In the ring UFC fighter Soa Palelei – aptly named the Hulk – is a raging machine, but the anger appears to be skin deep as he opened up about his abusive childhood in a Q&A session at the Bunbury Library on Thursday night while promoting his new book Face Your Fears.
Palelei said he initially struggled to write the book because he had to delve deep into himself and his troubled childhood to tell his story properly.
“The book is about my life growing up as a kid and my difficult upbringing – it took me a year-and-a-half to write because I was stalling it,” he said.
“But now I’ve written it and it’s all out there hopefully people can take something away from it, I’ve dealt with depression and suicide and everyone knows someone who has struggled with mental illness.
“Talking about it in my book – which is easy to read – has actually been good for me and I hope people can see that I got over it so they can too.”
The response to Palelei’s book has been overwhelmingly positive with emails flooding in thanking the UFC fighter for sharing his story.
Palelei also strayed briefly from his book to discuss the Mark McGowan’s promise to lift the ban on the octagon cage fights if elected.
“I think McGowan has done his research on the octagon and the safety aspect of it, fighting in a ring can risk the fighters’ safety,” Palelei said.
“I think Barnett made a captain’s call but bringing these fights to Perth would generate a lot of revenue you just have to look at the Ronda Rousey fight to justify it, that might bought in millions.
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Blayde Grzelka
Journalist for the Bunbury Mail, Australian Community Media, and Fairfax Media.
Journalist for the Bunbury Mail, Australian Community Media, and Fairfax Media.
