By: Vinnie Picone
On July 31st, Premiere Fighting Championship hosts its 6th event and
first title match ever. Featured in that Main Event are Bantamweights
Jeremy “The Boss” Reipold (3-0) and Dat Tran (3-2). I was able to steal a few minutes out of Reipold’s busy schedule and ask the fan favorite a few questions. Enjoy!
Q. First off, how did you go from mere mortal to title contender? When did you get into MMA and how did you end
up as “The Boss” of Team Ravenous?
A. I could write a small book to fully and truly answer this question, but I'll give you a short version. I've been training for 5years. I started as a hobby and quickly became my passion. After training for only a few months a local kid that I knew wanted to get into the fight game. I knew of a show that was happening in a few months in our area and I set up his first
fight. In setting up his fight, the organization asked for our team
name. After much thought I came up with Team Ravenous which perfectly described the hunger and drive needed to be successful in MMA. This fighter was unsuccessful and never trained again, but my passion was sparked and I kept moving forward. A few local fighters joined together and continued to train and fight under Team Ravenous. While training, I ran the team, managed all the guys, marketed the team and set up all the fights etc. A few years later I fulfilled my dream of fighting and stepping into the cage. My wife's best friend said my nickname should be 'The Boss', as it's pretty fitting since at this point I coached and managed the team and I tend to be a little bossy. The rest of the team heard it and it stuck. Not to mention I like to think I run shit in the cage ;p
Q. Do you have a full time job? Are you looking to make a career out of fighting and training or is it just a hobby?
A. Yes, I work full time as a machine operator at Yankee Candle in
Whately, MA. I would LOVE to make a career out of fighting, but I
understand that I started fighting at a late age and have a family that I have to support. I do however hope to have a career in MMA. I love to teach, coach and manage. My dream is to own my own gym and run my fight team and be my own 'Boss'. I also co-own a website, www.westernmassmma.com, and that is taking off as well.
Q. You got into MMA a little late in the game. How do you think that has helped or hurt you in your career?
A. I think it has hurt me because I don't have years of experience behind me. At this age it's harder to recover after the grueling training and injuries don't heal as quickly. However, I think my years of life experience helps me to have a mental edge over some of the younger fighters. Not to mention I have 'man strength' over some of these kids too.
Q. In your last fight you scored a KO just 33 seconds into the fight. How did that feel?
A. It felt AMAZING!!! Winning in general feels great, but to actually KO someone is a rush like no other.
Q. Your next fight is against Dat Tran for the Bantamweight title. I
also understand that it’s Premier FC’s first title fight ever. How do
you feel about the pressure of a title fight and how do you see the
fight play out?
A. I think it's every fighter's dream to fight
for a title. I'm extremely grateful for the opportunity to have the
belt put around my waist in front of my friends and family. Dat is a
great fighter who's currently ranked #4 in New England as a
Bantamweight amateur and is from the famed Sityodtong fight team.
Beating a fighter like Dat would definitely up my stock as a local
fighter as well. This will be my toughest fight ever, but I am
confident I have the tools to win and I am excited for the event. I
don't tend to get too nervous for my fights, so I'm treating this like
the others.
Q. Are you training any differently because it’s a title fight?
A. No, not really. I train as hard as I can for each fight I take. I may
modify things each time to better maximize my potential, but I am
confident in all areas of my game.
Q. How grouchy do you get while cutting weight?
A. LOL You should ask my wife. I often get a bit grouchy about a week before my fight. I'm pretty hungry and have been disciplining myself for a whole month prior and it's starting to get old.... Being my own manager I have the worry of ticket sales, marketing and often times doing the same for one of my fighters. It's usually short lived and I'd like to thank my beautiful wife for putting up with me during those times.
Q. What fighter do you look up to the most?
A. I look up to a lot of fighters, mainly anyone that shows honor, respect and dedication to their training. Kenny Florian is my favorite UFC fighter. Not only is he a Massachusetts native also is a great fighter who embodies the above qualities.
Q. How does your MMA career impact your personal life?
A. I'm lucky to be married to a wonderful woman who understands my
passion for the sport. She totally supports me and stands by me in all
my endeavors. It can be hard during the times when I'm getting ready for a fight. My diet restricts the things I can eat and I don't drink alcohol during this time. So I do miss out on some social events, but I wouldn't trade it for anything.
Q. Word on the street is your wife is pregnant. When is your child due and how excited are you to be a Daddy?
A. We're due 10/8/11 and it's going to be a BOY!!! I already can't wait to show him his first arm bar
I'm so excited to be a Dad and I can't wait to meet him. My wife and I are very thrilled to start our family together.
Thanks for your time Jeremy. Do you have anyone that you’d like to give a shout out?
I'd like to thank my wife, Faith, for everything you do to support me, and being the love of my life. I'd like to thank my family, friends and
all of my team mate from Team Ravenous for all your support. I'd like
to give a shout out to all the people I have ever trained with, for
I've learned from all of you!!! I'd also like to thank all of my
sponsors and a BIG thanks to Dominage Apparel for this interview!!!
www.dominage.tk
Wed Feb 15, 2023 6:42 pm by 
Calendar
