he was about 35 when I met him). In exchange I asked him to teach me, and one day he took me up to a border town in South Thailand to watch some Muay Thai fights at a local festival. That was the first time I had seen Muay Thai in action and I was instantly hooked. When we got home, I told him I wanted to give fighting a go and with some reluctance he said yes. I wondered why he was reluctant until I had my first Muay Thai bout. It was the most painful experience of my MA career. To cut the long story short, my first Muay Thai trainer was Somchai Pitpatiyakul.
When and why did you decide to start training fighters?
The year I opened my club, I was approached by a guy who wanted to promote kickboxing in Adelaide. He was looking for fighters to compete and I jumped at the opportunity and took a fight in his promotion. The promotion went well but I lost my fight with a dislocated shoulder. After that I decided that fighting just wasn't for me and concentrated on training people.
How did you come to train one of Australia's best?
Paul Slowinski is the stepson of one of my best mates at work. We met for the first time when my friend brought Paul, his mother and brother to visit me one weekend. Paul spoke very little English then and he was very interested in my trophies and photos of Ethan Shepp and Sam Harvey I had on my shelves. I showed him some fights on VHS and he said that he would like to train. I told my friend to bring him up to Flinders on our next session.
After a few sessions, I noticed that Paul was stubborn and had determination in him. At that time Sam Harvey was at his prime and was training all the time which set a very good example for the 17 year old Paul. He wanted to train all the time too. I think there was that hint of competitiveness between those two. That was a good sign that Paul wanted something out of this sport so I started to give him more and more time to help him achieve what he wanted. I even picked him up to get to training and dropped him home after training.
What sort of relationship do you have with your champ?
Most of us who have dealt with Paul know that he can be a very stubborn individual. However Paul was never disrespectful to me even though I was in his face for doing silly things in or outside of training. He would put his head down even though he hated it when I had to give him my two cents worth.
I have always been close to my fighters but with Paul, I have a soft spot. On numerous occasions I have been told by people that Paul looks up to me like a father, and to be honest I do look at him as my own son. We have had a great relationship and like every father and son relationship, there are occasions when we disagree. I have always put Paul's training needs first while others wait their turn. When Paul decided to move to Europe, I was not entirely happy about it as I was losing a fighter and I was also worried about people taking advantage of him, but Paul needed to find a way to take the next step. However Paul knows he can always depend on me in more ways than one.
What sort of influence do you feel you have over your fighters?
I have been told by many that my reputation as a trainer is good, but on a personal level I suck. I believe that to be untrue because most people meet me either at training or at fights. On these occasions I'm too focused on the job at hand that I come across as unfriendly. Those that know me personally will know that I do have a private life and a "softer" side. My fighters know that training is a serious business and where I stand. However I also spend time with them outside of training. Because they know and understand me and that I will never ask them to do anything that I have not done, they will quite happily do whatever I ask them to do as far as training goes. It's not influence, it's called trust.
What makes a champ?
A champion has to possess many attributes, like confidence, mental and physical strength, humbleness, natural ability and so on. However, the most important attribute of all is the willingness to work hard. There are no shortcuts to success, so no matter who or what you are, being hard working will take you a long, long way. IK
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