#620 - Keith Peterson

Summary

This Past Weekend w/ Theo Von

Episode #620 – Keith Peterson
Release Date: October 26, 2025

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Episode Overview

In this engaging episode, Theo Von sits down with Keith Peterson, famed MMA referee dubbed “Mr. No Nonsense.” Peterson, who’s also a father, musician, and diesel mechanic, shares the path from his hardcore music days and fighting career to becoming one of the sport’s most respected refs. The conversation delves into his personal life—family, tragedies, day job, coaching, and the philosophy of keeping things straightforward in and out of the cage. The exchange is candid, humorous, and at times unexpectedly touching.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Origin of "No Nonsense" (01:17-02:15)

• Keith Peterson explains his "no nonsense" moniker was given by commentator Jon Anik, going on to describe his philosophy as direct and straightforward.
  • “The no nonsense thing is just, you know, my approach towards things… and it kind of just stuck and I think it fits.”
    (01:30, Keith Peterson)
• Admits there’s a little room for nonsense, especially during holidays and birthdays, but in fighting and work, he stays focused.

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2. Life Before Refereeing: Music & Fighting (02:33-05:53, 10:30-18:20)

• Keith grew up in Long Island, NY. Early nickname was "Froggy" because of his raspy voice.
• Fought in amateur MMA, Muay Thai, and kickboxing—eventually transitioned to reffing when training became too demanding.
• Music has been a huge part of his life:
  • Fronted hardcore bands "GFY" (Go F*** Yourself) and "Loser Sometimes Win."
  • Hardcore scene influenced much of his approach to life and connected him to his wife at a Hatebreed show.
    • “That’s how I met my wife.” (13:47, Keith Peterson)
• Both the intensity of hardcore and MMA are similar: “It’s like, when the pedal is pressed all the way down in a car… there’s that [energy].” (18:20, Interviewer)

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3. Early Days of Refereeing & Mental Approach (04:23-10:22)

• Compared learning to ref with brain surgery: “You’re not going to be as good as you’re going to be in ten years, but no one could die.” (04:29, Keith Peterson)
• First realization of responsibility mid-fight: “Oh no, that’s me… I stopped it.” (05:04, Keith Peterson)
• Fighters often plead pre-fight not to be stopped, but, “Usually when they say ‘don’t stop this,’ they end up stopping it… especially when they say, ‘I’m willing to die.’” (06:47, Keith Peterson)
• Emphasizes fighter safety and consistency in applying rules; admits mistakes happen and the key is to own and learn from them.
• Reviews his own reffing performances from every available camera angle.

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4. Family, Parenting, & Personal Growth (21:31-28:50)

• Married over 23 years: “The whole… marriage, kids, I love. That’s, you know, my number one thing.” (23:00, Keith Peterson)
• Parenting three children, supporting their diverse interests (music, wrestling, skateboarding): “My goal is to, you know, raise… good people without having to try… but if you shoot for that goal, yeah, it’s good.” (24:14, Keith Peterson)
• Discusses weight loss—cutting junk, running daily: “I just stopped eating horribly and running every day.” (26:52, Keith Peterson)
• Motivated by seeing peers pass away; values health, especially as a parent.

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5. On Addiction, Stereotypes, and Tattoos (29:03-31:16)

• Never struggled deeply with addiction, credits wrestling for keeping him focused.
• Discusses misconceptions due to appearance—tattoos, rough voice—“I was wild enough without drugs. It was never attractive.” (29:33, Keith Peterson)
• Got hand and neck tattoos young, no regrets.

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6. Sibling Loss & Family Bonds (36:02-41:16)

• Talks openly about recently losing his brother Rob: “He went to hospital on a Tuesday. He died on a Friday. So it was real fast.” (36:10, Keith Peterson)
• Describes their closeness, differences, mutual support, and handling grief.
• “How things work is… bad stuff’s gonna happen… it’s how you handle those moments. I believe… it was handled as perfect as it possibly could.” (37:15, Keith Peterson)

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7. Fighting Career & Transition to Ref (41:09-44:01)

• Held amateur MMA belts, fought notable trilogies, including with Jose Villan Nueva.
• Still referees fighters he once faced—a full-circle feeling.

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8. Work Outside MMA: Diesel Mechanic Life (45:04-47:04)

• Peterson has worked 28 years as a diesel mechanic for his Long Island town—“union job is awesome…letting me do…stuff that I want to do and branch out.” (45:28, Keith Peterson)
• Taught his kids practical skills—like changing tires.

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9. Journey to the UFC (50:23-53:32)

• Got first UFC gig at UFC 101 (2009), Philadelphia—was so excited he forgot how to get inside without a ticket.
• Reffed early fights for future UFC notables, like Paul Felder and Al Iaquinta.
• Finds pride in seeing fighters he reffed at local shows go on to global stages.

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10. Philosophy & Challenges of Reffing (54:28-71:44)

• Stresses responsibility for fighter safety: “My main thing is to have them fairly fight and, you know, health… being able to fight again.” (07:46, Keith Peterson)
• Describes the unique pressures and energy inside the cage—fighters like Dustin Poirier and Clay Guida have palpable presence.
• No major difference reffing men vs. women: “I’ve been lucky to get some of the best female fights ever… It’s amazing the level [women] have grown.” (58:16, Keith Peterson)
• Never witnessed a death in the ring; most fouls accidental, not strategic.
• Ref assignments given by commission, not chosen by referees.

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11. Coaching & Giving Back (72:46-75:49)

• Passionate about girls’ wrestling—assistant coach for Bayshore girls, runs Empire Girls Wrestling with his daughter, Mora.
• “It’s awesome. And then coaching with my daughter right now is really… She’s very good.” (73:44, Keith Peterson)
• Family unites around wrestling and music—life lessons learned through both.

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12. Discipline, Routine, and Work Ethic (75:42-82:12)

• Structured, busy days—mechanic by morning, wrestling coach by night.
• “I like to stay busy, I like to, you know, keep moving. I don’t sit around much.” (76:17, Keith Peterson)
• Finds comfort and confidence in routine—“Discipline equals freedom.” (82:01, Interviewer)

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13. Memorable & Unexpected Moments (82:19-85:57)

• Shares wild story about reffing with kidney stones and staple wounds:
  • “So I walk into the bathroom and now I’m feeling pain real bad… I pass it… felt so much better.” (85:04, Keith Peterson)
  • Self-reliance is a recurring theme.

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14. Community of MMA & The Referee's Role (86:39–87:32)

• The UFC world feels like “family” behind the scenes, even for a guy who likes to keep to himself.
• Theo expresses gratitude for Keith’s humility and example on and off the mat.

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Consistency and Responsibility:
  “You make a mistake, admit it and learn from it and move on.” (08:22, Keith Peterson)

• On Fighter Safety:
  “My main thing… is to have them fairly fight and, you know, health: them leaving and being able to fight again or whatever they want to do again.” (07:46, Keith Peterson)

• On Music, Hardcore and MMA:
  “There IS a connection… with jiu jitsu and hardcore, a lot of guys roll. With the UFC… they knew everything about it. I was pretty surprised but it makes sense.” (18:25, Keith Peterson)

• On Family and Marriage:
  “Marriage, kids, I love. That’s my number one thing… it’s been good. I would… lie [to] say easy, but good. Real good.” (23:00, Keith Peterson)

• On Staying Busy:
  “I don’t sit around much. Never been much of a sit around type of guy.” (76:17, Keith Peterson)

• On Handling Grief:
  “Bad stuff’s gonna happen… it’s how you handle those moments. I believe… it was handled as perfectly as it possibly could.” (37:15, Keith Peterson)

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Important Timestamps & Topics

• [01:17] – No Nonsense nickname, approach to life
• [03:14] – Amateur fighting career, transition to referee
• [10:30] – Band life and New York hardcore history
• [13:47] – Meeting his wife at a Hatebreed show
• [21:31] – First date and marriage insights
• [26:52] – Losing weight and health motivators
• [36:02] – Losing his brother Rob, family bonds
• [41:09] – Amateur championship bouts
• [45:04] – Long career as a diesel mechanic
• [50:23] – First UFC event as referee
• [58:16] – Women in MMA and wrestling
• [73:44] – Coaching with Mora, wrestling growth
• [85:04] – Reffing with kidney stones
• [86:39] – Community of MMA, feeling at home in the UFC world

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Tone & Style

The episode is relaxed, humorous, and genuine—often pivoting from light-hearted banter and laughs to moving moments about family, loss, and dedication. Theo Von’s style is curious and playful, while Keith Peterson gives thoughtful, direct answers, fitting his “no nonsense” persona, but showing warmth and depth throughout.

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Summary for New Listeners

This is a rich, multi-faceted conversation with Keith Peterson that extends well beyond MMA. Listeners get insight into what makes the “no nonsense” ref tick, his love of hardcore music, dedication to family and community, plus hard-earned wisdom from decades around tough people and tough choices. The episode has humor, heart, and a strong reminder that behind every stern ref or tattooed figure, there’s a human story of growth, discipline, and connection.

Transcript

[Keith Peterson]

When did making plans get this complicated?

[Interviewer]

It's time to streamline with WhatsApp, the.

[Keith Peterson]

Secure messaging app that brings the whole group together. Use polls to settle dinner plans. Send event invites and pin messages so no one forgets mom, 60th and never miss a meme or milestone. All protected with end to end encryption. It's time for WhatsApp message privately with everyone.

[Interviewer]

Learn [e-mail] Today's guest is a true renaissance man. He's a father, he's a MMA referee, he's a musician, and he's a mechanic. And he absolutely hates nonsense. Ladies and gentlemen, Mr. No Nonsense Keith Peterson. I'm sitting here with. With the man, no Nonsense Keith Peterson. Thanks for joining me, man. No problem. I gotta ask you straight up, dude. Is there how much nonsense is allowed in.

[Keith Peterson]

In what? In fighting or life or like, like.

[Interviewer]

What are your thoughts on. On nonsense? Because you got the name no Nonsense, right?

[Keith Peterson]

Yeah, I don't know, there's a time and place, I guess.

[Interviewer]

Right.

[Keith Peterson]

But I think it, like the no nonsense thing is just, you know, my approach towards things. And, you know, John Anick gave me that nickname and it kind of just stuck and I think it fits, you know, but, you know, this nonsense.

[Interviewer]

So it'll allow a little. Okay, depends. During the holidays?

[Keith Peterson]

Yeah, yeah, yeah, I guess.

[Interviewer]

Okay, okay. Maybe on your birthday weekend. There's a little bit of nonsense. Nonsense allowed.

[Keith Peterson]

But usually most of the things I do, I do very straightforward and, you know, no nonsense, I guess.

[Interviewer]

Yeah, I've been involved in too much nonsense and it's. It gets a little hairy, that's for sure.

[Keith Peterson]

Yeah.

[Interviewer]

John Nannick gave you that name. When was that?

[Keith Peterson]

Yeah, a few years ago. Yeah, we had a few conversations and then I think on. On air he said it and it just seem to take off and fit. Yeah, and I think it does fit.

[Interviewer]

Yeah.

[Keith Peterson]

You know, nicknames are weird, but I've had a few.

[Interviewer]

Yeah, what are some other ones you've had?

[Keith Peterson]

When I was little, my nickname was Froggy from like the Little Rascals. The voice. Oh, yeah, the little guy with the voice. I've always had this voice. So, yeah, that was my nickname pretty much until I got older, kind of grew out. Some people still call me that, though.

[Interviewer]

Yeah, there's this girl moved in across.

[Keith Peterson]

The street and she came over because she wanted to play.

[Interviewer]

Yeah, that fits, man. That fits. You're from New York, Long Island.

[Keith Peterson]

Yeah, yeah, New York. And I originally lived in like East Meadow, Nassau county area, and now I. I live in isolate, New York Isolate.

