Oluwale “The Holy War Angel” Bamgbose: God Told me “I Need You to Fight.”
Oluwale "The Holy War Angel" Bamgbose will look to extend his perfect professional run to 5-0 on Friday at ROC 51. Photo courtesy of ROC
By Taylor Walsh
Oluwale “The Holy War Angel” Bamgbose will put his unblemished professional record (4-0) as well as his Ring of Combat (ROC) middleweight (185 pounds) title on the line against Mike Stewart (9-6) at Ring of Combat (ROC) 51, on Friday, June 5 at Atlantic City’s Tropicana. The event will stream in its entirety on Full Contact Fighter on Saturday, June 6, courtesy of Go Fight Live.
Bamgbose had a strong Christian upbringing by his parents who own a church in Nigeria. He has earned a master’s degree in public administration from Alfred University, is a single father, boasts a black belt in Tae Kwon Do and is preparing to open his own MMA gym this month.
The ROC middleweight champion has always been a multitasker since his college days, .balancing his school work with life as a professional MMA fighter, He has mastered all his trades.
I had the opportunity to speak to the up and coming pro fighter about his journey, where he stands now and his religious roots that helped guide the way.
Taylor Walsh: How did your path lead you to MMA?
Oluwale Bamgbose: Accepting Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) i to my life pretty much opened (the) doors to success, and what led me to accepting MMA was God. God just gave me an idea – if you want to get rid of that feeling you’re having of uselessness and not being where you’re supposed to be, I need you to fight. I ended up listening to the inner voice, or what I call the ‘Holy Spirit.’
TW: At what age did you begin your journey that put you on a path to a career in MMA?
OB: When I was 17, I decided to pay for some type of martial arts class myself. There was a Tae Kwon Do class right near my house. It was the only martial arts near my neighborhood in the Bronx, and still is.
That is where I met my Master. At first I thought Tae Kwon Do was like karate, but (that) they kick more. I’m so glad I accepted Tae Kwon Do and the fact I was able to work on my kicks, and put all that energy I had from being pushed away from basketball (or) forcing myself into (running) track. I was now able to channel all my energy towards Tae Kwon Do.
TW: Tell me about the success you encountered with the announcement of opening up your own MMA gym.
A: I’m not going to lie. It’s been amazing so far. Every success that I have been able to accomplish, I can honestly say came from God.
When I was depressed I felt like I wasn’t doing what my calling was telling me. Now I’m reaping the benefits, and this door was able to open through connections (I have in) MMA, and the Bronx needs it.
I care for the Bronx, (the) South Bronx in particular. For me, this gym will hopefully be able to start a health and fitness movement, where people can get focused on shredding weight, gaining muscle, but also learning self‐defense at the same time. Hopefully that will give them a better idea of their fitness, how to take care of themselves, and how to stay healthy and in a fun manner. I basically have a great partner who is my Tae Kwon Do coach to help me teach MMA.
TW: How long have you been coaching and what success has this brought to you and others?
OB: I have been a coach for a year and a half, building fighters from the ground up. One success story I have is someone I met when I just started coaching, who weighed around 260 pounds. Now he weighs in at 195, and became an amateur fighter. He had no experience – the only thing he had was heart. His goal was to eventually fight, so after almost two years of dedication and non‐stop training, he lost weight and became that fighter.
I’m not going to forget one of the fighters that I learned from was Ryan LaFlare. I was at a ROC amateur fight where I witnessed how much this coach cared about his fighters and MMA. I really admire and respect him. I learn from positive people and adapt.
TW: What did it feel like watching your son follow in his dad’s footsteps at his first Tae Kwon Do class?
OB: It was one of those things where I didn’t expect this to happen until he was maybe 10 years old. He watches when I work out and he picks things up, he’s smart like that. But this was his first formal training.
He’s following in the footsteps of his dad at an earlier age of four. He’s going to be a beast. I love my son to death, so I’ll always be in his corner rooting him on. Hopefully he has the idea years from now that his dad is really cool, and wants to be like him but in his own kind of way. I want to be there to guide him and give him all my knowledge.
The Holy Angel (left) has yet to be pushed past the first round of action in a pro fight.
