Interview with Pillow Fighting Championships Promoter, Thomas Elferis

Introduction

Thomas C. Elferis has quite a vision for Pillow Fight Championship (PFC). He is a superb promoter, athlete, and father. All of the work that Thomas does would not be possible without the founder of PFC, Steve Williams, a well-known telecommunications pioneer. PFC was established in 2021 and has made its way through seven countries already. This is quite impressive! My perception of Pillow Fight has completely changed after learning exactly what it entails. There might be potential to be a crossover combat sport as well.

Thomas is a man of many talents; he has played ice hockey, trained in boxing, and competed in one-wall handball.  He is also actively involved in dog rescue, and is a dedicated parent. Read on to learn more about his latest venture.

Q & A

FightMatrix: You are the Chief Business Development & Licensing Officer of Pillow Fight Championship and are currently leading global expansion in Southeast Asia, in Malaysia. Please describe your sport and the rule set.

Thomas Elferis: PFC: Pillow Fight Championship is the world’s first professional pillow fight league. Quick fun fact, pillow fighting is the oldest sport known to man dating back to Roman times with an actual pillow being the number one possession that we as a species identify the most with! Think about it, what do you sleep with? What do you sleep on? What do you carry with you to the airport and onto the plane for rest? You guessed it, a PILLOW! PFC athletes demonstrate skill and technique, stamina, and charisma; making for an eventful gathering anytime we are in your city. The rules set are in depth and way too much for me to type out. However, for anyone interested, please feel free to follow the link: https://fightpfc.com/rules/

 

FM: You have a passion for PFC and it now is taking place in seven countries. This is a large accomplishment. How do you feel about your sport becoming globally recognized?

TE: I have been on record for making predictions up to 10 years in advance, hence, being a visionary. From accurate Bitcoin all time lows to all time highs, stating eSports would become an official Olympic sport in 2020, calling major sport league championship matchups a year before the season begins (Futures), and many more. Now, I’m going on the record stating that Pillow Fighting through PFC will become an official sport within the next 10 years and this is conservative. The next generation of society seeks interactive and engaging entertainment that can be consumed immediately. PFC fits not only this requirement but beyond! We will be integrating and collaborating with other cross over IPs soon enough, globally. Our brand offers the thrill of spirited competition while being compensated without the anxiety of thinking about, is my opponent going to KO me which leads to CTE? We are the gateway for combat sport athletes who want to extend their career, which can lead to a new diversified brand following via society’s future generations. PFC is in the rare air that brings the world together.

FM: In Brazil, Pillow Fight Championship is the first event that takes place for SFT Combat promotions. Will you explain how this has improved your business?

TE: The Brazilians love the fight game and have a documented rich history of producing the world’s best athletes both in and outside of the world of combat. PFC has been entrenched in the culture for over three years. Our partners at SFT Combat are amazing! We believe in each other, and this goes a long way in establishing a sustainable partnership. It’s about brand visibility while engaging with a different audience and we both offer this value.

 

FM: I understand that you were previously a boxer who trained with Amanda Serrano. How was it to train with her? How long did you box for and how did the sport impact your life?

TE: Amanda and her team, from her manager and cornerman Jordan to her trend setting sister, Cindy, are BEASTS! The first thing they told me was, “if you make it out of training camp, the fight is easy.” They know their shit. The actual fight more times than none does not compare to the training camp, which is beyond intense. Training with them when Amanda was 19 years old was life changing for me regarding a champions preparation not only in the ring but in general and this is why Amanda is where she is. I told her one day, “you’re going to be a super star”, another prediction came true, huh? Lol. The team wanted me to turn Pro, but I could not because of a couple of different reasons, one being that my hands couldn’t handle constantly being in the boxing gloves, too much joint stiffness. Another reason being I would spar with heavier guys (I was only 147 lbs and they were up to 225 lbs) and I would really hurt them due to timing, precision, with two dynamic hands… I did not want to seriously injure anyone and in combat sports you need to go in there with that killer mentality which I did not want to commit to. So, I took the training camp mentality along with my own skill sets and turned into a formidable businessman. Boxing is a great discipline, and PFC can greatly assist boxers in preparation for a fight during their camp due to similar training.

 

FM: Are you considering teaming up with other promoters in contact sports? If so, do you have anyone in mind and what will this entail to proceed?

TE: As stated earlier, PFC will be collaborating with various crossover IPs. There are things in the works both now and for the future, stay tuned!

 

FM: You have a plan to have a family’s bond with one another through PFC. This seems like it is an amazing concept! Discuss the vision you have for this.

TE: One of the initiatives I have is starting with grassroots efforts in Malaysia in partnering with a health and fitness brand and introducing PFC Family where the focus will be with PFC KIDZ, and then scaling into teens and adults, bringing communities together through family bonds. This is how powerful our brand is, you just need to have the right vision. We are very excited about what will be coming soon enough.

 

FM: Tell us about your short-term and long-term goals for Pillow Fight Championship.

TE: My primary focus is on Southeast Asian initiatives with IP extensions. The market here in Malaysia is ripe for a new and innovative sports and entertainment brand to offer something compelling that brings communities into one ecosystem. I am leading the charge out here and as mentioned, have partnered with a fantastic health and fitness brand, Life n Fitness. We will be introducing a brand-new concept called PFC Family. Everyone is super excited with the introduction as PFC KIDZ will be activated to enable kids to learn how to become professional Pillow Fighters! The goal is to create an annual Southeast Asia PFC Championship with Malaysia serving as the exclusive hub with a ranking system created after the competition. This is one of a few short-long term goals that are in the pipeline.