[Interviewer]

And how did you get in a referee and how'd that start for you?

[Keith Peterson]

Well, I fought amateurs for a while and for about three years, all different fights, amateur level MMA fights, Muay Thai fights, kickboxing. And then we had a lot going on. So it was getting harder and harder, you know, to put the time in and someone just, it's like, oh, why don't you, you know, judge or, or be an inspector at, at fights at amateur fights or stuff like that. And I was like, okay, that sounds cool. I'll be, you know, still be at the fights. And. And then I went, took this course and the. I was in New Jersey and there was this old referee, Donnie Caroly. He reft a bunch of my kickboxing, MMA fights and stuff.

[Interviewer]

Donnie Caroline?

[Keith Peterson]

Yeah, he's, he passed away a few years ago and he, he was like, you, you'd be really good at ref and you'd be really good at reffing. So I got my chance to ref, you know, a few amateur fights and it kind of just took off from there. And he was pretty supportive during the amateur part of it.

[Interviewer]

Were some of those early bouts tougher? Was it tougher to referee then? Like, is it something that gets easier over time? What?

[Keith Peterson]

Yeah, I would always, I, I compare it to. And I don't know if it's a good comparison, but it would be like being a brain surgeon. Like you're not going to be as good as you're going to be. 10 years, but no one could die. Yeah, pretty right. Pretty simple, right. And so you learn lots and lots of little things.

[Interviewer]

And so you're saying it so you're not going to be as good as you're going to be later, but as long as you don't let somebody die.

[Keith Peterson]

Yeah, you got to, you know, stop the fight when it's supposed to be stopped and you know, and, and then the rules, it all comes in as you go.

[Interviewer]

Take me on like an early experience that was kind of like a lot for a referee. Yeah.

[Keith Peterson]

So for me, my first like couple, like I remember my first or second time ref and if I was really even as amateurs, and really even. And then the kid was like, you know, losing pretty bad. And I was like, wow, this kid's losing pretty bad. You know, this fight should be stopped. And I was like, oh no, that's me. And, and I stopped it. And then, and then kind of from there you're like, yeah, you're the one in there, you know, because it's, you're up close and like, you know, you have to adapt into a referee. Like, at first, you know, I come came out from fighting, so my mentality was like a fighter. Like, as a fighter, I didn't always agree with the referee. Like, you know, oh, it's a good point.

[Interviewer]

Because as a fighter, you have a. You're.

[Keith Peterson]

You're just doing your thing. And, you know, especially, you know, at the high level, like, this is, you know, it's their health, their lives, their livelihood, you know, and all the dedication in the world, you know, that it takes. So, you know, they're on a different journey that day than I am, you know, for sure.

[Interviewer]

And are there fighters that will tell you. They'll come up to you before about and say, like, this is like, do not do this or do this.

[Keith Peterson]

You'll get, you know, do not. And then I just let them talk. And then I, you know, do my, you know, whatever my criteria is, I don't change it.

[Interviewer]

You can't.

[Keith Peterson]

No change.

[Interviewer]

Is there one fighter that's like, do not for anything. Like, is there somebody that's just like, let me go to the end of the road every time, like, somebody that stands out because it's kind of like this.

[Keith Peterson]

Been like, not to name any, but a lot of times when they say, don't stop this, they usually end up stopping it. It's weird. Or they'll like tap or something. They'll like, you know, be like, wow, you know, especially when they say, you know, oh, I'm willing to die or whatever. But some guys are just quiet and just, you know, that they're there to get the job done. And, you know, and as far as, you know, it's like, as I said, a criteria, you know, let's say you've watched a lot of fights. Like, and when I'm reffing, I'll say, like, you have to move. And if they fit that criteria, if they're defending and they can move, you know, it's a fight. My main thing, as I said this, you know, they're putting their health on the line. I mean, my main thing and is to have them fairly fight and, you know, health, like them leaving and being able to fight again or whatever they want to do again.

[Interviewer]

Right.

[Keith Peterson]

You know, be a family person. Like, there's a lot, like, besides me being a parent myself, it's the most important thing I'll ever do. It's very important. And, you know, on the outside, it's just a fight, but a lot can happen, you know, so you're kind of like, A safeguard. Yeah. And, you know, and it's like you're in there and as I said, emotions from everywhere. Right. Fighters, corners, people who are there to watch the fight from. You know, you get a different vibe from the people in the front row from the people in the back row.

[Interviewer]

Right.

[Keith Peterson]

So it's a very emotional. So really, I try to keep my emotions aside and. And, you know, just have this set thing of what I do each time. And, you know, everyone makes mistakes. No, I don't. That doesn't make them acceptable either. Like, you know, oh, everyone makes and they do, and I do. But, you know, make a mistake, admit it and learn from it and move on.

[Interviewer]

Is there a fight that you've had to, like, you were like, yeah, maybe that was a little earlier. That was. Or I didn't read it correctly or.

[Keith Peterson]

I try not to read it. Totally into the early ones. I don't have many where I'm like, oh, that. That was late. I got. I'm lucky that I don't really have one where I'm like, wow, that's not what I'm here to do. So that. That I'm lucky. But, you know, to know as you get more experience, you know, like, you'll know when even like, sometimes someone like, I think that was a little early, and you'll know right in your head it wasn't a little early, like, because you're there right next to them. So, you know, you hear all the sounds.

[Interviewer]

That's a good point, actually. Yeah, you're right there. I mean, you're connect. You're. You're right there. You're the closest person, too. You can feel a different energy than we can. Yes.

[Keith Peterson]

And. And even cameras I've done, I, you know, because I look at my work when I'm done with it, and I've watched five different angles. And like, usually the only angle, like, there's one angle that I'm like, oh, that's what I saw.

[Interviewer]

Yeah.

[Keith Peterson]

And the other angles are kind of maybe or a little bit. And then there's one, like, closest to where my eyes are, and they are where you're like, oh, that's what I saw.

[Interviewer]

You ever go back and, like, with your lady, make love to a fight or watch one or something like that. Like that, you know, I'm saying watch a. Like, watch your work type of thing. Like a thing. You know, people will, like, watch their.

[Keith Peterson]

Oh, like, watch it. You know, just to say, wow, I did great. Yeah, no, I don't look at the ones I think I Did good.

[Interviewer]

Yeah. What? Tell me a little bit about your life outside of works. I know you're in a band. I remember you telling me about it one time.

[Keith Peterson]

Yeah, I was in. I was in two bands. It was my first band. We started in 1998. And then my other one, we've been around a pretty long time too.

[Interviewer]

What's that band called?

[Keith Peterson]

The first one was called gfy. And the second one's Loser Sometimes Win. And they're like New York hardcore bands.

[Interviewer]

Hardcore.

[Keith Peterson]

Yeah.

[Interviewer]

Yeah. Nice. And what do you kind of model them? What is GFY for?

[Keith Peterson]

Go yourself.

[Interviewer]

Oh, yeah, Yeah.

[Keith Peterson]

I was younger. Younger then. Yeah.

[Interviewer]

Yeah. Oh, that was fun, huh? Dude, where did you guys play? How did you guys get started?

[Keith Peterson]

We Long island guys and we met, you know, like a music scene. Yeah. And we met. I was like, oh, we start something and then we just started and were you singing?

[Interviewer]

Were you playing an instrument?

[Keith Peterson]

I sing.

[Interviewer]

You did. So that voice as part of it, was that one of the reasons you even got into singing? Just because your voice was kind of different or.

[Keith Peterson]

It's like it just happens to be that my voice kind of fit the hardcore thing. But I liked hardcore way before that, but kind of like started listening to hardcore punk rock music when I was really young. But, yeah, I was just into, like. I got into heavy metal and like Black Sabbath and all that. And then when I started in my early teens, I wanted to find something that kind of like fit more of where. Where I was and more like a workings man, like street music and stuff. So that's. I found hardcore and just fell in love with from then. And, you know, I'm still. Still. That's what I listen to. I listen to every. You know, not everything, actually. I don't like people who say they listen to everything, but I listen to a lot of types of music.

[Interviewer]

But let's. Let's take a gander at some of it. Let's take an ear gander here at a little bit of it. Play that second one. Actually, I like Till I Die, Sam. Yeah, like that.

[Keith Peterson]

Yeah.

[Interviewer]

Did you come in on this?

[Keith Peterson]

Yeah, I think right after the instant intro. Who the hell are you? We came to wreck everything and ruin your life God sent us. Yeah, that's me. There's two singers in this band.

[Interviewer]

Yeah, bro. That vibe is a pure vibe, dude. That was like. That's like one type of culture.

[Keith Peterson]

That whole energy and like, silly too. Like, the. The intro of that is the death march, right? And it was like Halloween and I pressed this thing and that's what it was like. So I went to my guys, I'm like, yo, play the death march.

[Interviewer]

Yeah.

[Keith Peterson]

And there you go.

[Interviewer]

What are the ladies like that would come to this, that come to those shows?

[Keith Peterson]

That's how I met my wife.

[Interviewer]

Really?

[Keith Peterson]

Yeah, yeah.

[Interviewer]

Oh, so pretty good.

[Keith Peterson]

Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, that's it. So from right before the band started or whatever, I met her.

[Interviewer]

And then where did you meet her at? Like, take me through that.

[Keith Peterson]

At the band Hate Breed at a Hate Breed show.

[Interviewer]

Hate Breed.

[Keith Peterson]

Yeah.

[Interviewer]

Bring them up.

[Keith Peterson]

They're famous.

[Interviewer]

And are they out of New York, Not Connecticut.

[Keith Peterson]

They're famous now. Pretty. They play huge shows.

[Interviewer]

Yeah, I think I've heard their name before. Yeah. And so were you guys just, like. Were you at the concession stand or were you just, like, kind of like.

[Keith Peterson]

But yeah, no, yeah.

[Interviewer]

It's just tongue piercings and vodka. Yeah. Where'd you meet her at?

[Keith Peterson]

At the show and just, you know, whatever. The dancing. What do you call the Dimash pit?

[Interviewer]

Yeah.

[Keith Peterson]

And. Yeah, and we just met and that was that. Yeah.

[Interviewer]

Dude, those pits are fun, kind of. If you can coordinate the pits. Do you ever do that when you're on stage where you like, all right, everybody to this side and this side, and then you make a merge. Like, I was at a Suicide Boy show not long ago, and there's probably.

[Keith Peterson]

A lot more people at that show than my show.

[Interviewer]

Yeah, yeah. But they'll do this thing where it's like this kind of controlled thing. But Mosh Pitch used to be pretty sick.

[Keith Peterson]

The wall of death. Yeah, yeah, yeah. When there's a big crowd. Those are cool looking.

[Interviewer]

Yes, it's dope, dude. Yeah.

[Keith Peterson]

Hunker. Man. That does that really good with us. Is Sick of It All. They do a good wall of death.

[Interviewer]

Sick of it all.

[Keith Peterson]

Yeah, yeah.

[Interviewer]

I'm not familiar with them. I think. I'm not familiar with as much of that genre of music when I was growing up, like, we had like, a brother's friend, like, like my brother's friends, they had a band that was like that. And so, like, being the younger brother, we go lit, you know, just try to get involved and stuff. But there was always this kind of, like. I think in our area, it was kind of fringe a little bit, just because they wouldn't have as many people that listen to that type of music.

[Keith Peterson]

Yeah. In New York, it's, you know, even though it has its ups and downs, but, like, at one point you had, like, CBGB's was like the home, you know, and. And stuff like that. And you had lots of clubs, and so it's.

[Interviewer]

Would you go there when you were growing up?

[Keith Peterson]

Yeah, that's where I went mostly. And then. And then I ended up playing there in both bands a few times. Yeah.

