My Way, A Male Stripper Story

Fighter profile of Benjamin Tay by

Few parents ever hope to hear news that their kids are apart of any obscure profession. They tend to hope that their kids can become doctors or construction workers or pretty much anything that isn’t a stripper.

That was the path that Benjamin “The Way” Tay went down for awhile.

Born in Dublin, Ireland,  Benjamin is the youngest of 5 siblings, the rest being girls. His parents are brazilian jiu-jitsu coaches who began teaching him when he on his 6th birthday.

At the age of 9, they left Ireland for Helsinki, Finland to open a bjj school, however, it went out of buisness only a year later.

For the next 12 years Tay and his family would do odd jobs in order to support themselves, this included Ben going into the stripper profession at the age of 18.

“It was awkward and uncomfortable,” said Tay, “but it helped put food on the table and I didn’t want any of my sisters to be treated badly by a bunch of drunk hooligans.”

Shortly after his 22 birthday, Tay was dared by one of his friends to participate in a QFC bout. “I thought to myself, why not? That’s when I got in contact with Rocco Milstown and he started managing me.”

His career has gotten off to a quick start, as he owns submission wins over his first 2 opponents and will compete for his first title belt in Dissolution Fighting Championship on August 5.

His opponent will be Hugh Jaskok, who is also 2-0, with both wins by submission. “We’re very close skill wise, this fight could wind down to whoever could get a mental edge, and I’m 100% confident that It’ll be me.”

As far as that previous job is concerned? “It’s an option if fighting doesn’t go well. But I hope to not have to go back. My Family is the most important thing for me, so I’ll do anything to support them, whether that be choking dudes or giving them a lap dance.”

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