Meet Soa "The Hulk" Palelei
Soa ‘The Hulk’ Palelei was born in Newcastle in 1977. The now-retired mixed martial artist competed in eight Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) fights throughout his career and was undefeated for more than two years. Palelei made his acting debut in the 2014 film Son of a Gun alongside Ewan McGregor and is based in Perth with his wife and three children. www.soathehulk.com
Soa will be signing copies of his autobiography, Face Your Fears. His book will be available to purchase on the day at the event.
Sent to Tonga to become a man, Soa was thrust into poverty as he worked on the family farm alongside his cousins.
Soa’s luck took a turn for the worse when he returned from Tonga to live with his short-tempered uncle in Newcastle. The 11-year-old faced an almost daily barrage of beatings with anything his uncle could find, from electrical cords to planks of wood. He ran away to survive, living rough on the streets for months.
After reconnecting with his parents, Soa’s life began to turn around. He excelled at sports and soon joined a UK-based professional rugby team. Although he abandoned his dreams of playing rugby to support his young family, he later rose to the top of his game in MMA. He made his professional debut in 2002, winning his first seven fights. This led to a contract in the internationally revered Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC).
But with the loss of his first UFC fight, Soa’s world came crashing down. He sank into depression and faced one of his toughest battles yet: overcoming his personal demons to return to form.
Face Your Fears is the heavy-hitting memoir of Soa Palelei on his journey as an elite fighter. Honest and raw, the book reveals a man with a hulk-sized heart and the never-say-die attitude of a true hustler.
FREE
Event Details
Date:
29 June 2016
Time: 12pm
Where is it?
Dymocks Brisbane
177 Albert St
Brisabane City, 4000
QLD
For further information...
Nicole Armanno
07 3007 2800
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