[Interviewer]

Bring it up. Cbgb. CBGB was a legendary New York City music club in the Bowery District founded by hilly Cristal in 1973 that became a crucial incubator for the American punk and new wave rock movements. Though it was initially intended for country, bluegrass and blues music, which. The cbgb. Oh, I didn't realize that name stands for country Blue Bat. Country, bluegrass, blues. The unglamorous, gritty venue hosted influential bands like the Ramones, Blondie, Talking Heads, and Patty Smith Group before closing in 2006. Wow.

[Keith Peterson]

Yeah.

[Interviewer]

So do you remember who'd you go see there?

[Keith Peterson]

Oh, as like New York bands, like, Sick of It All, Gnostic Front, pretty much. Like, once you kind of get into that, then it's all friends, bands. They get to play. They play there. You go. Like, we played there a few times. It was like Sundays, you know, you'd go to. That's where you go. Take the train and go.

[Interviewer]

Go to.

[Keith Peterson]

To a show. And then there's. At the time, it was like a bunch of clubs and, you know, great clubs there. And, you know, being young, you just go. You know, at one point, you can go three or four shows a week.

[Interviewer]

Yeah.

[Keith Peterson]

You know, so. And so that became, like, main focus for a pretty long time.

[Interviewer]

Did you have, like, a routine before you got on stage with your band? Did you have any?

[Keith Peterson]

Yeah, you know, like, I would just stand, like, selling shirts, so stand behind the distro and kind of get ready and just get on and go. It's not much, you know, how much, like, I don't even, you know, I think it's good, but, like, anyone could do it, what I was doing. Just get on. And if you love it, you just start screaming, I guess.

[Interviewer]

Yeah.

[Keith Peterson]

But, you know, I like the raw energy of it all is really what I still love. And I don't get to go to shows as much anymore, but my son's really. But my son's in three bands right now.

[Interviewer]

Wow.

[Keith Peterson]

So he's really involved in that, so. But I still love. Love the whole culture.

[Interviewer]

Yeah. It almost seemed like there's some correlation there between, like, the intensity. Right. Of that and mma. Mma.

[Keith Peterson]

Yeah, there is. Definitely. Definitely.

[Interviewer]

Yeah. It's like. It's almost like when the pedal is pressed all the way down in a car and you're going at that.

[Keith Peterson]

Yeah.

[Interviewer]

Like, there's that.

[Keith Peterson]

I was actually really surprised when I started refin, you know, events that were on tv that how many guys at the hardcore scene were into MMA and, and you know, knew, like, you know, the events and stuff a lot. There is a connection, you know, with jiu jitsu and, and hardcore teams, a lot of guys roll. But, but with, you know, with the ufc with all that stuff, like, you know, oh, they knew everything about it. I was pretty surprised. But it makes sense.

[Interviewer]

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[Keith Peterson]

I think we went to the diner. Yeah, like that. Yeah. Cheese fries or something.

[Interviewer]

That's what I'm talking about. I'm thinking about sometimes fancy dates. I'm about to cheese fry a woman and see what happened. I need a white gravy.

[Keith Peterson]

Yeah, yeah, yeah. That's the ticket.

[Interviewer]

Was she in a band or was she, like.

[Keith Peterson]

She wasn't in a band. Just, you know, like, she liked ska music.

[Interviewer]

Oh, yeah.

[Keith Peterson]

And back then, like Long island, they would, you know, bands would play hardcore bands, and ska bands would play on the same bill. And then she just ended up being a big fan of hardcore music too.

[Interviewer]

What differentiates ska?

[Keith Peterson]

Sky's got the definition, but it's got saxophones and stuff in the horn section usually.

[Interviewer]

I never really thought about that. I've always wanted sky. Music is a lively genre originated in Jamaica in the 1950s, blending elements of Caribbean, calypso, American jazz and rhythm and blues. A walking bass line with strong accents on the offbeat, played by guitar piano, known as the skank. Fast tempos and energetic melodies. Let me see. In Jamaica, ska was popular among working class rude boys. Rude boy. While in the uk, skinheads adopted the genre during the two tone era as a form of working class solidarity. Huh. It's pretty cool. How long have you guys been married now?

[Keith Peterson]

It you're 23 years.

[Interviewer]

What's been the key to a long marriage? Do you feel like. Like, how's that been? How's that road been?

[Keith Peterson]

Oh, awesome. The whole. That part. Amazing. Marriage, kids I love. That's, you know, my number one thing. And it's been good. I would like, you know, lies say easy but good and good. Real good.

[Interviewer]

You think you chose a good partner?

[Keith Peterson]

Like, oh, yeah, no, Definitely. Yeah.

[Interviewer]

What makes her pretty great? Do you feel like.

[Keith Peterson]

I don't know. I guess the smart answer would be.

[Interviewer]

Everything but yeah, she's Italian.

[Keith Peterson]

She's Argentinian and Italian.

[Interviewer]

Oh, yeah, boy. Keep you on your toes.

[Keith Peterson]

Yeah, yeah, she definitely is. And yeah, that's, you know, as far as, like, us parenting together and stuff like that, it's just perfect. Like, very good. Works out really good, you know, like, certain things I'm good at help her. Certain things she's good at helps me mostly what she's Good at. Helps me. She keeps it definitely going.

[Interviewer]

She's the one that keeps it going.

[Keith Peterson]

Yeah, by a lot for sure, man.

[Interviewer]

What was it like when you guys decided to have kids? Was that, like a scary choice or was it something you guys were just both excited about? Was it scary for you kind of to become a dad? Like, what was your relationship with your dad like?

[Keith Peterson]

Um, I'm mine. Good. Both of my parents. Good. Um. But yeah, I would. I don't think I was nervous. I do know, like, when our first son was born, I kind of looked and it was like, real deal now, right? You're, like, holding them like, all right. Like, this guy depends on me for everything. Like, everything. You know? So you're like, all right, I got to get it together. I got to make sure, you know, and I had it together, but I got to make sure that I do this right, you know? And, you know, obviously, just like we said before, you make mistakes with things, but, like, my goal is to, you know, raised. I have three kids and, you know, raising them to be good people without having to try, if that makes any sense, you know, like, guys like us, like, oh, trying to do the right thing. I want my kids to just be able to do the right thing without having to try, which probably impossible, but if you shoot for that goal, you know, yeah, it's good. And it's a good thing.

[Interviewer]

Yeah.

[Keith Peterson]

So, yeah, I don't.

[Interviewer]

I don't have any experience parenting, but I think it's something that I start to look forward to more and more. And I do think it's something that, like, kind of gets you into a new phase of life, right?

[Keith Peterson]

Like, oh, yeah, definitely.

[Interviewer]

I feel like I've been in this same phase of life sometimes for a while, kind of like. But I don't have another phase yet. You know, it's like I don't have a wife or family yet. You know, sometimes people will be like, dude, you got to grow up. And I'm like, to what? Do what? Like, what, what, do you want me to go sit in a, like, rock and try something? Like, what do you want me to do? You know what I'm saying? I want to enjoy my life.

[Keith Peterson]

Even with my kids, there's been different. Like, my 23 year old is, like, really into the hardcore scene, because when he was born, I was still very into that. Still played shows, still, you know, did, you know, went to shows. My friends would come over. That's all. We would play in the backyard for barbecues. So, like, he's really into that and then, you know, my daughter, it's wrestling, Wrestling, wrestling.

[Interviewer]

Oh, she loves it. Yeah.

[Keith Peterson]

And because by the time, you know, she was getting older. She's 19 and she was getting older. That's what my older guy was doing. We were into wrestling thing, so. And then that, you know, my 14 year old, just wrestling. Wrestling and skateboarding. He's into skateboarding, so. And he's pretty good, but.

[Interviewer]

Oh, there's your children right there.

[Keith Peterson]

Yeah, that's them.

[Interviewer]

Let's go, Keith. That's awesome.

[Keith Peterson]

That's my son with the rancid shirt on. Then that's his girlfriend. That's my youngest one. And my daughter's at the end.

[Interviewer]

Dude, congratulations, bro. That's so cool, man.

[Keith Peterson]

That's cool.

[Interviewer]

That's so cool. Yeah, yeah. There's something just special about that, about seeing a man and his family, you know. You look like you've lost weight since then.

[Keith Peterson]

Yeah, I've lost a good amount of weight.

[Interviewer]

Have you. Are you taking the Peptides?

[Keith Peterson]

No, I just stopped eating horribly and running every day and just, you know, like, I wasn't eating well. I. I don't think so.

[Interviewer]

What were you eating?

[Keith Peterson]

Everything, so. Everything.

[Interviewer]

So you have one snack, like at night, what was that snack that got you at night?

[Keith Peterson]

Like 3 gallons of ice cream or something. Like, I was eating a lot.

[Interviewer]

Really?

[Keith Peterson]

Like, I guess it was gradual, so people didn't realize, but I'm not the biggest guy in the world and I. I weigh like 186 pounds. It's a lot. And so I slowly, you know, even though since I've been losing the weight people, oh, he's sick, or he lose too much weight or whatever. But you can never make people happy. You're fat, you're skinny, you know, you're short, which I can't make myself taller, so I don't understand that comment. Yeah, get taller.

[Interviewer]

Yeah.

[Keith Peterson]

Or whatever. You're like, yeah, it's like, what do you mean?

[Interviewer]

They need me here? I'm closer to the fight.

[Keith Peterson]

Yeah, you have a big head.

[Interviewer]

All right.

[Keith Peterson]

I didn't choose to have a big head, so.

[Interviewer]

Yeah, let me get this nail file.

[Keith Peterson]

Yeah. So like. But I feel good. I love that I've lost the weight. You know, I'm trying to put some muscle on.

[Interviewer]

Did you have a health scare or anything like that?

[Keith Peterson]

No, I wanted to be healthy. You know, a few things were going. And not, not so much with me, but around me, and I was like, you know, I wanna. I wanna make sure I'm healthier and.

[Interviewer]

Like, what do you mean like a few things were going like.

[Keith Peterson]

Like a few people passed away.

[Interviewer]

Oh, you saw. You saw people having the effects of not being healthy. Yeah.

[Keith Peterson]

And just, you know, even, you know, some of them healthy, but just, I guess, not lucky. So I'm like, gotta give yourself the best chance, right?

[Interviewer]

Yeah. Sometimes you got to meet God halfway, you know? Yeah.

[Keith Peterson]

It's never going to be perfect, but, you know, like, I saw this barbecue place. I don't know where I am. I'm. I'm eating some fried alligator later. For sure. Yeah, for sure.

[Interviewer]

Hell, yeah. Yeah, they got some good stuff around here, man. The food scene's been getting better here in Nashville as the city's been growing too. What about, like, did you ever. Did you struggle over the years with any addiction stuff or you do you drink?

[Keith Peterson]

No, I. Well, I. I drank, but I. I wasn't necessarily like struggle in addiction.

[Interviewer]

I can remember if you told me that one time.

[Keith Peterson]

I don't. I don't drink anymore really. But I never, Never really even tried drugs. It was never kind of like I. I wrestled all the way through.

[Interviewer]

Oh, that'll keep you clean.

[Keith Peterson]

And. And, you know, so I wasn't the greatest ever, but I was really into it and. And, you know, kind of kept me whatever I was. I was wild enough without drugs.

[Interviewer]

Yeah, you're a drug.

[Keith Peterson]

Yeah, yeah, yeah. Something already in there, you know what I mean?

[Interviewer]

Yeah, yeah. You already got half a gram or something. Yeah, I'm stuck in the back.

[Keith Peterson]

Yeah. Never was. Never attracted.

[Interviewer]

Wow, that's wild because I think people would look at you and probably think something like that.

[Keith Peterson]

Yeah, probably, I guess.

