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Job Zone Four: Considerable Preparation Needed

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MMA Sports Reporter

<p>It's the last week of the team's six-week Roadtrip-and also Hannah and Antoine's first time in New York City. While there, they meet up with MMA (Mixed Marital Arts) reporter Ariel Helwani who talks about his beginnings as a shy kid to becoming one of the most notable MMA sports reporters in the world. At the end of their conversation, he stresses to the team, "don't give up on your dreams." Antoine, Hannah, and Nika then move on to their last interview at the CNN headquarters where they meet with anchor Soledad O'Brien who talks about the hard work it takes to follow a dream. Afterward, the team reflects on the events of the trip and the people they met before signing the Green RV and saying their goodbyes.</p>

New York City

[Roadtripper #2] For me, I just wanna hear your story and sort of where it led up today. [Ariel] It-it's a weird thing, 'cause in high school, I always had a lot of friends. But internally, I was always kind of very, um, I was just, I always liked to be alone. I was obsessed with sports magazines. Then I started to like really focus on sports broadcasting; I used to watch all the events. So I was known as like the broadcasting guy, and I would always like do it with my friends. We'd play basketball, and then afterwards, I would pretend I'm like, you know, the post-game guy and you know, do the interview with them and I was known as the guy. Everyone always got a kick out of it. And I remember in 9th grade-- I'll never forget it--I was reading Sports Illustrated, and it was an issue that listed the best schools for whatever. Um, and then I got to Best Broadcasting School, and it said Syracuse University. So I was like, "I'm going "to Syracuse University." So I leave, and uh, I was already a shy kid. I become like ten times more shy. I used to sit in my dorm my freshman year, and I was so afraid to leave to go brush my teeth that I would wait until I heard everyone was sleeping--at like 2:30, 3am-- just to go brush my teeth so I could run back into my room. I was like petrified of people. But I did have my dream of being a broadcaster, and that's what, you know, kept me on my path. [Roadtripper #2] A question I had, though, is um, growing up, like I was the kid in the corner who didn't wanna play with my friends. And for me to hear that from you, how'd you even fathom the idea like, "I'm gonna do broadcasting, "and yet I can't even speak, like, to friends"? [Ariel] I-I love talking to people, like interview-wise, you know? If you turn off those cameras, then I'm like afraid to look you in the eyes. But if it's like in an interview, then I'm happy doing it and I love it. One of the first things I did when I got to Syracuse was checked out the student radio stations. You know, I would, you know, walk to the radio station in Syracuse with my head down, not wanna make eye contact with like anyone, and then I sit in that studio and I'm all of a sudden, you know, the king of the show. So I got two hours, I could do whatever I want. The name of my show was The Main Event, and it was a pro wrestling/MMA show. And I remember watching The Best Damn Sports Show Period-- used to be on Fox--and uh, Tito Ortiz and Ken Shamrock were on. And then it started to like creep into my mind that I wanna be a sports broadcaster, and the sport's getting big again. Um, maybe this is the path, you know, like maybe I could grow with the sport. So it started back then, like eight or so years ago where I thought about this. So I move to New York. I get this job from Spike doing this competition about finding--and excuse me if it sounds very sexist--uh, like, the sexiest bartender in America. So they sent me around the country--me by myself--uh, to find the sexiest bartender in America. Now the kid who couldn't talk to anyone, who couldn't like, you know, go and brush his teeth, I'm having to like to these like girls dressed in these bikinis and stuff about like ridiculous things. And I was like, I was actually kinda good, you know? I was like, I was quick, I was answering, I was asking questions quickly. I was like, you know, I was keeping it flowing, and people really liked me. So I was like, "Yeah, maybe this is what I could do. "Maybe I could be like the MMA reporter. "This is, you know, going back to my original thought of being "an MMA reporter and um, working up the ladder." October 19th was my last day at Spike, and I'm like, "Okay, I will start my sort of my-my-my career as an MMA, "you know, journalist. If by April 1st of 2008, "I don't get any real job, a paying job, I have to go "back into production." I had to give myself a window because I was making no money. [Roadtripper #2] Living off of savings, then? [Ariel] Yeah. Yeah yeah. So I start this website, um, a blog, just on Wordpress, you know? And uh, I just start hustling. I start, uh, sending messages-- like 30 a day--to every fighter on MySpace, Twitter, Facebook. And you couldn't believe how many people replied to me! Like Chuck Lidell replied to me, Tito Ortiz replied to me. I started to uh, interview the fighters, and I was really bad. I was really nervous. People used to call me, you know, really awkward. Um, they used to say, you know like, "Who is this?" They used to say really mean things about me, like saying, "Where'd they get this guy "from, Auschwitz?" You know, 'cause I look really Jewish. Like really mean things, you know? And I lost all confidence. I was like, "Man, this is not for me. "I shouldn't be doing this." I like, you know, I-I thought I was a little better than I was maybe. And uh, I was feeling kinda down, and I did an interview with Gina Carano. I don't know if you guys know Gina Carano, but she was a-- [Roadtripper #2] Started off on American Gladiator. [Ariel] Gladiators, you know, she was a fighter, but she had the hook that she was very, you know, charming, good-looking, had a good personality. Everyone loved her; she's like the girl next door. And um...we had like an awkward moment, where like I held the microphone in front of her too long, and I was like bringing it back and forth, and I was like, "I'm not really "good at this, am I?" I said something like this, and she's like, "No, you're good, "but you just keep the microphone too close." This is all on camera, and I was like, "Yeah, you're right, "maybe I should go back to radio." And she's like, "No no no, you're good, you're good!" And she started like lau-, and we were like, and I was like, "Wow, you know, she thinks I'm good." I was like, "You know what? Screw those haters, you know? "This is funny. Maybe I am a little weird, but, "you know, I can get good interviews. "I can make them a little more personable and things "like that." And she really gave me confidence, and I always look back to that point an-and from there, I just like stopped caring about what people said, and I just kept getting better and better at what I did, and then a month later, I get a call from AOL. And they're like, "Yeah, we like your stuff and we want you to do "video interviews for us. Then I start to get to cover UFC events and like another like sort of turning point was like, you know um, Dana White, who's the president of the UFC, I was interviewing him, and he said on camera one day-- um this is in November-- "This guy's turned into one "of the best interviewers in the sport." And when he gives you the stamp of approval, everyone else does. And that was a huge deal. "Ariel Helwani, post-fight at UFC 128, alongside UFC president "Dana White. And Dana, so much to discuss. "Jon Jones is the new light heavyweight champion, "but I wanna know..." I think that if I didn't deal with like those problems in college, being afraid to talk to people, I think I would have not been able to deal with like the people criticizing me, you know, online. You know the people that I truly respect are the ones that put themselves out there, who don't settle, who go out an-and shoot for the stars. [Roadtripper #2] He had a lot of heartaches and like-- [Roadtripper #1] For being 28. [Roadtripper #2] Yeah! Like, man, that's a lotta stories. I'm like, is it gonna have to suck for me this much before I-- [scoffs] I'm happy? But there's a positive end results, and it's so great to hear. [Ariel] I'm really living my dream, you know? I-I-I'm seriously, seriously living my dream. See? I'm getting emotional. Because I-I really didn't think this was gonna happen, and it's happening. So to you guys, I say just keep fighting. Keep doing your thing. 

