Being born with a disability is automatically deemed a disadvantage by mainstream society, but then there are those who refuse to be setback by their conditions.
For 27-year-old Thomas Paull, living his whole life without the ability to hear has never been a setback for him.
“All my life I have been told there are many things I can’t achieve due to my deafness,” Paull said.
No has never been a reliable answer for Paull, a man who defies the odds on a daily basis as a professional mixed martial artist who looks to prove a point each time he enters the cage.
Paull is an MMA fighter currently representing Team Underground MMA out of London, England.
He holds an 11-4 record on the professional stage, presenting an incredible 100 per cent finish rate, with all 11 of his victories resulting in knockouts.
His impressive resume is actively on display for Golden Ticket Fight Promotions (GTFP), the organization he fights under as a double champion in two weight divisions.
Thomas Paull sits atop cage raising both championship belts following his first round knockout victory over Perry Goodwin at GTFP 18. Photo credit: Golden Ticket Fight Promotions
For Paull, becoming a professional combat athlete wasn’t the original plan.
He grew up in a majority deaf family, as well as a predominantly deaf community. Paull’s struggles as a child grew gradually as he was bullied for his deafness, often being left out of group activities and social interaction.
As he matured, he became determined to create goals for himself and follow a dream of joining the British army.
Unfortunately for Paull, he was told the army would not allow deaf individuals to join, so he believed MMA was the next best thing.
“I would love to be a part of the army, but I simply can’t join at all,” Paull told Humber News in an interview done by messaging. “So I found another way to almost match all that discipline, mentality, and desire to reach your goal.
“MMA is the closest thing I can get myself into war,” he said.
Paull said he has received an outpouring of support from the deaf community for going above and beyond, and for educating the professional sports scene on deafness.
“I get messages from people who feel insecure about being deaf, telling me how proud they are of me, and how happy they are to show their parents,” Paull said.
After posting videos on social media trying to get the attention of UFC president Dana White, Paull was given his dream opportunity to fight for a UFC contract in August on Dana White’s Contender Series.
Paull fell short with a loss, but he treated it as a moment of learning and is completely determined to return to the grand stage of MMA.
He is currently scheduled to fight on Dec. 3 in the main event at GTFP 21 against Bailey Gilbert for the featherweight championship.
Paull believes this fight is among the most crucial in his career because he’ll have the opportunity to become a three-weight world champion.
“I must become a triple champ because it will help me get closer to the UFC once again,” he said.
He is adamant on his path to earning another shot at the UFC after admitting he is still in awe at his recent bout fighting at the UFC Apex, an experience he considers the greatest achievement thus far in his career, despite the loss.
“Sometimes I pinch myself that it actually happened, I was given the opportunity,” Paull said. “All my life I thought it was almost impossible because of the way I was treated by people.”
His journey in MMA has directly supported his mission to raise deaf awareness, and Paull makes it clear he won’t be the last professional deaf fighter.
He admits it’s not something that was easily achieved, and the deaf community must work hard to separate themselves from common stereotypes.
“It’s very important to show them that we can have opportunities if we work hard and believe in ourselves, yes it’s f*****g hard but I will keep fighting and raise deaf awareness,” Paull said.
He’s looking to add another knockout victory to his resume in December, further cementing his reputation as a knockout artist in the U.K. fight scene.
Paull says he takes pride in his brutal fighting style, vowing to entertain fans once more as he warns his doubters to stay tuned for his plans to prove them wrong once again.
“They think the deaf are dumb, not anymore. We ain’t sitting around anymore, I’ve got to make it happen,” he said.
“I must become a UFC fighter before I die, that’s the only thing I want from life,” Paull said.