[Interviewer]

And people.

[Keith Peterson]

I mean, me too, in the music scene, that I'm. A lot of guys just, you know, probably you would think, oh, that guy's on drugs. But they just. On whatever. That's. It's who they are.

[Interviewer]

Right. So.

[Keith Peterson]

But I guess that, you know, even these days, the tattoos and stuff, you would think, oh, that guy's.

[Interviewer]

But are you fully tattooed? What do you.

[Keith Peterson]

Yeah, I have sleeves, you know, sleeves, and my back's almost done and stuff like that.

[Interviewer]

Wow.

[Keith Peterson]

I. Whatever. For some reason I got my hands in my neck like real fast. I was young though, like 22.

[Interviewer]

Oh, okay. So these have been there for a while.

[Keith Peterson]

Yeah, Yeah. I like, I don't dislike them or anything.

[Interviewer]

Yeah, no, it's cool. It's definitely an energy. I mean, you seem like, you know, like. Yeah, you're like, you. You're the no nonsense guy. So it's like, you know, you've. I Think you kind of look a little bit like there's not a lot of nonsense allowed here.

[Keith Peterson]

Yeah, I guess.

[Interviewer]

You know, so it's kind of wild that you almost grew into that.

[Keith Peterson]

Yeah.

[Interviewer]

You know what I'm saying? You kind of met. You kind of lived your life and then met that name, right?

[Keith Peterson]

Yeah, it's kind of. Yeah, that's. It's like, you know, I kind of mind my own business. Always have, you know, I'm always, you know, and it just like, you know, I. I treat people the way that I want to be treated, which most of the time is left alone. Right. I'm nice to, you know, I'm nice to kids, old people and animals. Keep moving on.

[Interviewer]

Yeah. What else can you ask out of a citizen?

[Keith Peterson]

That's it, right?

[Interviewer]

Yeah, I think that's fair. Yeah. I'd love to see you working at a petting zoo or something like that dude being, like, the operator or something. I could have seen you working at, like, whenever, like, the carnival would come to town when I was a kid.

[Keith Peterson]

Yeah, I would definitely. Probably be a good carny, right? Yeah, dude.

[Interviewer]

But only on the, like, the ride, it was the Gravitron, where they had the dude in the middle. Music.

[Keith Peterson]

Yes. I love that. Right? So I, I.

[Interviewer]

They would spin that.

[Keith Peterson]

Hanging on some Graviton story. It was, it was actually, I know the date. It was April 19, 1985. This place local near me, it's called Adventureland. And they had Gravitron and the van Halen album 5150 just came out, and they played that song, why can't this be love? Like, 100 times. Me and my brother went on it, like, 80 times in a row. And we just kept going. And then, like, I would find I was. Yeah, it was, it was my ninth birthday, I think, and it was for my birthday. That's why I remember the date and the, like, you'd go. And then have the rules, right, of every single thing. And, like, every single one, I'd break one of them. My brother would be like, stop, stop, stop. Like, kick off my shoe and it come back at you, you know? Yeah, I remember that. That's crazy. The Gravitron was, like, my favorite.

[Interviewer]

Fuck yeah, dude. And that was like, where. Because that's. Dude, at that time period, like, when we would go, yeah, I was like, 11, 12 or something like that. And you get in there, and the dude who ran it would be like this kind of, like, rock.

[Keith Peterson]

Like a guy that shouldn't be running it.

[Interviewer]

Yeah, yeah. Yes.

[Keith Peterson]

Yeah.

[Interviewer]

Like, dude, somebody who dropped this guy in here? Yeah. And it almost looked like this. This thing came from like outer space.

[Keith Peterson]

They built it around them.

[Interviewer]

Yes. And the ramp would close up and it would be this dude who kind of look like Slash from Guns and Roses. And. And then. And it would. You'd slide up against that wall and you couldn't even like, you could barely even move. But every now and then you could like get your arm out and like.

[Keith Peterson]

Just put it on your body got like used to it. You go upside down and it's. You know, and stuff like that.

[Interviewer]

Oh, damn. I didn't know people got used to it sideways. Oh, look at.

[Keith Peterson]

Yeah, yeah. Like standing there. Yeah, that's pretty brave there.

[Interviewer]

See, I'm the other one. See the one where the guy's facing the. Yeah. Like facing the wall.

[Keith Peterson]

Get me out of here.

[Interviewer]

Yeah. The dude who would try to turn over and he just didn't have enough energy to get back over. That would be me just humping the edge of the Gravitron.

[Keith Peterson]

Bodies like split.

[Interviewer]

Dude, that was cool though. There was just something.

[Keith Peterson]

That guy looks like a normal guy there. Amazing guy running it there.

[Interviewer]

Yeah, that guy's an OP, dude. That guy's not real, dude. That guy's a narc probably.

[Keith Peterson]

But.

[Interviewer]

But dude, that was so the whole.

[Keith Peterson]

Idea of they're not spinning and you're spinning always like got me like, I would always like X for explanation. Like, he looks like he's spinning too. Yeah, he's not.

[Interviewer]

Dude. Did you have. Who influenced that music in you when you were a kid? Because I remember like my brother would listen to like D O Lock up the Wolves. Okay. Yeah. He would listen to some like. Like Skinny Puppy maybe. I think was a band as well. Like, nothing too crazy, but like kind of a little bit of mainstream edge. Yeah.

[Keith Peterson]

Skinny Puppies. Yeah, good. The, you know, the metal stuff. Like I kind of like just grab it, you know, like sort. And I was like. I thought the guys were like the cut off sleeves and the long hair. Even though I've never had long hair. I was like, oh yeah, damn. Some in the front, like in the mid-90s I had like that skater hair thing.

[Interviewer]

But somebody make us a couple of. Put together a few memes of somebody out there who knows how to do it. Of. Of no nonsense with some long hair. Just. We just. So we have them for the future. Let's. We'll throw a couple of them in or we'll put this clip online and put a couple of them in. I'd love to just See that? Yeah. Dude, I can't believe you didn't even try it.

[Keith Peterson]

Yeah, no. And then just that whole error. And then, like, my brother, as he was going, he started listening to, like, the different metal, but, like, Van Halen and, you know, stuff like that. So we kind of got Motley Crue.

[Interviewer]

Like, my.

[Keith Peterson]

My first ever concert was Poison. I went with my brother. He was a few years older, so I went. And then my second one was Motley Crue.

[Interviewer]

Oh, dude, that's so sick, bro.

[Keith Peterson]

On Dr. Feelgood tour.

[Interviewer]

Yeah, we've had Tommy Lee on here.

[Keith Peterson]

Awesome.

[Interviewer]

Yeah.

[Keith Peterson]

That's crazy.

[Interviewer]

That's great, dude.

[Keith Peterson]

So that. That tour, he played, like, up on the Ceiling, and he just, like, did, like. Even. I think it was, like, acdc, like, cover songs, and just, like, went across the ceiling. It's pretty cool.

[Interviewer]

And your brother took you to that? Yeah. Yeah. So you guys were pretty close?

[Keith Peterson]

Yeah. Yeah, yeah.

[Interviewer]

Nice. Does he play music?

[Keith Peterson]

Nah, he actually passed away, like, a year and a half ago.

[Interviewer]

Oh, man.

[Keith Peterson]

Yeah. Young at, like, 50.

[Interviewer]

Oh.

[Keith Peterson]

So.

[Interviewer]

Yeah.

[Keith Peterson]

But what.

[Interviewer]

Was he. Was he suffering from something?

[Keith Peterson]

No, he had. He had tumors, but he. He didn't know or didn't take care of. I'm not sure which one, but he. So he went to hospital on a Tuesday. He died on a Friday. So it was real fast. Real fast.

[Interviewer]

So did you get to see him in between.

[Keith Peterson]

I was there the whole time.

[Interviewer]

You were? Yeah. Yeah. Oh, man. Yeah.

[Keith Peterson]

Yeah. So. Yeah.

[Interviewer]

What was that like? I mean, I hate to ask. Not good. Yeah. Sorry. So.

[Keith Peterson]

No, it's all right.

[Interviewer]

It's not the most thoughtful question. No, I'm sorry that happened, man. Yeah.

[Keith Peterson]

But so I bet he was super.

[Interviewer]

Proud of you, huh?

[Keith Peterson]

Yeah. So how. Yeah. So how things work is like, this stuff's gonna happen to all of us, unfortunately. Yeah. Bad stuff. Right. So the way I feel is how are you gonna handle those moments? So I believe at that moment, and it was handled as perfect as it possibly could.

[Interviewer]

What makes you say that?

[Keith Peterson]

Well, you know, in a room of people. The room was full of people he loved, and they loved him. You know, he. He wasn't married. He didn't have kids. So my kids were like his kids. And so they're surrounded, you know, surrounded by his parents, and just as good as that could happen. You know what I mean? And so, you know, I don't know. Like, my brother was the nervous guy. He didn't seem nervous at that point. So I don't know. You know what I mean? Yeah. Much is weird.

[Interviewer]

That's kind of interesting.

[Keith Peterson]

I'll probably be crying like a baby, but, yeah, you know, the world is.

[Interviewer]

Kind of nerve wracking, you know, when you think about it. Yeah.

[Keith Peterson]

So that's how like, he was always nervous and I never was nervous about anything. When we were kids, even crossing the street, I'd run and he'd be screaming. Yeah, yeah. So we were really, really, really close. It was like me and him. My, my, My mom worked most of the time, two jobs and stuff, so it was me and him and, and we were total opposite. Like, even growing up, like, I got into like the metal music first. He would listen to like Cultural Club and like Tears for Fears, just different. Then he got into the rock and roll stuff and. But, you know, he, he, he was a comedian. He was in school. He was in the drama club and stuff, and I was in sports. So we were totally different, but like the same, I guess.

[Interviewer]

Did you kind of feel like his protector sometimes in some ways?

[Keith Peterson]

Well, he was older than me, but yeah, I was definitely. And, and you know.

[Interviewer]

Well, sometimes you got that gritty brother who's the fucking. You know.

[Keith Peterson]

It's definitely that.

[Interviewer]

Yeah.

[Keith Peterson]

But it was weird how we balanced it. Like, he, as I said, he was nervous and had major anxiety, but like, it was so different. It just. But it fit like, perfect. Like, like our relationship was like, good. Like really good. Yeah, yeah.

[Interviewer]

What was his name? Rob. Rob.

[Keith Peterson]

Yeah.

[Interviewer]

Nice, man. Rob Peterson.

[Keith Peterson]

Yes, sir.

[Interviewer]

Oh, yeah. Well, hello, Rob. Nice to meet you through your brother and hope you guys are having a good time out there, wherever you are, whatever you're doing.

[Keith Peterson]

Yeah, yeah, for sure.

[Interviewer]

Did he get to come see you referee?

[Keith Peterson]

He never saw me referee, actually. Yeah, yeah, yeah. So.

[Interviewer]

But I guess a lot of times you don't go watch somebody work.

[Keith Peterson]

Yeah, but he came to see me fight. I actually have a pretty funny. So I was fighting for a title, amateur title, in, In Atlantic City, and him and his buddy.

[Interviewer]

Was this one of your biggest fights?

[Keith Peterson]

Yeah, it was like my. I think it was my first amateur title fight. So it was a big deal. And it was actually. No, I was actually defending it. I, I took a fight on short notice. I bumped up a weight and I lost. So now I was fighting the same kid, but at our weight for the title. He was going to take my title, whatever. So my brother and his buddies come and I guess they're doing their thing pretty early and they're going, you know, Atlantic City and, and having fun. And then I come and as I say, he's really nervous. Guy and he's standing in like the, out of the hall, but the cage is right there and he's like staring at the cage and he looks like he's sweating. And I said to him, I'm like, yo, what's up, Robbie? And I'm right behind him and he's like, oh my God. You know, fighting and you know, you're getting older, you have kids and whatever, and, and the ring girls walk by and I go, hey, Robbie, you see the ring girls? He goes, he goes, I'm not that nervous. Of course I've seen the ring girls. That was pretty funny. It's like, I'm not buying. It was pretty funny. And then I won the fight. We went out. It was a really good, great night too. I remember it being really, really awesome.

