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Article: Lifestyle Interview: Raufeon Stots

Lifestyle Interview: Raufeon Stots

Raufeon Stots is a rising star in the world of Mixed Martial Arts (MMA), known for his impressive undefeated record and dynamic fighting style. He recently sat down with D'IYANU to discuss his style, partnership, and upcoming fight which reflect his commitment to excellence both inside and outside of the octagon.

With his relentless work ethic and natural talent, Stots has quickly become one of the most promising fighters in the sport, and his upcoming championship fight with Bellator promises to be a thrilling event for fans of MMA. In this interview, we'll get to know Stots better and learn about his journey to the top of the MMA world.

How has your Nigerian heritage influenced your personal style, and how does that translate into your partnership with D'IYANU?

I feel my Nigerian heritage has helped me embrace the tradition of my family into my personal style.  The D'iyanu brand is bold and colorful, as is my personality which is why our partnership translates well.  D'iyanu allows me to off my love and admiration of my Nigerian culture, through fashion.

How do you think your partnership with D'IYANU can help to promote African fashion and culture in the Bellator/MMA scene?

Our partnership has shed light on how an MMA athlete can be perceived outside of the cage, which is known to be very barbaric and dangerous.  It shows that I have more facets to me outside of my sport, and every day I get to represent not only African athletes across the world but my family and my heritage.

Wearing Tumelo Men's Applique Button-Up Shirt (Black/Gold White Mudcloth)

How do you hope to inspire other African Americans to embrace their heritage and incorporate African fashion into their personal style?

African Americans set the trends in culture.  This is something that’s not up for debate. We establish those trends through things like music, art, and fashion.  I do it by being myself and representing my Nigerian culture and taking my Nigerian culture with me everywhere I go. Being myself, being outgoing, and being great, is what I’m about on a daily basis.  I hope when people see how I dress it’s a representation of my culture, my family, and my traditions, which will in turn inspire African Americans from all walks of life.

How do you stay motivated and focused during training camp, and what's your approach to preparing for a big fight?

Everything I do is for my family and to make them proud.  They motivate me and give me the inspiration and strength to train 6-8 hours per day, six days a week.
My approach to preparing for a big fight is to study my opponent and make sure I do well what he does badly and constantly make improvements to my MMA game.

What advice do you have for aspiring MMA fighters who are just starting out in the sport, and how did you get your own start in MMA?

My advice for future MMA athletes is to get 1% better every day, and always try to improve in every area of MMA you can. I started in MMA through wrestling, and I wanted to further my athletic career and which led me to MMA.

What upcoming Bellator events do you have coming up and/or are you looking forward to?

April 22, 2023, I will be competing for $1,000,000 in the Bellator Bantamweight Grand Prix Championship in Honolulu Hawaii.  I’ve been training for a moment like this my whole life, and I am looking forward to the challenge!

To learn more about Raufeon Stots, please click here to visit his Instagram.

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