Merry Christmas, F2W fans!
Hopefully you all got many gifts this year, or gifts that keep on giving, like irreplaceable time with your families and loved ones.
Speaking of gifts that keep on giving, that also describes Dom Hoskins on the Fight 2 Win stage. Dom competed for F2W more than just about anyone last year, and his matchups always deliver.
Dom Hoskins will return once more hen he takes on Ares’ Miguel Augusto as part of Fight 2 Win 97, January 11th in Sacramento.
Read on and learn more about Dom ahead of this upcoming match!
Hey Dom, thanks for talking to us. Tell us a little bit about your story.
I was born in Los Angeles, but I claim the San Francisco Bay Area as my home since I spent a major part of my childhood here. I began training jiu jitsu in 2006 when my best friend invited me to come check out a class under his uncle in his garage. I was immediately hooked and knew I’d love this art for life. For college I went to FIDM – The Fashion Institute of Design & Merchandising – and in 2009 moved to Southern California to finish my major and receive my Marketing degree. I settled in San Diego in 2011 and trained under Rodrigo Medeiros of BJJ Revolution Team, receiving my black belt in 2016. I worked a lot of odd jobs to pay bills while I kept training, but it was jiu jitsu that afforded me the opportunities to travel and extend my family around the world. I moved back to the Bay in the summer of ’17 and have since opened up my own jiu jitsu academy: Dominat10n Martial Arts in Walnut Creek, CA.
Congrats on the new academy! BJJ is a huge part of your life, yes?
I’ve always been driven but some life obstacles when I was younger left me somewhat lost on where my life would go. Jiu Jitsu gave me a path, a true sense of purpose, and a medium to help people and make the world around me a slightly better place.
What’s your usual training like?
My training is fluid. Each day primarily consists of drilling, rolling, conditioning, or scientific assessment. No two sessions are the same and no two weeks are the same. I’m not a fan of monotony, so I don’t mind deviating from a path if a new discovery is made during a session. Closer to match time I tend to do a lot more positional sparring and ramping up of the intensity of rolls, but I do my best to approach match weeks like they’re any other time. I’ll train right up until weigh-in day. Rodrigo Medeiros is easily my biggest influence because he has not only taught me how to approach jiu jitsu as a professional, but he does it with a demeanor that motivates you to push your own limits. I try to pay this feeling forward to all people I encounter. There’s no way I’d be in the position I’m in without his leadership and guidance.
Do you ever have any free time, with the new academy and all? What do you do with it?
Because my academy is so new, the past few months have been consumed with building that project, but outside of Jiu Jitsu, I’m all over the place. I’m a serious foodie, so I’ll try just about anything once and I love checking out new restaurants or cooking my own dishes at home. I also enjoy traveling, staying active (hiking, swimming, etc.), and designing clothing. Eating is for sure my favorite pastime though.
What else matters to you?
The things that matter the most to me are my friends, family, and love. I make sure that the people I’m close to know I love them, and I try to spend as much time with them as possible. I also try to use my jiu jitsu journey to inspire others. I help lead the Youth Jiu Jitsu Collective, a nonprofit geared towards guiding inner-city youth from time in the street to positive life goals and activities. It’s one of the most fulfilling things I’ve ever done.
Have you learned any life lessons through BJJ?
Some stories are longer than others, but in the past putting my trust into the wrong people has left me in some difficult binds like losing all my possessions or even being homeless… multiple times. There’s nothing like a seemingly dire situation to make you reevaluate who is really on your side and what your priorities are. Having jiu jitsu as a constant through all these times was not only therapy, but a microcosm for life. In life, like jiu jitsu, it’s important to make sure your priorities align with your end-game goals, stay humble, stay grateful, and stay motivated. Also, in life, like jiu jitsu, as quickly as things can go well for you, they can turn sour, but they can always be turned around again. YOU CONTROL YOUR DESTINY. Surround yourself with like-minded, positive people, and if someone doesn’t have your best interests at heart, trim the fat. You may get burned (tapped) sometimes, but it’s these moments that make you a stronger individual. Because of my past I now know the power I possess.
You competed a lot last year. This was everywhere but primarily in F2W. What’s the experience been like for you?
I competed 15-20 times in 2018 and look to meet or exceed that in ’19, so why not hit the ground running?! People often talk about wanting to compete against anyone anywhere under any ruleset, but anyone who knows me, or my opponent list can tell you I live this, so I welcome this newest test. F2W’s rules, large mat space, and shortened match durations make for such exciting fights, and the emphasis on showcasing individual competitors is turning Average Joe’s into stars. You get a different kind of excitement stepping onto that stage.
Your opponent at F2W 97, Miguel, what do you expect out of him and how are you getting ready?
Miguel is a bit bigger than me, so I expect him to be very strong. I’ve given up weight to my last few opponents so it’s nothing new though. I’ll be ready.
I’ve enlisted the help of some larger training partners to prep for the size difference. I trust my game from just about any position, so the most important part for me will be remaining acclimated to the strength difference. I don’t have any predictions, but with 4 Fight of the Nights and a Submission of the Night already under my belt, I can guarantee a show.
Do you have any message for your fans?
I consider people more my friends than “fans,” but I just want to thank all of you who support me. You guys have been riding with me through all the ups and downs of competition but be prepared for the best version of me you’ve ever seen starting January 11th and moving forward. I’m hungry.
Any last words?
First, huge thanks to all of #TeamNoSleep for making Fight 2 Win such an excellent production. You guys are a blessing for Jiu Jitsu. Also, thank you to my sponsors GR1PS Athletics and Primate Tape for making me look good on these big stages, and once again thank you to all my friends, family, and peers who support me. You make this journey worth it. Make sure to visit Dominat10n Martial Arts if you’re ever in the SF Bay Area! My crew would love to share the mats with you!
