Pete Spratt: Where He’s Been and Where He’s About to Go
Traci Ratzloff Aug 3, 2005
“Life is not the pretty picture that [people] have painted in
[their] heads,” stated Pete
Spratt (pictures). “Take it from a person who grew
up around plenty of [messed up stuff] — to witness someone being
shot and paralyzed in a drive-by shooting, then seeing my cousin
shot in the leg with a 12-gauge shotgun and to later find out he
was killed in prison.”
“These are the type of things I have grown up with.”
Raised by his grandmother, it was 13 years ago that he last saw his
father — and that was only the second time in his life. The
laidback welterweight doesn’t concentrate on the rough times,
however, and instead uses his past to strengthen his future.
Involved in boxing at the Sherman, Texas, Boys Club as a 10-year old, Spratt began developing his stand-up skills at an early age. Fighting did not become a career option until many years later though, as Spratt instead focused on basketball and football.
When his NFL career did not work out (Spratt cites his size as the deterring factor), he focused more energy on fighting, something he had gone back to during his junior year in college as a means to stay in shape off-season.
“I boxed and practiced some submission wrestling with Larry Roberts (pictures) and the Durand twins, Gil and Gabe,” Spratt told Sherdog.com. After only training with the threesome for a month, he “ended up tapping them one night.” It was then that Spratt thought about getting into the game.
Already a 2nd degree black belt in American Kenpo Karate, he had also dabbled some in taekwondo. The stage was beginning to set. Continuing to train with Roberts and the Durands, he added kickboxing to his list of martial arts. After competing in a couple of submission-wrestling matches, Spratt fought his first MMA professional fight in a Shannon Ritch (pictures) promotion. Spratt defeated Keith Sutton (pictures) in a first round knockout and laughs as he recalls, “I was paid $100 for that fight!”
“The rest of it is kind of a blur really,” states Spratt, recalling how far he’s come. “I furthered my kickboxing with Rick Arnold in Sherman (Texas) and occasionally trained at the Lion’s Den in Dallas.”
After knocking out Yves Edwards (pictures)’ teammate, Rolando Aguilar (pictures), in Sal Soliz’ show, Renegades Extreme Fighting (May 2000), “Yves wanted to fight me.” Spratt later lost to Edwards, but the two quickly became friends and training partners.
Throughout the next few months, Spratt, with his striking ability, ran through opponent after opponent. In February 2001, he came across manager Sven Bean, in Bean’s Ring of Fire promotion.
“We made a deal on a gentleman’s agreement — on our word,” Spratt said. “I purchased my own ticket to fly out and fight in his show. When I got to Denver, he did everything he said he would and because he was a man of his word, I asked him to manage me.”
The two have been together ever since.
Spratt made his UFC debut in June 2002, at UFC 37.5, where he tapped Zach Light at 2:25 in the first by armbar. Spratt was then asked to fight the former UFC welterweight champ, Carlos Newton (pictures). Slightly premature, but not about to turn down the opportunity, he agreed.
After submitting to the jiu-jitsu specialist, Spratt was asked back to fight Robbie Lawler (pictures), fulfilling his three-fight contract with the UFC. Watching the “Secret Weapon” face the Miletich fighter, few fans knew he was suffering from a bad spider-bite in his thigh that occurred just days before the fight.
Spratt’s game didn’t skip a beat, though, as he rocked Lawler with a Thai kick, forcing submission due to injury at 2:28 in round two. Spratt notes, “Robbie went on to win one in three of his next UFC fights, yet I didn’t get a call.”
Five stand-up fights in Australia, Europe and the States later, not to mention a handful of MMA matches, the “Secret Weapon” has remained very active. His to-the-point sarcasm is thick as he continues, “the UFC has people they’re going to support and people they aren’t. And yet again, here we are at another crossroads. I get to fight another up and coming UFC star. I am brought in to make or break his career.”