[Interviewer]

So you had an amateur belt?

[Keith Peterson]

A few, yeah, a few. I, I won that one.

[Interviewer]

Did you have a nickname when you were a fighter then?

[Keith Peterson]

Shortly. The. The Spartan. Yeah. So like we watching 300 or something and someone said something like, cuz he, you know, he was just fighting, hanging out with his wife and, and playing with his kids and they're like, oh, that's kind of like you. I was like, oh, go with that, Spartan.

[Interviewer]

But yeah, yeah, I saw where you fought one guy three times. Yeah, Jose Villan Nueva. Yeah. What was that? Was that. Because that was like a trilogy, I guess, sort of. What did that feel like? Was that part of that same thing?

[Keith Peterson]

Yeah, that was.

[Interviewer]

Oh, it was, yeah. So you guys were 1, 1.

[Keith Peterson]

He ended up winning two. Yeah, when two we bumped, we went back up a weight and he, he won two.

[Interviewer]

Did you feel like you could go back up? You're like, I got him here, I can go back up there and get him. Or. What was that? What was that like?

[Keith Peterson]

Dude, I don't know, I can't remember. I'm trying to think like, I think.

[Interviewer]

Back then, did you have something against the guy?

[Keith Peterson]

Oh, no, but I think back then, you know, it was still kind of. The amateur scene is just kind of growing and with MMA and. Yeah, and he, he was good and, and I was good and he was competitive. So, you know, probably, you know, I was trying to fight some other guys in between, so I was kickboxing and fighting Muay Thai fights too. But no, not nothing against him. I actually reft him a bunch of times after.

[Interviewer]

Oh, that's pretty cool, man. Yeah. Oh, this is part of that bout?

[Keith Peterson]

Yeah, I think this is the one. So this is the one I bumped up and I fought on three days notice. The first one I lose. This one. Yeah.

[Interviewer]

Key. That's dope, bro. You're in there.

[Keith Peterson]

It's weird that the ones I went on on here, but. And that's the guy. Donnie Caroly. That's him. That's the referee? Yeah, that's the guy who got me into reffing.

[Interviewer]

Wow, that's cool.

[Keith Peterson]

My first. Yeah, my first.

[Interviewer]

That's good defense right there, man.

[Keith Peterson]

Yeah, I gotta wrestle a little bit, but my first. I think he does take me down, but I pop up and basically what happens is.

[Interviewer]

Oh, look at that, bro. Go back. Let's see a little bit of that. Freaking. Yeah, you were loving that, huh?

[Keith Peterson]

What happens is I miss a back fist, but I think if I hit it, he'd probably still be asleep, but I miss it and kind of get slammed on my head and move on from there.

[Interviewer]

That's good.

[Keith Peterson]

He submits me.

[Interviewer]

That's cool, man.

[Keith Peterson]

Yeah, those fights were good. They were fun and he was a good guy. And as I said, I reft him after and even in his pro. Pro career.

[Interviewer]

So that's pretty cool. Well, it's cool that you reft him after and that the referee is the guy that got you.

[Keith Peterson]

I mean, it's just a lot of connections.

[Interviewer]

It's so amazing, man, about life. If you're able to stay kind of, as you're saying, healthy enough, right? If you're able to take care of yourself mentally enough to stay, you don't have to stay in the center lane. You can veer off a little bit. But if you're able to stay, so many of the pieces of our past kind of really connect and make a. And make the future make sense for sure.

[Keith Peterson]

That definitely I've had in the last couple years, I've had so many moments like that. It's crazy. Yeah, yeah, yeah.

[Interviewer]

So anyone that stands out?

[Keith Peterson]

Well, so my first couple of years in high school, I didn't do so well, and I ended up doing pretty well.

[Interviewer]

Like. What do you mean didn't do so well? Like, in school?

[Keith Peterson]

In school, yeah.

[Interviewer]

So did you not like it?

[Keith Peterson]

Yeah, I guess in like 9th grade, I didn't really do very good.

[Interviewer]

People were like. Were like. Was you, like, fighting with other kids so much?

[Keith Peterson]

You know, back then, kids fought more often than they do now, for sure. But I just didn't, you know, I guess the whole punk rock feel, like not listening to authority. Oh, yeah, yeah, something like that. But so I didn't do so well, and I went to Eastman High School, didn't do so well there and Then you know, I ended up going a few different high schools. We moved a bunch of times and so it didn't end well. And then did you graduate? No, I graduated. Oh yeah, I graduated high school. I went to college for a year and then as I'm a diesel mechanic for the town I live in, I've been there 28 years.

[Interviewer]

Are you still a diesel mechanic?

[Keith Peterson]

Yeah, yeah.

[Interviewer]

Are you in the union?

[Keith Peterson]

Yeah.

[Interviewer]

Oh, wow. What union are you in now?

[Keith Peterson]

We're usp. We change a lot. But when I first started there we were Teamsters. I was pretty cool. I thought the idea of being a teamster was cool.

[Interviewer]

But yeah, we. Sean o' Brien and he worked with the Teamsters. He was Teamsters president. I'm not sure if he still is. Yeah, but so we've learned a little bit about unions over the years. I didn't know anything about him until we had him in, you know.

[Keith Peterson]

Yeah, that's. The whole union job is awesome. I was able, I'm able to do what I do and stuff that I want to do and branch out.

[Interviewer]

Wow. So you've been a diesel mechanic this whole time?

[Keith Peterson]

Yeah, yeah, yeah.

[Interviewer]

How'd you get into that?

[Keith Peterson]

I decided college wasn't for me. My dad's like, well, working is get a good job. So got a job. Like back then when you left college, you off your parents benefits right after that it wasn't like now where it's to 26. So I, I needed a job. I was roofing and I think I broke a rib or something and I, you know, my dad was like, you need a job with insurance and, and if you get hurt, you know, you get paid. And so I found this town job and I started a highway for a little while, like nine months. And then I got into the mechanic shop and that was that.

[Interviewer]

You started working on the highway?

[Keith Peterson]

Yeah, so like you know, mowing the lawns and stuff on the highway.

[Interviewer]

Oh wow. You ever find anything cool out there?

[Keith Peterson]

No. Damn garbage that you have to pick up. That's it.

[Interviewer]

I always want to find a body out there.

[Keith Peterson]

So like a dead body. My Long island has a bunch of them on the sideway highways, but yeah.

[Interviewer]

Yeah, or semi living I'll find you know what I'm saying? I'm. I hope they're alive, but yeah, I.

[Keith Peterson]

Could totally be fine with not finding a dead body. Yeah, definitely. I'm good. Like.

[Interviewer]

Yeah, tomato, tomato.

[Keith Peterson]

Yeah, a body part or something maybe. Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. Foot.

[Interviewer]

Just a thumbs up.

[Keith Peterson]

Yeah, thumbs up.

[Interviewer]

That'd be kind of cool. Yeah. Sounds like you're finding an emoji.

[Keith Peterson]

Yeah, just like that. That'd be cool.

[Interviewer]

Sean o' Brien is still the general president of the International Brotherhood of teamsters as of October 2025. Did you. Did you have a mentor that taught you how to be a diesel mechanic.

[Keith Peterson]

Or how did that kind of like on the job learning? I did have, you know, there were older guys there that were really good and kind of like if, you know, if I, you know, if I can't fix it, I could break it even more, you know, just keep going and then from there, you know.

[Interviewer]

And did you teach your kids any of those kind of skills or.

[Keith Peterson]

Yeah, a little bit. You know what? Like the normal skills. Like, you know, like, I actually, you know, there's kids that don't know how to change a flat tire these days. I've had a few that my kids know how to change flat tires and my daughter knows how to change flat tires. Yeah, you know, stuff like that. And my younger guy is the one that seems to be the one that's going to be working with his hands. My older guy's a chef, but so he works with his hands just differently. But I hope his hands aren't dirty when he's working. But yeah, my younger guy seems to be, you know, maybe do some mechanic program moving forward.

[Interviewer]

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[Keith Peterson]

So I started raffing, and so each one, you know, is commissions. And I started reference first in New Jersey, and then Pennsylvania got sanctioned. And it's a really big state, so I got a lot of work there, and I was working, putting in a lot of time there. And I think a few months into being sanctioned, they had a show, UFC 101 in, in Philadelphia. And.

[Interviewer]

And you went to the fight and.

[Keith Peterson]

I know I worked it. I ref that one. That's my first one, was one on one.

[Interviewer]

And bring that up, bring that card up.

[Keith Peterson]

I left the first two fights.

[Interviewer]

Wow. What was that like, that first day? I mean, did you have your own, like, kind of green room? Was it a little bit different? What was that?

[Keith Peterson]

Just normal, like.

[Interviewer]

But you had to be so excited.

[Keith Peterson]

But how did you get it? Actually so excited I didn't even know how to get in. So I, I never, I've never gone to a, a venue without a ticket. Right. So I, I didn't. And I, I didn't ask them. I didn't ask what I needed. And, and I got there and realized, how do I get in? So now, now I know you have to have your credential, obviously, so, you know, and I ended up how that works.

[Interviewer]

But, but you just try to come in through the ticket.

[Keith Peterson]

Well, I, I, no, I just got there and I was in the parking lot and was like, how, how am I getting in? I don't have a ticket. Yeah. So, yeah, so that, that was, you know, 2009.

[Interviewer]

So who were the other referees? Do you remember on the card? Any of the same guys as now?

[Keith Peterson]

There, there's some, I think some were.

[Interviewer]

Still now, maybe Mark Godard.

[Keith Peterson]

Yeah. Yes. Actually, I believe that was Mark Godard's first time refn in the States, I believe, or UFC in the States or something like that.

[Interviewer]

Wow.

[Keith Peterson]

So, yes, he was on that card.

[Interviewer]

BJ Penn. Wow. That's amazing, dude. That's Forest Griffin.

[Keith Peterson]

Yep, it was.

[Interviewer]

Yeah.

[Keith Peterson]

Anderson Silver versus Forest Griffin. So it was a while now, I guess, right?

[Interviewer]

Yeah. Was there a fighter that you reft for early, before he got to the ufc that you saw like in amateurs and stuff?

[Keith Peterson]

Yeah, a bunch of them. Like Paul Felder.

[Interviewer]

Yeah, Paul's the best. Yeah, he's fearless.

[Keith Peterson]

It's awesome.

[Interviewer]

Could you tell them when you were seeing hold in?

[Keith Peterson]

Yeah, he's a different level. Alaquinta. Different. Different level. Tough. Yeah. Trying to think there's, there's been a good amount over the years that you see in the local stuff and you ref and then, and then you refer them in the ufc, which is pretty cool. That's pretty cool for them and for me.

[Interviewer]

Yeah, for sure.

[Keith Peterson]

Like, for them that they're there, not that I'm there. I don't think they really care about that. But yeah, for me it's like, wow.

[Interviewer]

Yeah, I'm a part of something. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Like, we're all in this journey. We're all in the same journey in a way. Yeah.

[Keith Peterson]

As I said, you know, it's like, besides, you know, my family stuff, it's the most important thing that, that I'm gonna end up doing, you know, and to see, you know, you think about it, you left them in the, you know, the local scene and they're healthy enough to get there.

[Interviewer]

Right.

[Keith Peterson]

And, you know, you think, you know, you have something to do with that.

[Interviewer]

You know, that's a good point.

