* Describe your martial arts journey so far?
"It's been a wild journey with a lot of ups and downs along the way but the one thing that's been consistent has been my strive to improve. I've also made a lot of good friends on my journey both at gyms and in competition".
* What prompted you to explore martial arts?
"I got bullied at Primary school, had very low confidence and also needed an outlet to get rid of my hyperactive energy. My parents found a traditional jujitsu club nearby and I stepped on the mat for the first time at 7 years old. At first I hated it because of how difficult it was but after a while I learnt to enjoy the process.
When I was about 11 or 12 years old I got more involved in the competitive side of martial arts and watched a mini documentary about the Gracies and the rise of the UFC. It was at that moment I decided I wanted to give multiple martial arts a go. I trained at different gyms across town doing Muay Thai, Judo and various traditional martial art styles aiming to be a "Complete Martial Artist" until I found a good MMA Gym in town called Blackburn Predators where I moved full time and started my amateur career. After 7 years of training and competing I made the move to Manchester Predators and turned professional".
Paddy "The Baddy" Pimblett.
* What Autism myths would you like to dispel?
"Something I hear a lot that offends me is that people with Autism don't feel empathy or emotion towards other people and that we are almost like robots. That's so far from the truth it's offensive. I will agree that I struggle recognising other people's emotions sometimes like anger or sadness. I may need a solid sign to understand how a person feels in a particular moment. But to say I don't care about how another person feels is ridiculous. As bizarre as it sounds I don't like hurting or offending other people simply because I understand how it felt growing up".
* How often do you train, and what would a typical days training schedule consist of?
"I train 6 days a week 2x a day. I'll do the fighter class during the day which is either a sparring session or a MMA wrestling session. I'll have a break coach a few Personal Trainer sessions and coach the Fundamental BJJ Class then do some technical work with my head coach Gav at in the evening. I'll also do 3 Strengh & Conditioning sessions during the week to stay strong and work on my fitness".
* What accomplishment to date are you proudest of.
"I'm still working towards bigger achievements in the future but I'd say winning Submission Of The Year on FCC last year is a big one, having the chance to represent my country at the IMMAFs in Bahrain, winning an amateur fight on Cage Warriors at the ECHO Arena with Dan Hardy in attendance and winning the BUDO Amateur Featherweight Belt"..
* What does Autism mean to you?
"I can honestly say it's a big part of who I am and what drives me. I think in a way that's very different to the "normal person" I have a very different view on life and how I approach it. I don't think I'd be anything close to the man I am today without being autistic. Sure it has its disadvantages but it also has some strong advantages in the lifestyle I've chosen".
* What advice would you give to someone who is thinking of taking up a martial art, boxing or joining a gym?
"Just get started and don't overthink it. The main thing is finding a coach and a team that have a good track record in competition, give you a warm welcome when you walk through the door and make you feel at home. Enjoying the process is very important at the start"
On behalf of everyone at Fighting for Autism, we would like to thank Chris Price for taking time out of his schedule to take part in this interview.
You can follow Chris on Instagram at
www.insyagram.com/crazychrisprice.
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