Chance

Confidence

Hard Work

Negativity

Struggle

Interview

When you were starting up the websites and you're doing various things, how do you knew that that was right thing? Because it's like there's no point of reference. At that time, cuz MMA is like a baby right now, it's still being, it's getting it's nutrients, it's trying to grow up. >> Right. >> And that's the thing. And it's just like, all right, you gotta feed it and grow it. But how do you even know where to start? You know what I mean? How do you know to do that? Choose a website or choose a social networking website and then also the other thing, talk about that period where you started your blog and you gave yourself that one year deadline. >> Yeah. >> You weren't making any money. What were you doing to make money? >> Obviously, the Internet, it's a big deal. A lot of people see it and we're very lucky. Another reason why we're lucky in this time, ten years ago, there's no way I could do what I'm doing cuz there was no Internet in the same capacity that's it in now. I couldn't use the Internet to contact the people I wanted to talk or to even start my own site and I didn't care that first site, jerrypark.com, I didn't care if 10,000 people saw it or if 10 as long it was the right 10. I used it pretty much like an online resume because I needed that site. I knew I wasn't gonna make money off that site. I needed that site to propel me into getting a job. That was my part of the deadline. As far as the deadline in getting paid, I didn't. I had enough money set up. I might have, I think I did a couple, I had some small connections like I would write scripts and stuff, some TV work, but I really didn't. >> Living off of savings and, that year. >> Yeah, yeah. It was six months, so it ended up being from October 2007 to April 1st, 2008. It's a huge risk, maybe some people can't do that. Maybe you have to do something on the side, but I was so focused. You work on your own. I work from home and I'm working 16 hours a day. I don't stop, man. Even today. Tonight, I don't really go out that much. I'm always working, especially MMA. It's crazy. August, there's like six events. You're falling all over the place, you're going to places, they just don't stop. And that helps me be successful and even when I wasn't getting paid I just devoted myself to it. Cuz I knew it was gonna pay off and it almost didn't, cuz I was gonna leave. I was gonna be true to my word. But again, you have to be sorta lucky and you have to work hard too along the way. It's like this perfect storm of stuff. 