[Keith Peterson]

You know.

[Interviewer]

So was there a ever a fighter that you remember that stood out, that something happened in amateurs and they didn't make it? Like someone that really stood out over.

[Keith Peterson]

The years, a lot of ones that you, you would say, oh, this guy is going to be. And they don't, you know, it's a tough sport. Right. So.

[Interviewer]

And anyone that comes to mind that kind of like that you.

[Keith Peterson]

Not particularly name wise, but there, there's been guys where you go, wow, you know, sky's the limit. And then it just, you know, for whatever injury or it's hard, you know, like we were saying, you talk about having kids and stuff. I think, you know, once you start having kids and stuff, the guys that have these families and they train like that, you know how much dedication that takes and, and sacrifice, like a lot and women you know, who do the same. Like the men and women who do that. It takes a lot. A lot to do, so, you know, at that level.

[Interviewer]

Yeah. Oh, when you see a guy going away, like, to a camp for six weeks, eight weeks, 10 weeks to get ready, and they're. A lot of times they're going to be away from their family. Maybe their family will come and visit on the weekends and stuff, because, you know, there's. There's. There's only a few places in America where it's like kind of premier training, and then you could go into the bout and lose in the first round, or, you know, it's like it could end in 30 seconds. Yeah.

[Keith Peterson]

That's like training for the Olympics, you know, taking last. Right. You cannot train at all.

[Interviewer]

Yeah.

[Keith Peterson]

Training for your whole life, you know, so that's what makes it, you know, cool in a way, too.

[Interviewer]

Oh, that's the. That's why, like, when I go to the fights and, you know, I like to go early, I just. Because I'm like, this is like, this is their life, right? Yeah, I noticed that you're getting to witness a piece of somebody's life. Like, they, they. They mean this.

[Keith Peterson]

Yeah.

[Interviewer]

90 if they're at that. That level, they mean this so much. Yeah. That. To even be in the presence of something like that, I think gives me energy. It's like I'm showing up to watch an eclipse almost. Something so rare, you know?

[Keith Peterson]

Yeah.

[Interviewer]

Are there fighters when they come in the ring, like, you know, Alex Pereira has that energy when you're in there, when he comes in, like, when I'm in there as. And he. There is a unique energy like that pentameter of them, I would say.

[Keith Peterson]

Yeah, there's definitely fighters with energy. You feel the energy.

[Interviewer]

Are there some, like, what are some that you would even name? Like, are there some that.

[Keith Peterson]

Dustin Poirier.

[Interviewer]

Yeah, Poirier. People are excited.

[Keith Peterson]

Yeah, the people. Energy. His own energy. Yeah. Just can feel it.

[Interviewer]

That's interesting.

[Keith Peterson]

And like, Clay Glita always, win or lose, the energy is just so. Yeah, dude.

[Interviewer]

You see him, you just get excited.

[Keith Peterson]

Yeah, yeah, yeah. That's the energy. And it's coming off of him, you know, could feel it and that he wants to be there, you know, like, wow. You know. But yeah, there's a lot of fighters that you just get that really. That energy from, and then when you get it from both at the same time, that's where you really. It's firing off, right?

[Interviewer]

Yeah. Is it. Is it tougher to referee some of the. The Bigger fighters, is it because of their body shape? Like when they're like, is there, is there a weight class that's a little bit tougher or different, that you have to adjust how you do or where you place yourself?

[Keith Peterson]

I don't know about tougher or different. Like, the smaller guys are faster, the bigger guys are stronger. Right. It's just right physics, I guess. So you just, you know, make sure you're fast enough for the faster guys and you're in the right position for the, the bigger guys. I don't, I don't like, have a preference. I can riff, whatever. Yeah, you want to be in the right position and, you know, they'll listen to your commands and you know, because people do ask like, oh, how would you stop them? And same way you'd stop, you know, a small, small guy or, you know, so.

[Interviewer]

And they always all honor the referee. For the most part.

[Keith Peterson]

For the most part, yeah.

[Interviewer]

You know, because that's part of the code of.

[Keith Peterson]

Yeah, you give respect, you get respect.

[Interviewer]

Right.

[Keith Peterson]

So, you know.

[Interviewer]

Yeah, the level of respect that's in that ring is pretty amazing too, I feel like.

[Keith Peterson]

Yeah, I think people would be surprised, definitely how like, you know, respectful fighters are to, to me, you know, I can't really speak for anyone, but to me and you know, obviously you're not going to always agree, but for the most part, for the very, very most part, very respectful.

[Interviewer]

Have you ever been at a fight where someone passed away in the ring or there was something that tragic that happened? No. Wow. That's, that's amazing, man. Yeah, that's a blessing. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Because you've refereed thousands of fights.

[Keith Peterson]

Yeah, probably. Yeah, definitely. Definitely a lot of them. Yeah.

[Interviewer]

Is there anything different about refereeing a male fight to a female fight?

[Keith Peterson]

No, I, I, you know, I've been lucky to get some of the best female fights ever and there's really no difference. You know, it's, you know, pretty amazing the level that they've grown so quickly, for sure. And, and female sports in general, if we, you know, talk about, you know, women's wrestling, like last year I went to the NAIA women's nationals.

[Interviewer]

And your daughter was in it.

[Keith Peterson]

Yeah.

[Interviewer]

Oh, she was, yeah.

[Keith Peterson]

She won the regional last year.

[Interviewer]

Let's go.

[Keith Peterson]

And the level of competition was insane.

[Interviewer]

Really.

[Keith Peterson]

You know, she fell short at her first year last year, so we'll see how this year goes. But, but the level and these, you know, they're like, they're not girls, they're 26 year old women in college. There's some real tough women out there. So it was. It was amazing. It was. Although I wish she had won a few matches, me and her sitting there watching that level together was, you know, two days. It was in Kansas, and I was kind of. At the end, I'm kind of happy. She didn't do that well, because we were able to go out to lunch and dinner and hang out. Yeah.

[Interviewer]

So.

[Keith Peterson]

But.

[Interviewer]

Oh, that's nice.

[Keith Peterson]

This year's a new year, and we'll see how she does.

[Interviewer]

And she really loves it, huh?

[Keith Peterson]

Yeah, yeah. Yeah. All my kids really love wrestling, and.

[Interviewer]

There'S such a great value in that. There's such a great sense of, like, you can take care of yourself, that you can handle yourself. I bet there is.

[Keith Peterson]

It's just. There's more like, wrestling's the best sport, you know, that you could do in high school level and, well, youth level to college level.

[Interviewer]

Oh, wrestlers will always be the craziest, too. You'd, like, you just be driving one day and you'd see your buddy wrapped in trash bags, right? It's like 90 degrees out in Louisiana. My buddy Paul Corso would be like, and I think it's his birthday actually there tomorrow. But wrapped in trash bags, just running down the highways. I got to fight. Two hours. You're like, who are you fighting? You're fighting off Satan, brother. Yeah. That's wild.

[Keith Peterson]

Yeah, but same as what we were talking about. Dedication, that commitment, right? And then it carries on to almost anything. And also, like, you know, like, when you're wrestling and you feel defeat, right? Like, you're learning life lessons on a WrestleMania instead of having to learn it outside world where. Where the, you know, the cost sometimes is a little more. So you're learning it just by, you know, you know, training and stepping on a wrestling mat. There's not, you know, it's not better than that.

[Interviewer]

When I was going to MMA classes, I remember there would be, like, days where, like, even after, like, I'd sit there at the end of the day, and sometimes I would just, like, ball. Like, just emotions would come out of me. But it was stuff that got unlocked that had been in my muscles or in my fascia, in me, and it was like, the ability to be able to be, like, beaten by somebody that also cares that you're going to be okay. At the same time. There's something really fascinating about that, and I don't think you can find it any other place. Right. Like, you know, your competitor also, they want to beat you, but they also, some of them Want to teach you, especially if you're new. It's just like there's, it's unprecedented different levels of well being and competition and ferociousness and defeat that are all wrapped up in there.

[Keith Peterson]

Yeah. And bonds can be made that way. Like you learn who all the cops.

[Interviewer]

Are because all them are off duty. Yeah. You know, they're all in there.

[Keith Peterson]

And I saw a few guys that I used to train with and mostly in the stand up stuff and you know, buckets of blood, we would really go hard. A lot of people would come be like, what the hell? Right. It's my early training and I just got bonds with those guys forever. You know, seeing them is great and, and we laugh about that because, I don't know, spot pretty hard.

[Interviewer]

Yeah.

[Keith Peterson]

So it was good. That's good.

[Interviewer]

Do you ever think that a fighter threw a fight or had given up but kept fighting? What is that kind of energy? Like, how do you manage something like that? And how do you decide if it's just you interjecting some of your own thoughts into what's going on? Can you take me on even just some journeys about some of that?

[Keith Peterson]

So, like, you know what, like, if a guy is giving up or.

[Interviewer]

Yeah. Like, do you ever think a guy doesn't want to be in there, but he's staying in there? Like, do you ever get some of that energy?

[Keith Peterson]

Yeah, it's. It's kind of the sport where if you don't want to be in there, most likely you're not gonna be for very long. Right. So, like, I have seen guys that it's not going very well and you could tell they definitely want to be there. Right. That's a little easier to see, I think. Definitely.

[Interviewer]

But yeah, I guess it's a good point, huh?

[Keith Peterson]

Yeah. Usually if you don't want to be there at some point, you're not going to be there pretty quick. And you can see, you know, guys get surprised or, you know, overwhelmed and for that moment, you know, live to fight another day and whatever and. But usually like, if a guy, you know, they, you know, you're stopping them, they're not stopping themselves for the most part.

[Interviewer]

Have you ever had a guy stop himself or their corner stop him with some of that?

[Keith Peterson]

I have, like, amateur stuff. Like I had a kid walk out of the cage and leave the other day.

[Interviewer]

One for him. Good choice.

[Keith Peterson]

Yeah, yeah. It wasn't, wasn't for him and it was amateur. So like, good decision.

[Interviewer]

Yeah, yeah, go get a smoothie.

[Keith Peterson]

I was like, all right. I waved it off and they're like, what? I'm like, yeah, once you leave, it's over. Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.

[Interviewer]

That'd be crazy. He comes back in. His mom's, like, walking back in with. With him or something, or his buddies.

[Keith Peterson]

One time it was my buddy, and he knocked this guy out and. And somehow his mom got in and you thought she was gonna kneel down and. And to see. Tend to her son, but the doctors were there, he was being taken care of. She stepped over and gave him the finger. Gave my buddy the finger is crazy. I remember it was many years ago, but I remember because ACDC Thunderstruck was being played and the mom's giving the kid the finger was pretty awesome.

[Interviewer]

Oh, that's epic, dude.

[Keith Peterson]

Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.

[Interviewer]

Have. Have there been some other instances that have happened at the end of the match where. What's that like? Because that's a lot of energy. People are coming into the ring. You still have fighters that are down sometimes.

[Keith Peterson]

Obviously, that was years and years ago, and. And so now it's, you know, only the right personnel coming, Coming in. But this, you know, I said I was. I fought on that card, that woman. So that was a long time ago. But, you know, it could be pretty crazy, you know, especially like, the higher, you know, the. The event and loud and. And stuff. And then when the fight ends, sometimes it's just like that. It is, yeah. It's just like. Like, you know, so that's crazy. And the more over the years, the more you work, the more the sounds kind of. Some you hear, some you don't. Like, I can pinpoint someone's voice and then other, you know, there's thousands of people screaming.

[Interviewer]

Yeah. It's crazy that it can be dead quiet in there with so many people in there sometimes. And sometimes there'll be certain cheers going on, but it's still. There's this real silence that's right up there by the cage. Like, it's almost eerie in a way.

[Keith Peterson]

It can be.