 

FM: Will you tell us about your past experience with one-wall handball? Please explain the sport a little for those who are unfamiliar with it.

TE: One-wall Handball is an amazing sport that is underrated and underappreciated. This is not “Team Handball” but one that encompasses a smaller helium/rubber ball that is hit with your hand(s) against a wall, like squash. For an all-around full body workout, it really doesn’t get better than this! I had the privilege of representing Team USA in 2009 and won a World Championship in my Singles Division which had over 64 competitors. I won the event with a broken right elbow in two places (I broke it on Valentine’s Day 2009; the event was in October 2009) and hadn’t played in over 1.5 years. Originally, I had gone to coach my younger brother and officiate. I did not have my normal playing gear as well. However, there was an empty spot, and I was asked to fill it to which I nervously but happily accepted. So, my feet are a sized 10.5 and I normally wear fitted clothing. However, as I mentioned, I did not come prepared to compete, so, my brother’s double/s partner lent me his spare clothing… size 9 sneakers and overly sized clothing for my taste. I literally had everything working against me but there was one factor that kept me going: my mom. I had paid for her to fly out to Portland and surprise my brother. Up to that moment, she had never been outside of New York before. Needless to say, she was the one who was surprised in the end as both of her baby boys walked out 1st and 2nd in their respective divisions, a story that is literally a Hollywood script with a fairytale ending.

 

FM: Tell us about your time playing ice hockey.

TE: I grew up a HUGE ice hockey enthusiast having started watching at 5 years old or so. Once I saw it, I was captivated. In particular, the goalie position. So, I started playing at a later age than most because I had never told my parents that I wanted to play until I was 12 years old. Most kids start skating at 4 years old. It took me some time to get going on the ice as I was a very good roller hockey player, so, the transition was not too difficult. At the age of 16, I was scouted as one of the best players in New York State by AHL teams (NHL team affiliates) and junior hockey teams in Canada. To make a long history short, I wound up playing college hockey but left due to “politics”, which I will leave here. All and all, it was a fantastic experience in which it taught me there is no “I” in team, especially, when you are “manning the net.” I won single accolades but never a team championship.

 

FM: You are a single parent to your nine year old son and are involved in animal rescue together. Will you please elaborate on this topic?

TE: I am a single active parent – not just a single parent, but I want to establish the difference. One can be a mom and or dad, but it doesn’t make them an active parent or for that matter a parent. Every moment of life, I appreciate it so much, especially with a son being a heart baby due to the condition called Tetralogy of Fallot. Nothing in life is ever guaranteed, not going for a walk to a nearby hot chocolate café nor waking up when you close your eyes yet alone having 5 heart surgeries before the age of 4 years old. Elisha is a warrior and is my inspiration for living during this lifetime. He is an amazing being and anyone who has had the honor of spending quality time with him instantly recognizes this, old soul. Our bond is as tight as a virgin. I have physical custody, and no words can describe how serious that I take this chosen responsibility with the ambition that I can serve as an inspiration for anyone else, no matter what challenges are given to them by conscious choice(s) or not. I can get into all the challenges during this lifetime thus far but that is better during a live face-to-faced rather than a text format interview. However, for anyone interested in learning more about both my personal life and business success, please feel free to visit: https://www.almega.vip.

I recommend anyone going through or if you know someone who is currently going through Long Covid to check out my own personal story, there is hope.

Now, to one of our favorite topics, an animal known as “a man’s best friend”, the dog! My son and I have been fortunate enough to live in many different countries. In every country that we have lived in, with the exception as of now being here in Malaysia, Elisha and I have rescued grown adult dogs and puppies. From Mexico to Eastern Europe and the lovely Balkans to Eurasia, we have saved both homeless dogs and ones with infectious diseases that if not saved were going to transition (death, as known in societal terms). Animals are not voiceless as the saying goes but not enough people stay still enough to listen to them, there is a difference. Heck, not enough people stay still enough to listen to their own words or inner body. They say a dog has an amazing sense if a person is good-hearted or not with behavioral patterns displayed onto the person. Throughout this lifetime, dogs have always stayed close to me. It’s as though I can feel them and know their journey of life and the same goes for children. Being the “language barrier”, my son and I make every effort to assist a dog in need with their permission. This initiative will carry on for as long as the mind is clear and conscious. I have many stories that I would like to go into depth about regarding our rescues but that should be told face-to-faced.

 

FM: Is there anything else that you want readers and fans to know about you or your promotion?

TE: If anything that I have wrote resonates with you personally, please feel free to reach me at: Thomas@almega.vip and let’s connect, something that is a lost fundamental in human development these days.

If you would like to speak about Pillow Fight Championship, please feel free to reach me at: Thomas@fightpfc.com. I am always open to questions and opportunities for collaborations & sponsorships whether here in SE Asia, Malaysia, or another part in the world. I am your point of contact for Business Development & Licensing.

Heather, many thanks for the platform to write about the engaging, fun, healthy, interactive, media buzzed, and more importantly community building sport IP known as Pillow Fight Championship as well as sharing a little about Elisha and me.

Conclusion:

It was interesting to learn about Thomas C. Elferis and his son, Elisha. Such a heartfelt and selfless act to rescue dogs and make that particular animal one’s pet. Honestly, Thomas has a great concept by beginning Pillow Fight Championship in SE Asia in conjunction with Founder, Steve Williams. Steve creatively found a way to create a contact sport minus the blood. It is more of a “PG-rated” type of activity. The fact that families will be able to bond while enjoying a pillow fight is actually pretty awesome! This was definitely an interesting interview. I will be keeping an eye on what Pillow Fight Championship eventually evolves into. To my belief, there is a lot of room to grow!