Determination

Focus

Risk

10 vs 10,000

So I end up having to decide, I'm gonna go to Cirque's University. It's time to decide colleges. And I apply to new house. That's the school of communications. And I don't get in and I was very, very upset. Cuz that was like my angle. But they put me in another school. They put me the school of Public Communications. So they say that if you, excuse me they put me in speech communication sorry. They say if you get a 3.5 GPA you can move into a Newhouse. Which is the school of communication, where those guys like Bob Costas and Marv Albert went. So I was like, this is a roll of the dice, I'm gonna do it, and see what happens. Now in my community in Montreal, no one leaves home to go to school, everyone stayed. If you're familiar with Montreal, Miguel, Concordia, those are the two schools everyone goes, no one left, I was the only one. I don't know why, I just felt like I was on my own and I had no support system, no net. I didn't feel like anyone really got me. Well, the first year ends, I get my 3.5. I get 3.51 and I get to go to Newhouse. And I made it to Newhouse, I'm on my way. The times did not get better for me, I was still incredibly depressed. I knew that this was the right path, but you're a kid, you're 20 years old, you wanna have friends, you wanna have girlfriends. I didn't talk to anyone. And it was very hard. And I remember in February of my second year I start packing my bag and I said I'm done. I can't take this anymore. I remember I had to drive from Metro out of cities. I was so depressed. I said, why am I doing this? Why am I doing this to myself? And thankfully my parents reminded me why I was doing it. You're absolutely not quitting, you have to keep doing this. So I unpacked my bags and I remember, that was very tough cuz I was like yes I'm doing it. I'm gonna go home. I'm gonna be happy and they convinced me not to, thankfully. So anyhow, I remember that in my third year I went to like, someone suggested that I go to like a student like, not a psychiatrist but like a guy who helps you kinda figure out your way. And I went to him, and he was like, you're not happy here, you should go home. And it pissed me off. I was like okay now despite you I'm gonna stay here and I'm gonna go and I'm gonna graduate. And I'm gonna prove you wrong. I took it as a threat, and he was actually pushing me to go on him. I was like I'm not coming to you to get me to leave. I'm coming to you to figure things out and get me to stay. So that was just kinda funny, and I ended up graduating thankfully. 

Conflict

Support & Encouragement

Transitions

Conflicted

Okay, so then I secured this gig to work at the NBC olympics. Not the NBC olympics, the olympics for NBC in Greece in 2004. I was going to be an intern. So I go, I got this gig it is a pretty big deal and only two of us got it. I was pretty excited about it. My third day back home in Montreal I'm playing basketball and I break my ankle. So I'm like man, it was heartbreaking. I'd finally come home, I was excited for a whole summer of fun and I break my ankle severely playing basketball. And then I come to realize that I can't go to the Olympics. And so I had to give up the Olympic gig another sort of heartbreaking thing. Well, the summer before I graduated, I interned at HBO sports as just sort of like an intern production guy. And they just sorta out of the blue, a few weeks later after I broke my ankle emailed me and said, would you like to work on this documentary about the 1985 Georgetown vs Villanova NCH championship game, which is a historic game. Villanova was a big underdog and they ended up winning the title. I was like this is kind of cool, but I didn't want to go into production. I wanted to be like a radio host. I wanted to be a TV guy. I freaked out because I thought, I got this broken ankle. I moved to New York still with my crutches, still with my everything. I was working for HBO and I kind of liked doing production. I was like this is cool and it was a good experience. 

