Today’s interview covers one of Latvia’s most compelling figures in both sports and entertainment, Kristaps Zutis. From the tranquil Sabile countryside, all the way into the spotlight, Zutis is a powerhouse in his gloves and a magnet for chaos outside of them. Yet, through it all, Kristaps remains unshakable, embodying an unflinching spirit that has earned him a devoted following.
So, how is it? Are you ready? Your opponent isn’t baring his teeth yet.
I was born ready. Well, he’s definitely heavier than me. Shorter, but heavier. And those who bare their teeth aren’t dangerous. It’s the quiet ones that are. Any public display of aggression is definitely not an indicator.
And you’re not worried at all?
There is no man under the sun with whom I’d fear sharing the ring.
Because you’re Sabiles Kung FU!
I couldn’t quite figure out my style, so I invented a new one. My first fight was in karate, away in Kabile. How did I feel? Probably the same as the first time I saw a woman naked. Scared, excited, full of hope and expectations of what was about to happen. And I lost. I’ve lost so much in my life, in and out of the ring, that I could write a PhD thesis about it.
What goes through your head when you lose?
Every loss is a “hold my beer, I can do better”. I can always do better; I’m not done yet. Every fight I lose, in life or in the ring, motivates me even more. Obviously, nobody wants to lose and nobody intends to lose, but you have to take something from every bad streak in your life. Learn from each one, realize what you did wrong. If there are too many losses, you have to draw conclusions to understand what’s wrong. Only then do you get a result. So… I don’t think I’m going to win. I think I’m going to fight!
Win or lose, it doesn’t matter. Is it the process that matters?
Yeah. It has been that way for some time now. In this case, in this fight, the process is definitely more important. The result is secondary. It doesn’t mean that I’m giving in, not even by an inch. I’ll fully enjoy it. This type of event… I have been hosting events all my life and have always wanted to do something like this. Hats off to Daniks! It’s a great honor to be a part of this.
Do you train regularly? On a day-to-day basis?
Not lately, but I’m ready. My job is to train. Get up in the morning and go train—that’s my office. The Jugla Sports Centre is my office. When this interview is over, I’ll go for a run; I need to breathe. Gotta fight soon. [laughs]
Being in the ring, it’s a matter of seconds. How does it feel?
It’s a matter of instinct. The animal in you kicks in: you have to tear your opponent apart. I don’t know what I’m thinking of. It’s like asking a lion who is in the middle of tearing up a hyena. How to destroy? I want to destroy! And if it’s not ripping up your prey, it’s pure survival instinct. Like watching National Geographic; you see two grizzlies fighting over a salmon. The same thing is probably going on in the heads of both fighters during a fight.
Have you made any sacrifices in your career to get where you are now?
I have lost all my human relationships. I have lost friends, girlfriends—and not on the greatest terms, as you can read online. To get to where I am now, I’ve had to sacrifice everything imaginable, tenfold. But that’s life. We don’t always make the right decisions. We don’t always have the courage to turn away at the right moment and choose the path that is unknown.
Personally, my 34 years have proved that you can’t bend when you need to be firm in your decisions. And furthermore: real life begins when you don’t give a s**t what others think. Thank God I’ve reached my zen state. If I used to be Zutis from Sabile, now I’m Zutis who doesn’t give a f**k.
How long do you plan to continue your fighting career?
As long as it pays, I’ll fight. And it pays very well. But it’s not worth it. You can make money elsewhere. If you can get a job, just go to work. Don’t fight. [laughs] I take along guys to my fights, guys who want to do it and who can, just so they can see how unnecessary it is. Because it hurts. In combat sports, we’re seasoned. We don’t have days when something doesn’t hurt. A fist, or a knee, or an ankle, or your head, or the eyes, kidney, liver. You get used to the physical pain, and then you start getting used to the emotional pain as well.
Do you actually get to enjoy it at the end of the day?
Fighting is a very tough sport and business. A very, very, very lonely sport. At the end of the day, you lie in bed with your fists hurting and your legs cramping up, and if you haven’t won, nobody cares anymore. 3×3 basketball was a prime example of this. It was the most vivid expression of the Latvian mentality. Losing is not good. Oh, you won gold? Well, that’s too much money spent now. Nothing is ever good enough.
When I won, I had 1000 missed calls. When I lost, I got calls from my mom and my coach. Unless you’re the real deal who can knock everybody out, you have to think about whether you’re mentally ready for it, because this sport is brutal.
Remember the date—BAZARA 0 Fight Club takes over on August 22nd. We will be streaming the event for free!
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