One on One with Dylan/ Featuring Donnie

The Tuesday, September, 17th 2019

The Fairmont Hotel, San Jose, California.

11:30 A.M

[Inside the hotel lobby is a set of stairs that wraps around the side of lobby leading up to a second-floor business lodge area. The marble tile in the lobby goes with the egg white walls. In the middle of the large room are four light blue chairs separated by side tables. Sat in two of the chairs is Union Grand Prix interviewer, Dylan Carter. Joining her to the left is the current UGP Heavyweight champion, Donnie Calabrese. The championship belt rest on the table between them.]

Dylan: Good morning UGP fans. My name is Dylan Carter. Today we are seeing the return of my sit down interviews, One on One. My guest is a special one.

[Dylan smiles as she looks toward Donnie and back to the camera.]

Dylan: Not only is he the current UGP Heavyweight champion but he was the first person I ever interviewed here for UGP. Interesting how things can change. Considering where you were when we last met.

[Donnie’s smile couldn’t be wider, as he adjusts the Union GP Heavyweight championship on his shoulder, he nods his head to Dylan's words, before it's his time to speak.]

Donnie: Fuckin’ ain’t that the truth! Its been a long god damn journey, I got lost along the way, got knocked out here and there… But you, and people like you, them folks payin’ to see my name? I fucks with y’all for that. It’s a damn honor to be back on this show, seein’ all I done since our first encounter. What you wanna’ ask my dear?

Dylan: I think the obvious first question is... How does it feel to hold that? You are UGP’s first redemption story. Starting out 0-3, then 2-4, to a world champion.

[Donnie holds out his championship, for Dylan and every camera to see - obviously proud of it - before putting it back on his shoulder ]

Donnie: That shit fucks with me, the whole redemption story…Cause see, I was never trying to be that guy… When I first stepped inside a cage, I wanted to be dominant. And I just wasn't. I got my ass beat, learned them lessons that most MMA fighters learn at a young age. I got taught business fist by fist, I guess you could say. But now? To hold this championship? Fuck… It means everything to me! Not only to who I am, but to who I left behind in Chicago, when I set upon this journey. All they investments, everytime my mother cried, everytime my father said, just cause you down don’t mean you out… It’s all coming full circle now. It’s all becoming everything I dreamed it to be. I had to that rocky road to understand it. But because of that I’m a better fighter, and better man. My opponent, he only know success… And that's something that rings in my mind day and night.

Dylan: Since you went ahead and brought up for opponent for Boss Fight on Saturday… How do you feel about Mike Hunt? He’s kinda come in and taken the division by storm. You were on his podcast and by all accounts seem to be friendly. However now he’s going to be standing in the cage with you. He’s even joined your gym. Any animosity forming there?

Donnie: There’s this stigma, between me and him. I brought the buy in for him to become a real killa. I recommended him. And that ain’t me boasting its just true fact. Hunt is a good friend of mine, and if he beats me come Boss Fight, I won’t feel bad about it.. I’ll know he earned it… But with that being said, I ain’t just laying down fo’’ his fat ass. Far fucking from it. If theres anyone out there questioning my commitment. Let me set it straight. I got in this sport to make money, to make the most out of what I could…. And that train ain’t derailing anytime soon. So what he took the company by storm? He ain’t me… He ain’t been what I been through… I’m not coming into this fight to lose babycakes, I just ain’t. My mindset ain’t none different from the first time you talk to me… I just want to win… I want to provide, I want to put what's in my mind, into reality...Mike Hunt is gonna’ be standing across from me come Boss Fight.. And Ima’ knock his fuckng block off. Much love.

Dylan: Thats admirable for you to do. Speaking of Real Killas and the special open tryouts. Was there anyone else you recommended or wanted to join, but didn't?

[ A sly smirk skirts across Donnie’s face, and he shakes his head just slightly before answering the question ]

Donnie: Truth be told, nawh. Mike was my one pick, I knew the dude from hanging out a few times, and he’s a great solid guy. Plus I was tired of breaking some of these training partners in half. Overall I’d say we got a select choice of rooks though, people who are going to need to prove themselves not only inside the cage but out of it as well. We Real Killas MMA, It’s a mindset, it’s a lifestyle, It’s life! Know what I mean?

Dylan: Real Killas MMA has always been invite only. How did you feel about the "opening of the doors" in a way, for that short time? Was there a concern of people of a different mind set slipping in?

Donnie: That’s a damn good question actually. See we breed a mindset, a mindset of being a killa inside that cage. It don’t matter where you come from, what you did in the past, who you even are on a personal level. What matters is that dedication inside the cage, and I think all the new blood we let it in has that. Because it ain’t like we all a bunch of thugs, you got people like Mcall, Guilliman, Pope. People who you wouldn’t really describe as being thuggy, but inside that cage? They stone cold Killas. And that’s the mindset that we try and bestow upon all the fighters who grace our cage, get what i’m tryin to say? We don’t let people slip through the cracks… No Misty’s or Rob Jones gettin’ in here.

Dylan: No one wants that!

Donnie: Hell nawh! Ain’t no one gettin’ popped for roids over here on the Real Killa side. Also ain’t doing no fakeass rolling stones cover… You know, the magazine that has exclusively only done musicians?

[Donnie lets out a heary laugh, before letting Dylan get back to it.]

Dylan: We are here on a Tuesday because Boss Fight was pushed back four days due to scheduling conflicts. Are you concerned that his change may affect your preparedness going into the fight, especially with how close to the fights it was before the change was made?

Donnie: I don’t think so, few more days until fight night, is just a few more days for me to g

et read I don’t think so, few more days until fight night, is just a few more days for me to get ready. I guess you could argue that maybe I could overthink it in the extended time. And maybe that would be true… But that’s not where my mind is. My mind is always on the fight, its always on what is right in front of me. I'm prepared to defend this championship, no matter what the night is. ybe that would be true… But that’s not where my mind is. My mind is always on the fight, its always on what is right in front of me. I'm prepared to defend this championship, no matter what the night is.

Dylan: This is the second show that has been delayed or canceled in the last few months. Are you, as one of the faces of the fight game, worried at all how this might affect UGP as a whole?

[Donnie sucks hiteeth, almost laughing off the question as he readjusts his title belt. ]ost laughing off the question as he readjusts his title belt. ]

Donnie: Shit hapens man, know what I mean? Am I worried about how this could affect my money? Not at all.. Because this is a transitional period, we went through scandals, and now we just again rising back up to the occasion. You gonna’ hit some potholes along the way. But Union has shown that they got what it takes to just keep on driving. Dante is committed to this company and this sport. And I just don’t see that changing anytime soon.

Dylan: The addition of Marrissa Kane could certainly help star things for UGP back in the right direction. Would you agree?

Donnie: That’s fo sho, she is definitely a very influential, and extremely talented person. I don’t really know much about her beyond whats base level, what we all see. But she's smart as fuck and been in this buisness for a minute. So I don’t think there is anyway for UGP to go but up.

Dylan: Well Donnie, it's been a pleasure as always. Anything you'd like to say yo oae watch before we're off?

[Donnie Raises up his championship once again.]

Donnie: Pleasure indeed Dylan, ain’t nothin’ left to say but keep ya’ eyes peels come fight night. Ya’ boy Donnie’s gonna bag himself a Real Killa.

Dylan: There you have it. As always you can watch the fights on the Battleground Network, they will air live tomorrow night. If you've not signed up for the Network, be sure to do so right now So you don't miss a second.

[The camera pans out on the two before fading to black.]