Experience

Opportunity

Broken Opportunity

So, I start this website, a blog. Just on WordPress, that my friend set up for me. Anyhow, so, people started to notice me. Because every morning I would post an audio interview with a fighter. That was my thing. Because at first I was like, I'm not gonna go around doing video interviews, so I'll show people that I can interview fighters, and I can get good angles, and good story lines. And it started to catch on. But nothing was really happening. March 2008 comes, I had no job, still not getting paid. I've done the sacrifice. In the middle of all that I got engaged. So like now I'm kinda getting a little bit worried. I'm not making any money. Right before April 1st, like it was like March 27th or 26th, I get a call from my company, It's called the Wasserman Media Group. They're a sport management agency company in Los Angeles. A very big agency, they represent tons of big soccer players, basketball players, guys like Tracy McGrady and all that stuff. They're starting an MMA website and they've heard of my stuff. So they contact me and say we want you to be the guy in charge of our site. We negotiate a little bit. And I hope they aren't watching this or never watch this, but I totally lied about how much I made at Spike. I made X amount of dollars. I think I told them I made $60,000 which at the time was ridiculous, I think I made $40,000. And I was like I want you guys to pay me 70 to be head of your website. Oh wow okay, we'll do it and I was like oh my God. I can't believe this. Someone's gonna pay me to run a website MMA, do what I wanna do, they're paying me way more than I was making at Spike. It all worked out. This is great 

Money & Financial Security

Perseverance

Evolving

So talk about being confused. I went to a high school that had two branches, one in different parts of town in Montreal, that's where I grew up. The summer, grade nine going into grade ten, I decided I would go to the other branch. No one does that. You stick with your branch, and you don't go to the rival school. So I go to the other branch, I stay there for one week. And I'm like I miss my friends, I miss my friends so I go back to the other branch to my original branch. I stay there for like four to five days I get it to like a fight with this kids in my grade and I decide, I'm out of here I'm going back to the new branch. So I change schools three times in the span of three weeks and then I was like labeled as like a real coocoo. My friends still like me but, it was like very confusing time and I got really, really depressed then, I thought I didn't know who I was and I was picking fights with everyone. I was like a really hard core in New York Knicks fan, back then and they were kinda like the bad team like the bad guys and everyone used to make fun of me and I still like take it so personally and I used to like fight with the kids and it was just ridiculous time like I was just like I really thought it was me against the world. And all I had were my dreams that one day I'm going to go into broadcasting and I'm going to be the man. And I'm gonna forget about this and I'm gonna be happy but that was a long ways away. So I ended up sticking with that high school, the new one for two years and I was miserable. I really was not happy and I would count down the days til it was over. And I can't even tell you how unhappy I was, I just hated it. 

Confused

Well one thing that I was like asking leaders is idea of success and how you do it. >> I think everyone has a different interpretation to that, right? It's like it all depends on your goal and how much, how hard you work to achieve that goal. But I don't consider myself a successful at all. I'm just starting and I don't want anyone to think that I believe I've been successful. There's a long ways to go. So you have to be consistent and work hard at it and always get better. That's what will make me successful so. I'll have to probably really answer your question maybe like in 20, 50 years or something. >> 20, 30 years? >> Yeah, yeah, exactly. So I just thing that people are like, wow you're. Yeah, I'm living the dream. But it doesn't mean I'm successful, you know? I can't stop and smell the roses, you know? I don't like to do that. >> Do you view your success is more like when you're on a sports team as like you gotta keep on sticking around in order to do it? What I mean? >> Yes but you have to get better too, what I mean? Like I look at some of my interviews from four months ago and I see an improvement and I think that I can do way better the one I'm doing now. After every single event that I go to I'm always upset. I'm always like I could have done better. I was upset overall, but I screwed up this, I stuttered here, I said the wrong thing here, I had the wrong intro there. So you have to be very critical of yourself and you have to keep striving to get better. What I mean? Because if you get complacent and if you think, oh, I'm in a good place, then your work is gonna suffer definitely. 

