Peter Caballero: Grabbing Life By The Horns

Fury FC's Peter Caballero Finds Balance Inside The Cage And On The Ranch

By Walker Van Wey • Aug. 27, 2021

Between taking care of his full-time job to working weekends on ranches, training at night, and maintaining his own property, Fury FC’s Peter Caballero gives himself just enough time to eat and sleep.

And while Caballero may avoid being referred to as a cowboy, even in his defense he delivers that explanation in perfect deadwood dialect.

“I wouldn’t go as far as saying I’m a ‘total cowboy,’ but it depends on what ‘cowboy’ means,” Caballero said. “That’s a bunch of different things. I’m blue-collar guy, I’ve got an 8 to 5 job, I’m chasing my dreams. If I’m not in boots, I’m probably asleep.”

Order UFC 266: Volkanovski vs Ortega

Caballero grew up in Corpus Christi watching TUF 1 and Jackie Chan movies. When Caballero moved across town in sixth grade, self-defense became much less of a hobby and more of a necessity.

“I was a guy that when I was a little kid I was in a certain area of town and when I hit middle school I moved to a different part of town,” Caballero said. “There were different people, and it was a different environment, so I was picked on. All through sixth grade, and after sixth grade, I didn’t have a single friend, so I decided, ‘I’m tired of this. I’m going to train more.’”

Alexander Volkanovski and Brian Ortega discuss their UFC 266 headline fight on SportsCenter

See the full interview on SportsCenter

Alexander Volkanovski and Brian Ortega discuss their UFC 266 headline fight on SportsCenter

Before long, the bullying disappeared into the thin Texas air and the training and “ten second” sparring matches were paying off.

Before long, all the guys who used to cause trouble became Caballero’s friends. Although he’d have to dodge the occasional insult for throwing kicks in fights, Caballero had the respect of everybody from both ends of town.

Subscribe To UFC Fight Pass Today!

He was finally able to take up a career in the sport that changed his life for the better. Now 8-4 and as he words it, “fixing to be 9-4,” Caballero says that every bit of relaxation time he sacrifices is well worth it. He’s managed to check fighting off his bucket like many times over, but in true cowboy fashion, he is quick to assure everybody it’s not the last bucket list item he wants to check off.

“The last time I was working the ranch, there was a brahma bull there and I don’t know if you know, but those are some mean SOBs,” Caballero said. “Our guy told us he can jump the fence so be careful. I thought, ‘there’s no way this big ass bull is going to jump this fence.’ Sure enough, he damn near cleared it. I was like, ‘Damn, these things are mean!’ As soon as I saw him charge I jumped over the fence and I was just like, ‘Whoa, imagine getting on top of one and trying to ride for eight seconds.’ That’s on my bucket list.”

State of the UFC Heavyweight Division | August 2021

Between working about every honest job a man can find and thinking about bull riding, you’d think that Caballero wouldn’t have a lick of time to prep for Fury FC 49, but Cowboy Pete has more than enough tricks up his sleeve.

“I do everything; I do it all,” Caballero said. “If you want to put me on the ground, I’ll fight on the ground. If you want to stay standing, I’ll box for three rounds. If you want to kickbox, I come from a Tae Kwon Do background. I do everything and I train all aspects of MMA.”

Catch Peter Caballero and the rest of the Fury FC 49 card LIVE on UFC FIGHT PASS, Sunday, August 29. Sign up TODAY!

Up Next

Amanda Nunes: The G.O.A.T.

As Amanda Nunes readies to defend her bantamweight title, she does so as the unquestioned greatest female fighter of
Desert Island Fights | Part I

If you're trapped on an island and had to choose a handful of fights you couldn't live without, what would you choose
UFC Heavyweight Title Lineage

Go Through All Of The Heavyweight Title Winners In UFC History