He is, of course, speaking of his upcoming bout with “The Ultimate Fighter” season one cast member, Josh Koscheck (pictures). The two will face off on live television this Saturday night on Spike TV, a fight that was close to not getting signed on account of “contractual disagreement.” Lucky for fans, things worked themselves out, and both athletes are content to fight on August 6.
Suffering an injury, which will not be disclosed at press time for obvious reasons, during his training camp, Spratt is confident on his upcoming bout.
“I trained different for this fight,” he stated. Moving from Saekson Janjira’s Team Janjira, whom Spratt has trained under for the past four years, he says, “I will be fighting under Guy Mezger (pictures) and the Lion’s Den: Dallas for this fight and have been training with them.” Spratt likes the change of pace. “It’s more MMA-orientated strategy compared to training stand-up my whole camp.”
As for a game plan? Spratt plans to do what he does best — stand-up. “If Koscheck is smart, he’ll know I plan to go for the KO,” Spratt said. “Koscheck is a great wrestler and very athletic from what I’ve seen and heard, but he’s pretty green as far as the whole fight game is concerned. Still, he does what it takes to get the win.
“He was the guy everyone loved to hate on TUF. You can see TV and get a certain perception of someone, and it may be totally different than how they are. I don’t like to judge a person until I meet them face to face.”
After this fight, the Thai food lover plans to continue training at the Lion’s Den, but says, “If the right opportunities come up, I will focus on stand-up. I had the pleasure of working with Maurice Smith (pictures) [when fighting overseas]. Maurice is a wise man.”
Though he trains fulltime, Spratt manages to find time for his other loves: rap and movies. Currently recording his third “903 Playas” album, he is also producing and recording his solo album, “Bridging the Gap” — a project he has worked on with various artists from the Sherman/Dallas area.
“The album should be released shortly after this fight, at the end of August or in September sometime,” he said.
Spratt has also appeared in “Repentance — Thugz II” and will begin working on a Dallas-based film called “Young Eddie,” where he plays a security guard along with Guy Mezger (pictures) and Tra Telligman (pictures).
Open and honest about where he has come from and where he plans to go, Spratt is definitely one to watch. Whether the UFC continues to use him in or outside of the Octagon (Spratt was one of the UFC fighters seen on “Blind Date” last fall), he is sure to leave a trail of success.
“These are the type of things I have grown up with.”
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Involved in boxing at the Sherman, Texas, Boys Club as a 10-year old, Spratt began developing his stand-up skills at an early age. Fighting did not become a career option until many years later though, as Spratt instead focused on basketball and football.
Receiving a full-ride football scholarship to Southeast Oklahoma
State University, where he graduated with a degree in Occupational
Safety and Health and was just a few credits shy of a second
Bachelor’s in Criminal Justice, the wide receiver was scouted as an
NFL free agent by Washington, Buffalo and Philadelphia.
When his NFL career did not work out (Spratt cites his size as the deterring factor), he focused more energy on fighting, something he had gone back to during his junior year in college as a means to stay in shape off-season.
“I boxed and practiced some submission wrestling with Larry Roberts (pictures) and the Durand twins, Gil and Gabe,” Spratt told Sherdog.com. After only training with the threesome for a month, he “ended up tapping them one night.” It was then that Spratt thought about getting into the game.
Already a 2nd degree black belt in American Kenpo Karate, he had also dabbled some in taekwondo. The stage was beginning to set. Continuing to train with Roberts and the Durands, he added kickboxing to his list of martial arts. After competing in a couple of submission-wrestling matches, Spratt fought his first MMA professional fight in a Shannon Ritch (pictures) promotion. Spratt defeated Keith Sutton (pictures) in a first round knockout and laughs as he recalls, “I was paid $100 for that fight!”
“The rest of it is kind of a blur really,” states Spratt, recalling how far he’s come. “I furthered my kickboxing with Rick Arnold in Sherman (Texas) and occasionally trained at the Lion’s Den in Dallas.”
After knocking out Yves Edwards (pictures)’ teammate, Rolando Aguilar (pictures), in Sal Soliz’ show, Renegades Extreme Fighting (May 2000), “Yves wanted to fight me.” Spratt later lost to Edwards, but the two quickly became friends and training partners.