Success

I Can't Stop & Smell The Roses

A friend of mine once told me a saying, which is kind of cliche, but it's don't count the days, make the days count. And I'd always felt like I was counting the days. Like, can't wait to go home. It's spring break. Can't wait to see my friends, or my family. In Syracuse I was counting every single day. I mean, literally. I had a calendar and I was counting the days until winter vacation, until spring break, until I could go home. And then once it was done, and now I make the days count. Like at the end of every day I always ask myself like, did I do this? Did I do that, did I work harder than everyone? You can say I'm not the best broadcaster or the best MMA journalist. But I guarantee you no one's working harder than me. When I go to the events, I get there at like 3 o' clock if it's west coast. I don't go to sleep till like seven. And I go straight to the airport. I don't go sea but when the fight's over like 10 PM pacific, I'm going back to my room. I'm posting all my videos. I try to get interviews with every single guy who won. Even if sometimes I can't. I'm trying to get my data post fight interview. I'm trying to get as much content from every single event that I attend and that's it. You have to make the days count because and I truly believe that. Again, people are always tell me you're the best MMA journalist. I don't really think I'm the best. I think it's like Woody Allen once said, 80% of success is just showing up, and I think I just show up and I come to all the events. I'm always there. And one of the cool things people tell me is that you're a part of the show now. We look forward to your pre-fight interviews, your post-fight interviews, your coverage in between. So I think it's a cool thing to live by, just making the days count, just working as hard as you can. And at the end of the day, you can rest, but while you're awake just keep working hard. Cuz it's such a simple thing to say it. But if you just work hard and you're not lazy, you can get so much done and you could be so successful. 

Make The Days Count

Just live the dream you know what I mean? Because you only get to do this once. And you don't want to be looking back in a few years and regretting that you didn't go out there and do it. Just do not take no for an answer and just always believe in yourself. And you could do it man. I don't even know what exactly your dreams are. I mean, I know a little bit about all of you now, but you know, you haven't told me exactly told me what your dream job is. Whatever it is you can do it. If I could do it. You can do it. You know what I mean, I couldn't talk, I was shy, I had the problems, just just keep fighting, just keep doing, keep living the dream and do not settle. Do not settle you know what I mean that you are only cheating yourself. At the end of the day all you have is your self and you want to look back at the end of your time on this earth and say you accomplished what you want to accomplish or at least tried. There is nothing wrong with trying, you know, sometimes it just doesn't work out. Sometimes you don't get lucky like I did and that those guys call me, those, think of it. Those guys call me I'm you know, I'm going back to doing my thing. You gotta get lucky sometimes, just put yourself out there, keep working hard and keep living the dream. It's sound so cliché but a lot of people don't do it. I can think of five people off the top of my head that I know that didn't do it. So keep going, it's all going to work out. Trust me. >> Thank you. >> No problem. [LAUGH] 

Passion

Live The Dream

I ended up getting a job with Spike TV. That was what I was going for. I wanted to work at Spike because they air UFC events, and I thought that's the place to be. Productions, UFCs, Spike, it's the place for me. So I finally got the job and it was such a painstaking process. My bosses at this production company tell me don't do it you're gonna regret it. Fightcom is not a good place to work for you, you're creative juices are gonna get sort of suffocated, it's not a good place for you. But I was like, no, no, no, I wanna go to Spikes, to UFC, it's exciting. Third day there, sitting, I made the hugest mistake of my life, the biggest mistake, hugest is not a word. >> [LAUGH] >> So I'm like, man, I just made a huge mistake, I cannot believe that I did this. They were right. I should have listened to them. I thought that they were being just sort of jealous, but they were right. They gave me the right advice. It's a big mistake. This is not the place for me. Why? Because they don't produce anything. They just get the tapes from Zoofile, from the owners of the UFC. They don't do anything creative, so there's really nothing there. A week after starting the job, I go into the guy's office, the head of the sports department at Spike, and I say, I'm really, really sorry, but I have to go. This is a huge mistake. And he's like this is the biggest mistake of your life. You're gonna regret this. You're unprofessional. I did so much to get you here. I can't believe you do this for me. I don't want to talk to you get out of my face, essentially, sort of paraphrasing but he was really not so supportive. Well anyhow. >> [LAUGH] >> I kinda felt bad but I was like I'm pretty sure of this. When I know something, I know something. And it kinda reminded me back in high school when I like made a decision to change schools and then I make a decision to leave. And I was like, oh, this is happening all over again. People brought that up, they're like, you just have to stick with things stop jumping around. But I knew it wasn't right. Well anyways, they sit, they kept me in my cubicle for a month until they found someone new. And it was incredibly frustrating at first cuz I wasn't doing anything. So, I was just surfing the web, and I was surfing MMA sites cuz this is now the height of my interest in it. So, I'm surfing these MMA sites and I realize that their videos interview and video coverage is so, it's just so low budget. It was always like these guys holding the cameras and talking it was shaky and it was just, it wasn't good. So I was like, yeah, maybe this is what I could do. Maybe I could be like the MMA reporter. This is going back to my original thought of being an MMA reporter and working up the ladder. 