[Interviewer]

Or mysterious.

[Keith Peterson]

Yeah.

[Interviewer]

Or unique. It's. It's powerful.

[Keith Peterson]

Yeah.

[Interviewer]

You know, because there can be, like, this insane moment. 20,000 people are watching. Yeah.

[Keith Peterson]

And then other times, it's loud and they're cheering and you're like, what are they saying? Sometimes you can't understand what they're saying and stuff like that. And. And so it's like up and down, you know. It's pretty crazy.

[Interviewer]

Yes. Like life, man.

[Keith Peterson]

Yeah. Yeah. Up and down.

[Interviewer]

Yeah. Did you ever suspect that a fighter threw a fight? No.

[Keith Peterson]

Like, no. My. Some guys aren't you know, obviously, I ref all different levels, so some guys are coming in, they get punched and they're done, but that's just, you know.

[Interviewer]

Right.

[Keith Peterson]

They're not throwing it. They just don't have the talent to. But I've never suspected anything like that.

[Interviewer]

What was it like when Conor would come in the ring? Did you do any of his. I didn't.

[Keith Peterson]

No. I didn't do any of his fights, but it was crazy. I. I've. I've been, you know, I've worked cards where he was on and, like, Madison Square Garden when he fought the first Madison Greater Garden. It was crazy.

[Interviewer]

Yeah.

[Keith Peterson]

Then even after you went outside and there was, you know, Irish people cheering everywhere.

[Interviewer]

Yeah. Oh, yeah. They show up.

[Keith Peterson]

Yeah.

[Interviewer]

Yeah, they really do. So could you even tell us who you thought the best fighter is that you've seen?

[Keith Peterson]

I don't know if I. So I stopped looking at fights like a fan. A pretty long. Oh, you did? Yeah, I kind of don't see him that way. I wouldn't even be able, like, to pick a favorite fighter or say, who's the best fighter or anything like that. But, you know, obviously there's fights where you're like, wow, that was really exciting, or something like that.

[Interviewer]

Yeah.

[Keith Peterson]

You know, but, yeah, I kind of just very look at it at the. The referee standpoint these days, mostly.

[Interviewer]

Is there a fighter that you feel like plays by the rules the most?

[Keith Peterson]

Oh, there's a bunch of polite guys who are just polite, but for the. For the most part, everyone really plays by the rules.

[Interviewer]

That's a good point.

[Keith Peterson]

You know, but, you know, like, I think a lot of the. A lot of the fouls that, you know, are accidental.

[Interviewer]

You do?

[Keith Peterson]

Yeah, I do. Some, you know, some of it couldn't even. Even if you wanted to do it the way, you know, it's such a fast.

[Interviewer]

That's a good point. Like, you know, it'd be hard to strategize.

[Keith Peterson]

Yeah.

[Interviewer]

Like.

[Keith Peterson]

Yeah, but then you have some guys that are real grindy, and when they're in the cage, they're going to do what they have to do, and it is a fight, and, you know, you got to try to control that.

[Interviewer]

Did you get to refinance Khabib's fights?

[Keith Peterson]

Nope. So him and kind of mostly everyone else, but. Yeah.

[Interviewer]

Is there a reason why you think.

[Keith Peterson]

No, there's. No. I don't believe there's a reason why.

[Interviewer]

How do you guys determine what. What fights your referee do you draw out of a hat?

[Keith Peterson]

No, the commission just gives you you know, you'll go and you get your assignments. So I never really asked exactly what they use.

[Interviewer]

So you and Herb Dean are back there like this, then?

[Keith Peterson]

No.

[Interviewer]

Okay. Okay.

[Keith Peterson]

Now, so you come and they give you a sheet, and you already have your assignments there.

[Interviewer]

Oh, and is it almost like opening up like a Christmas wish list? Like, in some ways? Like, are there some you excited about? Like, are there some actually you're happy you don't have to, so you can sit and watch it? Or do you even think of it like that? That's like, a fan thinking of it?

[Keith Peterson]

Yeah, I do sometimes. And. And this sounds maybe crazy, but, like, if I'm like, oh, wow, that fight would be hard, I kind of hope I get it to see if, you know, if they think I do it, you know. And, And.

[Interviewer]

And what would determine if a fight would be kind of hard? Like, what even in your head makes you think of that, or what makes some fights harder than others?

[Keith Peterson]

Yeah, well, some matchups and, you know, things are like, oh, this guy is really has one knockout power, and this guy is really great on the ground, but, you know, it's not very good at taking them down. So then, you know, you're right. So you don't know what you're going to get. And I think that's what would make it harder. Or not complicated, but interesting. So let's get rid of the word harder but interesting for sure.

[Interviewer]

Yeah. I think it's so interesting how so many fighters have different reasons why they fight, you know, like, some is to test themselves, some don't even know. Some is to get rid of anger, you know, to challenge. Some just love the violence. You know, I just think it's. It's pretty fascinating to see how many. Why guys do it. Yeah.

[Keith Peterson]

Different, you know, from different roads. Right?

[Interviewer]

Yeah.

[Keith Peterson]

And everyone.

[Interviewer]

Yeah. You coach. And we can wrap up in a few minutes. Thank you so much, man. This has been cool. I appreciate it. You know, it's like, I get to go sometimes to the fights and get to see you guys there, and it's like, you know, it's almost like. I mean, you guys are kind of like celebrities in that fighting world. I mean, that. That world is built so big that, I mean, the referees are.

[Keith Peterson]

I don't. That sometimes it's like, oh, you know.

[Interviewer]

But you have to have people that are excited to see you.

[Keith Peterson]

There is, but, you know, it's crazy. Yeah, it is, because it's definitely not about, you know, me, of course, but there's.

[Interviewer]

There's. There's not A lot of other sports, I don't think. What's that been like. What's it like being, like, a part of something that's changed? Like, have you noticed the changes over. Have you noticed a different energy in the space? Have you, like, have you noticed that fighters change? What have you. What have you noticed?

[Keith Peterson]

Well, you know, obviously it. It's still young sport, right? And. And it's. It's growing and growing. Not only like. So I think was it. 2009 was my first year. So not only has that all changed, but people have changed since 2009. So, yeah, fighters are different because people are different. And, you know, and we have like. Well, the Internet's even bigger and. And all that stuff. And, you know, so, yeah, a lot of things have changed, but the. The concept is there, right? Put two people in there and they fight. And so that. That's the same. Fighters, like, end up the same, like, you know, even though times are different, like, eventually, like, you. You'll even me talking one. You know, they're there for one goal and. And, you know, to be competitive, and.

[Interviewer]

That'S always stayed the same. Yeah. Yeah. Was there ever, like, a fighter that retired in the ring because, you know, a lot of times they'll lay their gloves down. Was there any. Any moment, one of those that kind of stood out to you or trying to think, or just one that even caught your. Caught your own feelings?

[Keith Peterson]

I believe. I believe I. I might be wrong, but I believe Quake Guido retired the last time I reft him, I think. So that would be pretty significant because I left him up a few times and. And. And he's, you know, awesome. So I believe. And there's probably been others, too, that they've retired after, after, after I reft them, but those are always, like. I know some of them you can feel coming. Right. And then some you can't. It happens in wrestling, too. They'll take off their shoes and they leave it in the center and. And sometimes you're like, oh, yeah, makes sense. And a lot of times, like, hey, you know, you got more to give and more to go. But as we said, you know, the amount of time that stuff takes.

[Interviewer]

Yeah. You spend time now coaching your daughters.

[Keith Peterson]

Yeah, so my daughter. Yeah, so I. My daughter and I.

[Interviewer]

Is this her school?

[Keith Peterson]

This was her high school. So I coach for the.

[Interviewer]

Well, she.

[Keith Peterson]

This is the team she wrestled for. So we have. In our area. So we have one school, which is Bayshore, that has the girls wrestling team, and then the other schools, which she went to, islip all go there. So I coach the Bayshore. I'm the assistant coach at the Bayshore girls team. And then me and my daughter run a club together called Empire Girls Wrestling together. So. And right now that's growing. Like, the whole sport's growing. It's amazing. It's great that girls get the opportunity to be in what I believe is the best sport. And it's awesome. Yeah, it's awesome. And then coaching with my daughter right now is really. She's very good. She. She actually coached at. Which is a big thing for us at the national team. New York national team at Fargo this year. It was her first year coaching there.

[Interviewer]

Wow.

[Keith Peterson]

She did really well. And she's gonna be an awesome coach.

[Interviewer]

He's dynamite, huh?

[Keith Peterson]

Yeah.

[Interviewer]

What's her name? Oh, it's a pretty name, man.

[Keith Peterson]

Yeah.

[Interviewer]

Wow. That's cool, man. Oh, there you go. Look.

[Keith Peterson]

That was. Yeah.

[Interviewer]

So this was not. How much nonsense does Mora allow?

[Keith Peterson]

Not much either. Yeah, there's not much going on. That much nonsense. This was August. On the end of August, it was the New York State Fair, and they invited us and we brought a girls team and a boys team. And we, the boys and the girls stay in, like, the four H storms, so they get to stay fair for free. The kids get to walk around and do all that. It was really cool.

[Interviewer]

And then they wrestled us for the people and then.

[Keith Peterson]

Yeah. So all those people are just walking by the state fair, watching the duel meets.

[Interviewer]

Dude, that's great entertainment. Why not put something like that in a place where people are already at and looking for. For entertainment. Yeah, it was pretty cool because so often sometimes you'll put it in a gym or something and people don't even know, you know, Especially a lot of times in high school or even outside, like in college. People, you just don't know. But if you're at a fair, you're looking for entertainment, and there it is.

[Keith Peterson]

It was really cool. It was our first year doing it. My wife planned it and we got invited and it was really cool. We'll do it again for sure. It was very cool.

[Interviewer]

Wow. Mora. More, more, more.

[Keith Peterson]

M O r a m O r.

[Interviewer]

A beautiful young lady. That's awesome, dude. Congratulations. Thanks.

[Keith Peterson]

I didn't do anything, but.

[Interviewer]

Well, you showed up.

[Keith Peterson]

Yeah, yeah, yeah. That's for sure, you know? Yeah, yeah.

[Interviewer]

I mean, that's a lot of it.

[Keith Peterson]

Yeah, yeah.

[Interviewer]

And you kept going.

[Keith Peterson]

Yeah, yeah.

[Interviewer]

You know, we're talking about it today. It's like as. Yeah. Like life has. There's a lot of little off ramps that you can get on.

[Keith Peterson]

Yeah, yeah, yeah. And you know, you got. As we were just talking earlier about things that, you know, you don't think ever gonna happen happens and you just gotta keep going forward and then, you.

[Interviewer]

Know.

[Keith Peterson]

You know, eye on the prize, I guess. Yeah, so. Yeah, so I'm lucky, you know, I got all these good things going. Yeah.

[Interviewer]

It seems like you stay really busy. What is your daily routine like? Kind of.

[Keith Peterson]

So I start work at the town at 7:30-4 at the diesel Mechanic.

[Interviewer]

Yeah.

[Keith Peterson]

And then.

[Interviewer]

That's unbelievable.

[Keith Peterson]

And then I. Our practices. Well, right now our practice is just Empire practices. They're from 7 to 9 o'. Clock Mondays, Wednesdays and Thursdays and Sundays and. And then now we're starting the high school season so we have open mats for that too, so.

[Interviewer]

Wow.

[Keith Peterson]

Keep me busy.

[Interviewer]

Yeah, that keeps you busy. You like staying busy, huh?

[Keith Peterson]

Yeah, very. I like to stay busy. I like to, you know, keep moving. Yeah, yeah, that's me. I don't sit around much. Never been much of a sit around type of guy, so. But you know, I.

[Interviewer]

Well, too much nonsense can happen.

