> Skip to content

Article  •  16 June 2016

 

Face Your Fears

The career of UFC fighter Soa ‘The Hulk’ Palelei at a glance.

Following a childhood from hell, mixed martial arts helped put Soa ‘The Hulk’ Palelei on the right path in life. His memoir, Face Your Fears, is a raw and powerful story about turning obstacles into opportunities and following your dreams – destroying the odds in the hope for a better life.

Pelelei had his professional fighting debut in 2002, and he went on to dominate on the Australian circuit. Five years later he was signed on to compete in the revered Ultimate Fighting Championship. But the dream didn’t last, and his became a rollercoaster story of crushing defeats, comebacks and winning streaks on the world’s biggest stage.

 

Here’s a snapshot of Palelei’s career at a glance:

Nickname: The Hulk

Born: 12 July 1977

From: Newcastle, Australia

Height: 6’4″

Weight: 130kgs

Reach: 81”

MMA Debut: 2002

Retired: 2015

Career Record: 22 wins (19 by KO) and 5 losses

Fastest Victory: 0:12 (Vs Bob Sapp, 2012)

Championships: K-Oz Entertainment Super Heavyweight Championship (2012); AFC Heavyweight Championship (2012); defended AFC Heavyweight Championship (2012).

 

Feature Title

Face Your Fears
From homeless kid to the UFC's world stage – Soa Palelei's is an inspirational story of an Australian fighter who never gave up.
Read more

More features

See all
Article
Best crime books to gift this Christmas: 6 unforgettable reads

Discover the best crime books to gift this Christmas. From chilling thrillers to clever mysteries, these six page-turners will keep readers hooked.

Article
Penguin picks: The Lucky Sisters by Rachael Johns

Penguin Random House publisher, Ali shares her current pick: The Lucky Sisters by Rachael Johns. Read her review here!

Article
Sofie Laguna on the voice that led her to The Underworld

A furious, brilliant woman stepped from the pages of a notebook – and inspired Laguna’s new novel, The Underworld.

Article
QUIZ: Which character are you from What Have They Done to Liza McLean?

Take this quiz to find out whether you're a Meg, Liza or Benny – the key characters from the new YA psychological thriller.

Article
ABC Radio National's Top 100 Books of the 21st century

Check out the Penguin Random House titles that made the cut for ABC Radio National's 'Top 100 Books of the 21st century' list, as voted by over 280,000 readers.

Article
Better Reading’s Top 100 books of 2025 announced

We’re happy to share that an impressive twenty-five Penguin Random House titles made the list this year.

Article
The Jack Reacher books in order

Want to read the Reacher series but not sure where to start? This guide will tell you how to read the Jack Reacher books in order, so you can start with book one and work your way through all thirty!

Article
A useful guide to the Jack Reacher books

Everything you need to know about the Jack Reacher books. Learn about Lee and Andrew Child, figure out which order to read them and quiz your Reacher knowledge.

Article
Booker Prize shortlist 2025

The shortlist for the 2025 Booker Prize has been announced, with four Penguin Random House titles named this year.

Article
QUIZ: What kind of mullet are you?

Take this quiz to find out what type of mullet you are, in honour of Nick Sharratt’s book, Mullets.

Article
Your guide to Dan Brown’s Robert Langdon series

Here’s what you need to know about Dan Brown’s Robert Langdon series – including which order to read the books!

Article
10 of the best fantasy books you don't want to miss

Check out some of the best fantasy books with unique magic systems.

Looking for more articles?

See all articles