Regrets

Hugest Is Not A Word

So, I work at HBO, I do really well, and I decide that I'm done being a broadcaster, I want to be in production. This is fun. I like doing behind the scenes work. HBO offers me a job to stick around, it was a one year gig to work on the documentary. They say we like you a lot, you're gonna stick around. I'm excited, I'm happy. I remember I went and bought a pizza. I was very happy. And then I get a call and say HR is not letting me stick around because they don't wanna sponsor my visa. You have to go when the contract is up in May. And that was an other heart breaking thing. I liked the job, I was happy and I had to leave. So I just had to leave. So then for six months I was out of a job. So I stick around, I don't know and this time I'm like really freaking out, because I lose the NBC thing, I now lose now the HBO thing. I'm not doing really what I wanted to do, but I kinda liked it. I don't really know anyone here in terms of contacts in New York. That was kind of annoying and at that time I wasn't really thinking about doing the broadcasting thing, the MMA thing, whatever. So I get this job working at ESPN Classic, I work on this TV show, I was like their researcher. And I'm sorry for boring you guys but its a bit of a long story. >> No, it's a good story. >> Oh, okay. Cool. Cool. So, I get this job working as a researcher at ESPN Classic. I remembered working on that show and it was a cool group of guys, I was just telling them, you gotta get in to MMA. MMA is the sport and I was always the MMA guy, but we never covered it because no cared about it. Well the show gets cancelled. So again I'm out of a job, six months later it gets cancelled. So I was like, man this is bummer. So I start pitching them ideas about shows because when that show gets cancelled, I have no where to go and I'm like, well maybe if I could pitch them an idea I can work for them and I won't have to find a new employer. So I use to hang out at their office, pitching them ideas and working on little things for them. And one day, the owner of the company gets a call and he comes back. And he goes, have you ever heard of the UFC? And I said, yeah, of course, I'm a huge fan. And he says, well, I just got a call from someone at Spike and they want us to produce the pre-show online for the finals of the Ultimate Fighter III. This is Ortiz versus Shamrock, you know, Michael Bisping and all that stuff. And I was like, and he's like, do you know anything about this, I was like yeah, he said like, you wanna produce and write in and put it all together I was like, absolutely. So, I got to produce that show, Forrest Griffin and Stephan Bonnar were the hosts. It was the first time I got to go to Vegas. First time ever I've got to attend the UFC event. I got to work on the show. I got to see like Kenny Florian versus Sam Stout, Bisping win the you know, the Built to be a Fighter, price and all that, it was great. And I was like, wow, this is awesome, I wanna work in MMA. Like it finally clicked, it was like I couldn't believe that this would happen. So I stick with those guys, they are really impressed because they had never even heard of the UFC, so they are really impressed and now I kinda gave them the confidence that I could do things on my own even if it's not MMA related. 

It Finally Clicked

But I'll say something to you Antoine, that if you do want to get into MMA reporting, or anything involved in MMA, you're in a very good spot, you're ahead of the game. Even though let's say I've been doing this for a few years, this is a very new sport. And you go to the events, and I work for AOL, and there's Yahoo there, and ESPN is starting to get involved. But there are not that many media outlets there. And it's a good time for people like us, who want to get into covering this sport, because this sport, it's still on the ground floor, it's not mainstream yet. You walk outside, a lot of people don't know about the stuff that we know about, so it's a very good time. Right now, sure, there are not a whole lot of people who are offering a lot of money. It's amazing, at least two or three times a day I'll get an email on Facebook or email, how do I get started in MMA? And I tell them, a much shorter version of the story I just told you, but just go out and do it. Just start contacting fighters, start your own website. And you can talk to the Lebron James of MMA, you can't talk to Lebron James if you're starting out. You could talk to Chuck Liddell, he will get back to you. You could write to him on Twitter, he'll probably respond. But right now's a very good time to get involved in the sport, if it's a true passion of yours. 