TW: During your undergraduate years in college, did you continue to train for MMA?
OB: When I went on to college, I was able to follow up by creating an MMA club at Morrisville State University. At the same time, I played lacrosse and was an RA‐ resident assistant.
I had the knowledge of Tae Kwon Do, but the guys I invited to the club were interested in sparring with backgrounds in wrestling and boxing. I met up with them at least once a week and that’s what started my interest in MMA. This was the perfect time, because it was only a short period of time (ago) that MMA had blown up. I was so glad I invested time in myself and listened to that inner voice I believe was God.
When you end up investing in yourself, sometimes you don’t know what kind of door will open. You better bet your bottom dollar you’re going to be thankful you listened to that inner voice and God.
TW: Who was responsible for preparing you for the professional ranks in the sport?
OB: First and foremost, I want to thank the New Jersey State Athletic Commission for preparing fighters for the big leagues. If you can fight in New Jersey as an amateur, you’re in good hands for when you go pro. I’m a Tae Kwon Do guy. I like to kick, and I had to refrain from what I’m good at for the (my entire career as) an amateur fighter.
When I decided to go pro, my hands were already where they needed to be and my experience on the ground was able to increase. When I went pro, it was a very smooth transition for me.
TW: When did you decide that becoming a pro fighter was going to become your path?
OB: After I graduated with my bachelor’s degree, I worked for a little bit and neglected MMA as a whole. Focusing only on work, I realized I was blending in with society. I didn’t want to work paycheck to paycheck, so I decided to balance work with training. I got to the point I couldn’t stand working anymore, and I had to make a decision. I decided to really pursue my amateur career in 2012, and eventually become pro in 2015. I told myself I’m done blending in. I’m a fighter, and this is who I am.
TW: Why did you return for your master’s degree in public administration?
OB: Leaving my job made it possible for me to go back to school for my master’s degree as God told me to. I had to let go of my entry level position in order to get an education, (so that ) when I return to work I’d be the boss. I went for public administration because my last boss held that degree and I wanted to be a better boss then she was. I want to influence and save lives, not just collect a paycheck.
TW: What are Oluwale’s thoughts as he enters that cage?
OB: When I get in that cage, I think about all the things I want and need to do. I don’t know if (my opponent) has the same ambition and hunger as me, but I hope he does. If he does not, it is going to be a quick fight. If he does this just for fun or to hurt people, he’s in trouble because I come to compete. I don’t go in the cage to hurt anyone. When I give all my energy, though, most likely someone is getting knocked out, and it’s not going to be me.
Q: What major sacrifices have you made to become a professional fighter?
A: I got a call from the state to become a correctional officer, which I turned down. I was struggling financially, and I pushed away a salary job to chase this dream of being one of the best UFC fighters. I am going to see this dream come true, and that was just one of the sacrifices I’ve made. I am willing to sacrifice everything except obviously the love I have for my son and my faith.
Q: What are your thoughts on the recent persecution of Christians in the Middle East and what do you feel the world needs to do about this?
A: Christians have been persecuted for years, and America is one of the few countries where you can freely embrace your faith. When the devil notices individuals seeking God he intensifies their hardship.
The best thing we can do as Christians is embrace hardship. Hardships eventually lead to blessings to people, or others around them. I have the type of spirit that’s on fire for God, and I don’t care (about dying) for him. So many people have sacrificed themselves to spread Christianity, which wasn’t easy.
It sucks I’m in a position I can’t really help those Christians in other countries being murdered. The best thing for us Christians here is to pray for them and open other’s eyes to this unnecessary persecution. Christians needs to pray for each other and conduct mission trips to spread the word of peace with
military support for safety. I love Jesus because all he wanted to do was heal people and he was murdered for it, just like our people still today. I will never stop loving God or spreading Jesus.
TW: What can we expect to see from you in the future?
OB: My job is to go in there be obedient to God, and be his best fighter in the world. I strive to be a representation of his army in Heaven, a general of his army reflecting his power in the cage. I plan on opening my own recreational center in my parent’s homeland, Nigeria, where I can help the community. I am going to do everything I can to seek God in that place of darkness where his light can be shown through my heart and my parents as well.
