Fighter overcomes extreme odds on journey to an unstoppable career
- Amy Kaplan
- May 27, 2015
- 4 min read
All photos by Amy Kaplan/Wide Angle MMA
Under the fluorescent lights of FLUX nightclub in San Diego, CA were two amateur MMA fighters, duking it out for the crowd and putting on one hell of a show. Geoff “The Real Deal” Real was one of them and he was nothing short of impressive. He kept control of the cage, landed more punches, got every takedown and eventually won the fight via a rear naked choke. It wasn’t an easy bout going all the way into the third round and his opponenent Angel Castro gave back a lot of what Real was giving, but Real was the clear victor that night.
So why even mention it? Amateur fights happen all the time, what makes this fight so special? To answer that question you’d need to know what Real has been through, and overcome.
Real was born with just one hand, which could have caused him to stray from athletics but instead he was drawn to them. He started wrestling in middle school and started grappling at 13 years old. He was told over and over that he couldn’t do it, that he wouldn’t make it very far but he was determined to prove everyone wrong.
“I come from a military family so I guess I have the warrior gene,” said Real.
He has also had to battle a liver disease, which forces him to take daily medication. Neither of these conditions ever crossed his mind on his path to success and he kept on plugging away. In high school he tried out for the wrestling team but didn’t make it so he turned to tournaments instead.
Real's second fight:
“I had to roll without a grip and figure out a system. People kept telling me about Jean Jacque Machado, so I tried to roll like him,” he said. “It took eight years before I finally got the hang of it.”
In May of 2006 Real was introduced to Brazilian Jiu Jitsu and began training under Fabio Santos. For about a year he trained with Santos and even followed him from Yuma, AZ to San Diego, CA where he resides now. He says that his training was inconsistent but he finally buckled down in 2010 and got serious. He says that MMA was something he eventually wanted to do but desired a defined talent before taking that plunge.
“The goal was always MMA, but I figured I had to get really good at Jiu Jitsu before even thinking about getting in the cage,” he said.
And that’s just what he did- eventually earning a black belt in the discipline.
He focused on competing and rolled with some of the greatest in the world including Ben Henderson, AJ Agazarm and Jackson Suza. He said that competing at that level forced him to redefine what he did.
“Even though they were light-years ahead of me, it gave me an idea of how to attack with my game,” he said.
With MMA still a forefront in his mind he realized he’d soon need to move on from his current gym to one more suited to his needs. But Real being steadfastly loyal stuck with them longer than he should have.
“You don’t want to leave your team and be branded as a traitor so I stuck with Fabios for a while,” he said.
Eventually he found his way to Victory MMA and met UFC veteran Chris Leben in 2013. The pair began training and Real felt hopeful that an MMA career was on the horizon.
And then he was faced with one of his most difficult tests yet- cancer.
Real was diagnosed with testicular cancer two years ago, shortly before he was to begin his MMA career. And just like the naysayers before he proved he was a fighter and beat the disease that had threatened to take his life. He was lucky enough to avoid the chemotherapy route and the cancer was removed surgically.
“I don’t consider myself a real cancer survivor because there are plenty other people who are dealing with the treatment that’s overwhelming and sickening,” he said.
It was after he was diagnosed cancer free that he finally competed in his first MMA fight by the urging of Leben.
“He called me out. I was taking his class and I thought it wasn’t the right time, was right after I had cancer. But I’m glad he rushed me into it,” he said. “Sometimes all you need is a little push.”
He fought May 2014 and defeated Eddie Estevez via rear naked choke at just 1:30 in the first round. He also won submission of the night.
“He is a really inspirational guy. Some of the obstacles that he has gone through and still continues to compete,” Leben says. “He continues to prove that you can accomplish anything if you just have faith and just keep plugging away at it.”
Real says that he’s always found inspiration in people who put themselves in extreme situations, like Navy Seals. He thinks of those people while he’s cutting weight or training to boost his confidence level.
“I know they have it so much worse,” he said. “Every day that I can walk and train and not be in a hospital bed is a blessing.”
He also finds other fighters like Conor McGregor inspiring.
“I know a lot of people hate him right now, but he just lights a fire in me. Makes me want to fight. I either want to fight that guy or fight somebody,” he said.
Eventually Real would like to turn pro and thinks that with just a few more amateur fights under his belt he will be ready.
“For myself I strive for the highest standards so of course I want to go pro, maybe get in Bellator or maybe even UFC. I’m going to take it as far as I can go,” he said.
Real certainly has a long career ahead of him, as it’s clear he won’t let anything stop him, but he does think about the end- as all fighters do.
“I want my legacy to be that I was an inspirational guy, that I worked hard and I chased after my dreams. I want to give people hope,” he said. “If I made it then everyone else can make it.”
Real currently has a 3-0 amateur record, winning his most recent fight on May 22, 2015 by decision.
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