Now Is A Good Time

Another big turning point for me was, I was in Abu Dhabi for a UFC event this past April. And I was only one of two western journalist that got to cover this event cuz AOL had a nice budget and they were allowing me to go. And a big controversy happened, Anderson Silva, he starts acting crazy and I got to interview Dana after the event. And Dana's a very powerful guy but he's a very intimidating guy. He has this sort of persona, and he's never said no to me. I think he kinda respects me. I think he knows that I'm professional. I have a good background. He respects me, and he never says no to me. Every time I've asked him for an interview, he's always said yes. And that's all I can ask him. And this was a very low point for him. Because the UFC had sold part of their company to this company in Abu Dhabi and this was their first event and it was a very big deal and Anderson >> That kind of clout. >> Yeah, you said it not me, so he kind of. >> I'll say it. >> Yeah, yeah of course. So he kind of soured it and Dana said yes to me after the fight and we did an interview, and we talked about how upset he was and everything. And that interview blew up, it got a million views on YouTube in like three days. And that was a huge turning point for me. So things like that happened and now I'm pretty comfortable. And I got to cover the Olympics for AOL this past year, and that was in Canada for Vancouver the winter Olympics. And it's bizarre, Fight Magazine, which is a very respected magazine in our industry, they did their top 20 most influential people in MMA. Dana's obviously number one, but they put me as three for the future. And which was crazy, this month's issue. I should have brought it. I can't believe I just went to the store and bought like three copies. The other journalists in the sports they were always making fun of me because we'd go to the events now and because I'm on camera, and just because I'm more visible. The fans come up to me, fans such as yourself, and they ask to take pictures. And they ask me to sign things. Someone asked me to sign a program with GSP and Dana on it. I'm like, I'm gonna ruin this. I'm gonna devalue your thing. They're like, no we want to, we huge fans, this and that. And it's just mind blowing. Someone gave me a t-shirt recently that they made of me dressed as a fighter. >> [LAUGH] >> And it's bizarre, man. I have over 10000 Twitter followers now, which I'm pretty sure, well I am sure, I didn't want to be so conceded. It's more than any of the other MMA writers out there and just the respect that I get from the fans. All those people used to make fun of me on SureDog and the forums. Now give me props and the UG, named me reporter of the year last year and I just can't believe it. 

Self-Reflection

Turning Points

So, how was your experience with your parents or your friends around you when you were trying to follow your dream in a field that not many people have heard about, wasn't really big? And people might have doubted you, how would you react and overcome that? >> Yeah, yeah, well, I'm very, very lucky. My parents, the most supportive parents you could ever ask for. I did not go down the path of the typical Jewish kid growing up in Montreal. They all want to go be lawyers and doctors and stuff like that. I wanted to be a sports broadcaster and they were very supportive. I will gladly admit if it wasn't for them I couldn't go to Syracuse, it's crazy. It's very expensive school to go to. And they supported me and they told me not to leave even if it was too expensive. They could have been like, yes, this our chance we don't have to pay anymore, you know help him out. I couldn't afford it, they helped me out. So they're very, very supportive. When I left my job at Spike to go do this, they're very supportive. They are always, and the funny this is, my dad, I was a kid, when I was a kid I used to watch pro wrestling a lot. I loved it, I loved it. And that I think, led to my infatuation with MMA. And he always used to tell me, how could a smart kid like you watch this? Turn that crap off. He would always get really mad at me. He really hated me watching it, now he's my biggest fan. And he watches all my videos. He has no idea what we are talking about but he's a huge supporter. I don't like when you wear this. I don't like when you do this. Stop moving your hands so much. >> Like a parent usually. >> Yeah, exactly. It's supportive, they're not trying to rain on my parade. 

Family

Parental Support

Even when I was doing the production stuff I was getting that feeling. I wasn't happy doing it. I would wake up and I was like, yeah I work for HBO. That's awesome, you get to meet all these athletes. But I wasn't truly happy. I can't wait to wake up now. And I could never say that about my life even in high school, even when I was going to summer camp, even when my parents would treat me like a king at home and I had no worry in the world. I'd hated it. I wasn't happy. I didn't look forward to waking up. I'd always be like a morning grumpy person. Now, the first thing I do, I wake up and I have set my iPhone next to me. And I go straight on to the MMA websites, because I can't wait to see what I missed at like 3AM or if any news broke. It's great to love what you do so there's no reason why any one of us can't do what we love doing. You know what I mean? There's no reason, why should we have to settle? If you wanna be the biggest, the Barbara Walters of Korea >> [LAUGH] >> Who knows? Why not? You could do whatever you wanna do. If you wanna do, there's no reason so just go for it. And this is the time. Two, three years, it might not be 

