MEET THE KHANs

1. What does being a father mean to you? Being a father means putting your son’s needs ahead of yours. We have our individual goals but that changes slightly when you become a parent. I think about my son first in every decision I make in life, and how it will affect him so I always take him into consideration in everything I do.
2. What is the toughest part about being a father? The responsibility of being a father is tough. I am still figuring my life out while figuring out my son’s life as well, but it is a fun process because we get to figure out our lives together and that is the beauty of having a kid.
3. What surprised you most about being a father? What surprised me the most is myself, because I remember just before becoming a Dad, I was clueless. I felt maybe I was not capable of having this responsibility because it is scary and life-changing.
   
   What surprised me was the moment he was born; a switch just flipped, and my instincts kicked in and I must now step up to be a figure to my son.
4. What was your most rewarding moment of being a father? Just seeing the smile on my son's face every day, is rewarding for me. Watching him grow, learn new things, and the excitement in his eyes every little small thing makes the process of raising a child, beautiful.
5. What is one word to best describe being a father? One word that would best describe being a father is Responsibility.

1. What values does ONE teach you to be a better father? One of the values ONE has taught me is the warrior spirit. Being a dad is fun yet tough and this warrior spirit gets me through the tough times. I have learned a lot from my experience at ONE that would translate very well to my daily life.
2. Did being a father changed the way you fought in the Circle and how so? I would say being a father has changed my focus in general and that really influences my performance in the Circle as well. I try to be as focused as possible at every training session because I know I have to give everything I have got.
   
   The success I have in my career will affect Leonel’s life so if I do well, his life will be better. Therefore I feel that my focus has dramatically increased since becoming a father.
3. Could you tell us more about your late father and the role he played in your fighting career? My dad has always been in my corner since day one. He may not here with us now, but I know he is in spirit. I had Tourette Syndrome when I was growing up and my dad decided to focus on me and making sure I go on the right path.
   
   He has dedicated his whole life to me and that sacrifice from him has played a big role in my life and made me the man I am today.
4. Would you like Leonel to follow in your footsteps? It is every fighter’s dream for their child to follow in their footsteps. I started when I was 14, so it would be awesome if he is really keen. I could be a proper coach figure and have everything for him to succeed.
   
   But a key lesson from my late father is to never force anything upon your child. My dad has never forced me to do anything in life, he lets me pick my own destination and that is what I will do with Leonel as well. I will introduce him to martial arts and many other sports, and I will guide him to greatness.
   
   My dad has always told me if you have passion for anything you do in life, you can make a living out of it, and you don’t have to worry if you just dedicate and focus on that one thing that you love. That is something I will impart to Leonel.