Throughout the next few months, Spratt, with his striking ability, ran through opponent after opponent. In February 2001, he came across manager Sven Bean, in Bean’s Ring of Fire promotion.
“We made a deal on a gentleman’s agreement — on our word,” Spratt said. “I purchased my own ticket to fly out and fight in his show. When I got to Denver, he did everything he said he would and because he was a man of his word, I asked him to manage me.”
The two have been together ever since.
Spratt made his UFC debut in June 2002, at UFC 37.5, where he tapped Zach Light at 2:25 in the first by armbar. Spratt was then asked to fight the former UFC welterweight champ, Carlos Newton (pictures). Slightly premature, but not about to turn down the opportunity, he agreed.
After submitting to the jiu-jitsu specialist, Spratt was asked back to fight Robbie Lawler (pictures), fulfilling his three-fight contract with the UFC. Watching the “Secret Weapon” face the Miletich fighter, few fans knew he was suffering from a bad spider-bite in his thigh that occurred just days before the fight.
Spratt’s game didn’t skip a beat, though, as he rocked Lawler with a Thai kick, forcing submission due to injury at 2:28 in round two. Spratt notes, “Robbie went on to win one in three of his next UFC fights, yet I didn’t get a call.”
Five stand-up fights in Australia, Europe and the States later, not to mention a handful of MMA matches, the “Secret Weapon” has remained very active. His to-the-point sarcasm is thick as he continues, “the UFC has people they’re going to support and people they aren’t. And yet again, here we are at another crossroads. I get to fight another up and coming UFC star. I am brought in to make or break his career.”
He is, of course, speaking of his upcoming bout with “The Ultimate Fighter” season one cast member, Josh Koscheck (pictures). The two will face off on live television this Saturday night on Spike TV, a fight that was close to not getting signed on account of “contractual disagreement.” Lucky for fans, things worked themselves out, and both athletes are content to fight on August 6.
Suffering an injury, which will not be disclosed at press time for obvious reasons, during his training camp, Spratt is confident on his upcoming bout.
“I trained different for this fight,” he stated. Moving from Saekson Janjira’s Team Janjira, whom Spratt has trained under for the past four years, he says, “I will be fighting under Guy Mezger (pictures) and the Lion’s Den: Dallas for this fight and have been training with them.” Spratt likes the change of pace. “It’s more MMA-orientated strategy compared to training stand-up my whole camp.”
As for a game plan? Spratt plans to do what he does best — stand-up. “If Koscheck is smart, he’ll know I plan to go for the KO,” Spratt said. “Koscheck is a great wrestler and very athletic from what I’ve seen and heard, but he’s pretty green as far as the whole fight game is concerned. Still, he does what it takes to get the win.
“He was the guy everyone loved to hate on TUF. You can see TV and get a certain perception of someone, and it may be totally different than how they are. I don’t like to judge a person until I meet them face to face.”
After this fight, the Thai food lover plans to continue training at the Lion’s Den, but says, “If the right opportunities come up, I will focus on stand-up. I had the pleasure of working with Maurice Smith (pictures) [when fighting overseas]. Maurice is a wise man.”
Though he trains fulltime, Spratt manages to find time for his other loves: rap and movies. Currently recording his third “903 Playas” album, he is also producing and recording his solo album, “Bridging the Gap” — a project he has worked on with various artists from the Sherman/Dallas area.
“The album should be released shortly after this fight, at the end of August or in September sometime,” he said.
Spratt has also appeared in “Repentance — Thugz II” and will begin working on a Dallas-based film called “Young Eddie,” where he plays a security guard along with Guy Mezger (pictures) and Tra Telligman (pictures).
Open and honest about where he has come from and where he plans to go, Spratt is definitely one to watch. Whether the UFC continues to use him in or outside of the Octagon (Spratt was one of the UFC fighters seen on “Blind Date” last fall), he is sure to leave a trail of success.