Fulfillment

Why Settle

You just gotta keep fighting. Like I said, you just have to believe in yourself. And I always believed that something was gonna work in my favor. Because even my friends used to tell me, theres always this dark cloud. But you know why there was the dark cloud? Why people viewed a dark cloud over me is because I was the dreamer, right? I wasn't settling. I could have worked for my dad like some of my friends. I could have stayed in Montreal, but if you put yourself out there you're gonna encounter other problems along the way. If you stay in your nest, in your bubble,like you were talking about, you're not gonna ever encounter those things. So if you put yourself out there, if you dream, if you have a goal, there's gonna be roadblocks. Cuz that's part of shooting for the stars. But the good ones fight through. And I'm not saying I'm the good ones, there are definitely lucky things that happened along the way, but that's the fun part. Because you definitely don't wanna be 50, and look back, and say, I had it in me, and I didn't do it because of whatever reason. You know what I mean? And you're young, all you guys are young. Even you're 25, you're the oldest one, right, of the group, and I was older than you when I started this. So you can't let it get to you. It's cool to lick your wounds and to feel sorry for yourself for a couple weeks or whatever, but if you believe in yourself I truly, truly believe that, if you believe in yourself you can keep going. It's a very, very hard thing cuz trust me man, I wanted to quit. Like I said I start packing my bags and if I left Syracuse, I wouldn't be here talking to you guys. That was definitely part of the story. So and that is why I touch on it for so long, but it's made me so much stronger everything along the way. 

The Good Ones Fight Through

I was feeling kinda down, and I did an interview with Gina Carano. I don't know if you guys know Gina Carano, but she was a-- [Roadtripper] Started off on American Gladiator. [Ariel] Gladiators, you know, she was a fighter, and um... we had like an awkward moment, where like I held the microphone in front of her too long, and I was like bringing it back and forth, and I was like, "I'm not really good at this, "am I?" I said something like this, and she's like, "No no no, you're good, you're good!" And she started like lau-, and I was like, "Wow, you know, "she thinks I'm good." I was like, "You know what? "Screw those haters, you know? This is funny. "Maybe I am a little weird, but, you know, I can get "good interviews. I can make them "a little more personable and things like that." And she really gave me confidence, you know, that the people that I truly respect are the ones that put themselves out there, who don't settle, who go out an-an-and shoot for the stars. 

Desire

Ariel Helwani Highlight

In high school I always had a lot of friends, but internally I was always kind of, very, I always liked to be alone. I was obsessed with sports magazines, then I started to really focus on sports broadcasting. I used to watch all the events. So I was known as the broadcasting guy and I would always do it with my friends. We'd play basketball and then afterwards I'd pretend I'm the post-game guy and I would do the interview with them. And I was known as the guy, everyone always got a kick out of it. And I remember in 9th grade, I'll never forget it, I was reading Sports Illustrated. And it was an issue that listed the best schools for whatever. And then I got to best broadcasting school, and it said Syracuse University. So I was like, I'm going to Syracuse University. So I leave, and I was already a shy kid. I had become like ten times more shy. I used to sit in my dorm my freshman year, I was so afraid to leave to go brush my teeth that I would wait until I heard everyone was sleeping, at like 2:30, 3:00AM just to go brush my teeth so I can run back into my room. I was petrified of people. But I did have my dream of being a broadcaster and that's what kept me on my path. 

Fear

Goals

Dana White, who's the president of the UFC, I was interviewing him, and he said on camera one day, this in November, this guy's turned into one of the best interviewers in the sport. And when he gives you the stamp of approval everyone else does. And that was a huge deal. >> Ariel Howani, post fight at UFC 128 alongside UFC President Dana White, and Dana so much to discuss. John Jones is the new light heavyweight champion, but I wanted to know. I think that if I didn't deal with those problems in college, being afraid to talk to people, I think I would have not been able to deal with the people criticizing me online. The people that I truly respect are the ones that put themselves out there, who don't settle, who go out and shoot for the stars. 

Ariel Helwani

MMA Sports Reporter

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Ariel Helwani

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