Family is, and always has been, first and foremost for me. I have two daughters and two step-sons with my wife of more than eleven years, Stacy. When I first left Texas to train in California, my family was the hardest thing to leave, but they gave me the motivation to keep working and they continue to drive me to be my best. The reason I am a professional fighter is to make my parents proud and to leave a legacy for my children.

The American Dream is often been spoken about as a vehicle that motivates people to achieve success. For the last five years, Paul Buentello has been living his version of the dream by steadily climbing up mixed martial arts' highly competitive heavyweight ladder. Buentello's story is reminiscent of others who have made life-altering sacrifices in order to reach their goals. The lack of a sophisticated training center anywhere near his home in Amarillo, Texas left the aspiring champion short of training partners and proper coaching thirteen years ago when he initially tackled the fight world by competing in Pancration style bouts.

In his first official mixed martial arts contest, a single-elimination format tournament sanctioned by the International Fighting Championship (IFC), Buentello reached the championship round before losing to 6 foot 10 inch Gan "The Giant" McGee. Following his technical knockout victory over Larry Parker in his next start for the IFC, Buentello suffered a downward spiral, suffering three straight defeats. It was shortly after the third loss that the heavyweight fighter realized he would have to relocate to a place where he could prepare properly for future fights or risk the likelihood of being forced into an early retirement.

Refusing to abandon his career goals, Buentello ventured to San Jose, California, the home of celebrated mixed martial arts training center, American Kickboxing Academy (AKA). The commitment required him to leave a steady contracting job as well as his family, including a three year old daughter.

Since being taken under the wing of AKA head trainer, "Crazy" Bob Cook, Buentello has reaped a substantial payoff from his risky transition. After scoring a technical knockout win by way of strikes in his first start under Cook's supervision!