Only a select few athletes can say that they made it to the top level of their sport in their lifetimes.
Andre “Touchy” Fili is one of the latest Federal Way-born athletes to join that elusive group by fighting in the Ultimate Fighting Championship. On Oct. 25 at UFC 179 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Fili will have his third match within the organization.
Fili spent 10 years living in Federal Way as a child before moving to California where he now resides. The 14 years in California have not changed his affinity for his old Washington home.
“I have a lot of fond memories there,” says Fili. “I have a lot of family still in that area. Even though Sacramento is my hometown, I still have a lot of love for that area.”
Like many kids, Fili participated in multiple sports while growing up. While he tried baseball and soccer, neither sport connected with him the way he wanted. He finally found his sport in the sixth grade when he started wrestling.
Fili loved that wrestling gave him the opportunity to be aggressive. He liked to fight and that was as close as he could get to fighting at the time.
When he was 14, he began watching The Ultimate Fighter and finally found the sport he knew he wanted to be a part of.
“As soon as I saw [mixed martial arts], I knew it was what I wanted to do,” says Fili. “I started training right away and just stuck with it.”
His favorite fighter to watch was B.J. Penn. While he says he would like to model his fighting style after him, he says that would be like “trying to be like Michael Jordan.”
It remains to be seen if he could ever match Penn’s career, but Fili has made it further than most fighters ever will.
Fili began his career in smaller, local promotions in California in 2009. He won his first four fights, all by knockout.
His fifth fight would result in his first loss as a knee injury rendered him unable to finish the fight. It also was the first step in him reaching his current status as a UFC fighter.
“I was 19 years old I had a fight against an alpha male guy named Derrick Burnsed,” says Fili. “I saw Urijah Faber backstage and after the fight I told him ‘I always wanted to train with you guys.’ So he invited me down and it kind of stuck.”
He attributes much of his success to Team Alpha Male. He works with many top level talents including Chris Holdsworth, Danny Castillo, Joseph Benavidez and UFC Bantamweight Champion, T.J. Dillashaw.
Chad Mendes is also another member of Team Alpha Male and one of the headliners for UFC 179 where he will fight for the Featherweight Championship against José Aldo. Fili, also a featherweight, hopes to reach the same level in the near future.
While continuing to fight in California from 2010 to 2013, Fili would improve his record to 12-1. While training for his 14th fight, he would receive the call he had been waiting for in August 2013.
“I had missed calls from Urijah Faber and my other managers while I was at work,” says Fili. “I stepped outside of work and they said if you want to be in UFC, this is your shot. I started jumping around, screaming and yelling at my work. I was so excited.”
The fight was scheduled two weeks after the call took place. Fili had to cut nearly 30 pounds to make weight.
“After the call, I clocked out immediately and went for a run,” says Fili.
In his UFC debut, Fili would defeat Jeremy Larsen by technical knockout in the second round of the fight. He connected on a few good punches early and the ref called the fight shortly after Larsen fell against the cage.
His second UFC was not as successful. In the third round of a back and forth fight, Fili lost via a guillotine choke submission in the third round.
“I did some things right and I did some things wrong and I’m really excited to come back and prove I belong in the UFC,” says Fili. “I plan on being a world champion one day and I need to prove I deserve to be there.”
Felipe Arantes will be Fili’s opponent at UFC 179. The native Brazilian comes into the bout with a record of 16-6-1. The crowd in Rio de Janeiro is expected to be fully behind him.
That type of crowd is exactly what Fili wants in this fight. He loves that Brazilian crowds tend to be rowdy, even if they will be against him; he feeds off their energy regardless.
The trip to Brazil will be Fili’s first time out of the country. He also believes it will be his first victory outside of the country.
While the fight against Arantes is the only thing on his mind currently, Fili already has long and short-term plans after the fight. In the long-term, he plans to be a UFC champion. His short-term plan is a little bit easier.
“The chances I get a slice of pizza after my fight? One hundred and ten percent,” says Fili. “I love pizza, so I’m ready to indulge.”
His fans show their support for him with the hashtag #Eat1ForFili and accompany that with photos of pizza they are eating. Soon he will be able to join them. He is hoping it will be after a win.