[Keith Peterson]

Yeah, but you can still have fun. Yes, true. But you can. Like. I'm a pretty serious guy, but I'm like things. I'm good. I'm good at making fun of myself. I'm good at laughing. I know. You know, like I came to see your show. That was funny.

[Interviewer]

Yeah.

[Keith Peterson]

And I was. My cousins were there. They. They're huge fans.

[Interviewer]

They had a good time.

[Keith Peterson]

Yeah, yeah. You know they were. When they told me they were going to be, I was like, oh, I'm going. And so the huge fans and it was good. It was good.

[Interviewer]

Thanks.

[Keith Peterson]

It was funny.

[Interviewer]

Yeah, I'll accept that. I appreciate that. Hey, you're a referee, you would know, man.

[Keith Peterson]

Well, I don't know about if I know comedy, but I'll take it though. Yeah, it's good enough. Fair enough.

[Interviewer]

Fair enough.

[Keith Peterson]

I've laughed a few times.

[Interviewer]

Hey, that's. Yeah, that's all we can ask from a guy who doesn't accept nonsense, that's the most we can ask. Is there any other. Oh, are referees allowed to. Is there like an alcohol rule? With referees like I know with pilots. Can you look it up for me? How soon before a flight can a pilot have alcohol? Is there a rule with referees that you can or can't drink before a.

[Keith Peterson]

Fight or you can't drink before a fight? So I was like, is there. I think it would be like 24 hours or something like that. I Had never, you know, but they.

[Interviewer]

Never, it's never like they don't. They're not breathalyzing, no refs or anything like that. Yeah, but it would be hard to do, so. What, referee a fight. If somebody been drinking, it would probably be.

[Keith Peterson]

Well, it would be impossible, like to actually do the actual thing would be impossible. But then, you know, you, you spend. So you're, you're in there, you're. You're with doctors, commissions and whatever, and I wouldn't think they let you.

[Interviewer]

Yes. I mean.

[Keith Peterson]

Yes. Someone catch on.

[Interviewer]

Let me see what this says. Many airlines have stricter internal policies, with some requiring pilots to abstain for at least 12 hours before flying to allow sufficient time for metabolization.

[Keith Peterson]

Dude, I don't think 12 hours is long enough, to be honest. 12 hours seems, you know, that's not that much. You want to hear something crazy? So I have a cdl, so it has to be zeros.

[Interviewer]

If.

[Keith Peterson]

When, when they do drug tests, they do well, you're allowed to blow a percentage.

[Interviewer]

In summary, pilots must avoid alcohol for at least eight hours before a flight. Maintain BAC below zero, 0.04.

[Keith Peterson]

Yeah, that's.

[Interviewer]

That's drunk. In some states, I think. Damn. And not fly while hungover or impaired. Wow.

[Keith Peterson]

Yeah. So no.

[Interviewer]

Yeah.

[Keith Peterson]

So I guess.

[Interviewer]

My God, bro. They should have to blow it in the front of the plane and show the number of the rest of the plane. You know.

[Keith Peterson]

That's pretty crazy. That's. Yeah. No, we don't do breathless or anything, but it's, it's. You, you wouldn't.

[Interviewer]

It's never been an issue.

[Keith Peterson]

No, I, I, you know.

[Interviewer]

Yeah. Have you never heard any, You've never heard of anybody having an issue?

[Keith Peterson]

No. A real one?

[Interviewer]

No. Yeah. What. What's it like when you get there from. When you, when you leave? Take me through a UFC fight as a referee.

[Keith Peterson]

So you get there how early?

[Interviewer]

Like how early do you get there?

[Keith Peterson]

It's usually. It could be two hours, hour and a half, I think. Usually. Like.

[Interviewer]

And who's there when you get there? Like Megan Olivia in there yet? Or.

[Keith Peterson]

I guess, I don't know.

[Interviewer]

Do you have a meeting with the commission? Yeah, like, just take me through.

[Keith Peterson]

Like, I straight go in and walk in, find the commission room. You know, obviously if I've been there before, but if I haven't been working a place, I never been. Walk in, find the commission room, get my assignments. When the fighters come, I do my one on one rules meeting. And with each fighter. Yeah.

[Interviewer]

Wow. Every fighter on the card.

[Keith Peterson]

Every Fighter I have on the card. Yep. So usually we'll go with the average is three fights on a card. Right. I've had more, less if a cancellation, whatever. But go over the rules, ask them if you know they have any questions. Then you know, depending what state. Mostly now you do also. You do ro. Like the A review official. And what does that mean? So it's like the instant replay. I would have instantaneous play now and then. And then the fight before yours. You usually do, you know the gate when they walk in the check and so you're busy pretty much the whole time.

[Interviewer]

Yeah. And will you have like, what do you eat before? Do you have an energy drink? What do you do?

[Keith Peterson]

I don't have an energy drink, but some places I eat before. Sometimes I don't eat before. It all depends. Like when I'm from New Jersey, there's a few restaurants. I'll have something. Madison Square Garden. I always go to the same place and I eat there.

[Interviewer]

What is it?

[Keith Peterson]

And it's a Molly Wee pub. And. And they have like Irish beef stew. And I. Yeah, get what you like. Yeah.

[Interviewer]

I like quesadillas that have. With almond flour tortillas. We like what we like.

[Keith Peterson]

Yeah, yeah, yeah. So I get that. And then, you know, so. And that like. Like give you an idea, like msg. I do the same thing every time. So there's a guy, I wish I could remember the name of his company, but I can't right now. But he sells shirts and stuff outside. I go out and say hello to him every single time. Right. He's always out there. No matter how cold, no matter what the guy's out there. He's awesome. He's right on 8th, 8th Avenue. He's on the corner. And then I say hello to him. Then I go down and get ready to go after. And then I go to the Mallory. Then I eat usually the beef stew and then. And then get going. So.

[Interviewer]

Yeah. Yeah, I'm kind of a creature of habit in some ways.

[Keith Peterson]

Yeah.

[Interviewer]

You know. Yeah.

[Keith Peterson]

Yeah, very much, you know, like, you know, same. And I use the word criteria and whatever, but, you know, this is how I do it and. But almost everything, I'm like that.

[Interviewer]

Really? Hey, discipline equals freedom, man. That's what Jocko Willink always says.

[Keith Peterson]

Yeah, that's pretty. Yeah, that's awesome.

[Interviewer]

And I think that's kind of true. It's like if you get up and get the things you don't want to do done out of the day, your day's so different. Yeah.

[Keith Peterson]

You know yeah, definitely.

[Interviewer]

Have you ever been unable to do a referee a fight, and for what reason before you go?

[Keith Peterson]

Yeah, well, I have a story of like I reft, but I had. I had. When I was reffing, I had two kidney stones and. And staples like in my stomach. I ended up. So it's crazy story. I had my appendix out when I was like 20 and then a few years ago I had it out again. So they took out the appendix, but they left and they lived in like a stub. So I actually had my appendix out twice. Pretty interesting. So.

[Interviewer]

Or you got scammed either way.

[Keith Peterson]

Either way it's the same hospital, so. But who forgot a little, I don't know. And it was bad.

[Interviewer]

So they had like, dude, that's nonsense.

[Keith Peterson]

Yeah, that's real nonsense. And the fact that when I asked, you know, I'm like, hey, is this. Does this happen like it does? I'm like, oh. So I also at the same time had kidney stones.

[Interviewer]

Oh.

[Keith Peterson]

So I did a recovery and there. So everything was kind of miserable. And I had a. A big show, an event coming up and it was an important one for. For me. Yeah. And then it was. Just had a. A little meaning to me. It was a local and I had the main event. It was just. So. So I decided in my head I was going to do it. So I ended up getting the doctor that I was going to see every two days for the recovery to say you could do it. And she was like, you can do it. I said, great. So. But the staples are getting really tight. So I took the few of them out from the top and then.

[Interviewer]

By yourself? Yeah.

[Keith Peterson]

And then it was easy though. They were coming out already.

[Interviewer]

Yeah.

[Keith Peterson]

And then. Yeah, and then.

[Interviewer]

Yeah. It's a build a bear.

[Keith Peterson]

Yeah, yeah. Just put it together. Boom, boom, boom, boom. You know, and then. So then. But the kidney stone started kicking in really bad. It was just a weird time. And so the night before, I'm like really panic button. I'm about to say I can't do it and. But hung in there. So next day I get there and then the pain's kind of starting to go away a little bit. So I get to the event, I get the fights in the main event, like I was hoping and awesome place that I've always wanted to work. And so the bathroom is like attached. Like the fans and us were using the same bathroom. So I walk by and they're like, ah, Keith, you're the man. So I walk into the bathroom and now I'm feeling pain real bad.

[Interviewer]

So from the kidney stones. Yeah.

[Keith Peterson]

So boom. I. I pass it. It goes. Yeah, yeah. It hits the thing. All good for that.

[Interviewer]

Like.

[Keith Peterson]

Well, the pain was still there, but it felt so much better.

[Interviewer]

Yeah.

[Keith Peterson]

And I was walking out.

[Interviewer]

And then you'll shoot your eye out.

[Keith Peterson]

And the kids like. The kids like, oh, you're a legend. And all I can think of is, you should have saw what just happened in there, dude. Like in crazy. And then the event went great.

[Interviewer]

And then.

[Keith Peterson]

And then I passed the other one because I had two on the way to Seattle the next week in the plane.

[Interviewer]

Oh, yeah. You got to save one for when you travel.

[Keith Peterson]

Yeah, yeah, yeah. Just miserable. But. But yeah. It's kind of a funny story. And then the. The appendix out to. It's pretty funny because even it was actually almost ended up being bad because I was telling people what was wrong with me because I was.

[Interviewer]

Oh. And they thought it was already done.

[Keith Peterson]

They thought that was already done. So they kept skipping over that and.

[Interviewer]

And.

[Keith Peterson]

And yeah. So it was a week or so and I was pretty infection by then, you know, caught in. But it was fine and everything worked out great.

[Interviewer]

But, dude, that's wild that. Just to know if people want to know if some of these referees are tough or not. This guy's passing kidney stones between fights in the bathroom, that's pretty unprecedented. Keith Peterson, man, thank you so much. One for always making me feel welcome when I'm at the fights. It's such an honor to get to see you guys, man. That it's. Will you agree with this? That it's one of the most. The people that make that. That are part of that company that put that event on. It's pretty spectacular.

[Keith Peterson]

Yes. Yeah, yeah, yeah. It is like.

[Interviewer]

Yeah.

[Keith Peterson]

Like some of the, like T Mobile.

[Interviewer]

It's just all so special. Yeah.

[Keith Peterson]

Yeah.

[Interviewer]

And you see the same people over and over again, and it really does feel like a family over there.

[Keith Peterson]

It is.

[Interviewer]

Does it feel like that to you?

[Keith Peterson]

Yeah, yeah. You know, it's. You know, as we figured out, I kind of keep to myself, but.

[Interviewer]

Right.

[Keith Peterson]

There's some people I see every time that I really great people and, you know, I speak to them and briefly and it's a really, you know, thank.

[Interviewer]

You so much for all your efforts, man. Thanks for continuing to just support wrestling. And I think it's just, you know, you being out there just inspires other young people to get into it and just having like, so much history yourself in it and. Yeah. Thank you for letting us talk about your family and stuff today, man. And. Yeah. Cheers to many more years of. Of. Of being on the journey, man. Yeah.

[Keith Peterson]

Yeah, for sure. Thank you. Amen.

[Interviewer]

You bet.

[Keith Peterson]

Thank you. Now I'm just floating on the breeze and I feel I'm falling like these leaves I must be cornerstone oh, but when I reach that ground I'll share this piece of my life out I can feel it in my bones but it's gonna take.