A huge thank you to world No.25 fighter and Treasurer of SSL Paris, Alexis Leperlier for joining me in today’s interview!

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Alexis, welcome to Saber Talk, let’s start at the beginning, how did you first get involved with LED Saber as a sport? Were you at all involved in the initial establishment of Sport Saber League?

Hello William, thank you for having me!
I first got involved as a birthday gift from a friend of mine. She knew I was into star wars, and liked to work out, so she offered me a private session. With a few friends, we went to the gym, and that’s where I met Amaury Mouhtajjib. My mind was set when he said “LED Saber is a playful martial art”. So, sadly, I wasn’t involved at all in the initial establishment.

LED Saber has seen a huge surge in popularity in recent years, what do you think makes it so special? And what would you say is one misconception that most people have about the sport?

To me, it’s special because of how inclusive and all encompassing it can be. Want to make it a sport where you sweat? You can. Choreography? You can. Full armour? You can. You get the idea. It is rich thanks to the diversity of the currents which all are part of LED Saber… And I think that is one of the misconceptions people have. They don’t grasp, at first, how it can work. I’ll talk about tournaments, and they’ll think I’m faking Force powers and such. Yet, as it grows, people are more and more getting it.

You’re a very respected figure as a referee, would you say refereeing has influenced your fighting—or vice versa? Are there lessons from each role that carry into the other? And are there any characteristics that, in your opinion, make an especially good referee?

Kind of you to say so! It definitely has influenced my fighting, more than the other way around. One of the greatest boons of refereeing is that you understand the perspective of the referee. The example I usually give is that over an upward vertical tap to the forearms. It’s rather easy to place, but impossible to referee. Did it touch the hand? The wrist? The butt of the saber? Advice: don’t do it that way if it’s not noticeable.
The lessons which crossover are that of respect and abiding by the rules. Respect is all encompassing, being self respect or that of your opponent. We’re doing a sport, not an actual fight. Abiding by the rules is something I still struggle with. As a referee, you always want to be humane. Someone who makes a “mistake” on their first tourney… you don’t want to slap that yellow card from the get go. However, as time goes, I’m learning that you do indeed need to be strict, and thus fairer.

We have the 8th edition of the Open de France in just over a week (on the 20th-21st of June), how do you typically prepare for an event like this? Is it just an extension of normal training or do you increase the amount you practice in the run-up to the event?

It’s my first time attending it! As the accountant for the SSL Paris, I felt that I should keep a distance from such a major event. This has changed thanks to Marco Cuomo’s victory two seasons ago. He was proof that we had reached a milestone of professionalization; one necessary for me, and other directing members, to be allowed to participate.
As such, I’m currently watching much more what I eat, and I’ve oriented my workouts on reflex and distance management. I have good cardio (I like to believe), so I’m trying to brush up what I lack.

Something I’ve always been curious about—and I’m sure many of our readers would be too—is how you go about assigning referees to different pools or matches during a tournament. What’s the process like, and what factors do you take into account when making those decisions?

The first step is : who wants to do it. It may sound odd hearing it, but often, after the pools, when people are a bit tired, the number of referees who want to keep refereeing dwindles! Once we have enough, we try to implement rotations. Once that is done, it usually goes, for the pools: 

• One experienced referee to main
• One “less” experienced referee to mirror or main if they wish
• One beginner

For the elimination matches, we try to do so as well, but often we’re stuck at step 1.
If you, or any reader wants to referee, the process is simple: make yourself known before the tournament. Brush up on the rules, ask if there’s a possibility for a training session, and, the hardest, spar with the rules in your club! Experience is king/queen.

A lot of fighters will listen to music while warming up or practicing, is this something you’ve ever given a try? If so, did you find it helped you to focus or improve your performance at all?

I’ve tried it, but I’m a dreamer. If I listen to music, I’ll go elsewhere, and not focus. Since then, if I need to relax, I’ll pop the headphones in. If I need to focus, I’ll do a breathing exercise. 

With the recent surge in new and young talent across Saber Tour, are there any up-and-coming fighters you’ve been especially impressed by—either for their rapid development or their impact on the circuit this past year?

Impossible not to talk about the Amegah father & son duo. It’s encouraging to see them in the top 16. When you have proof that hard work and talent work, it’s invigorating! I’d also like to send kudos to Jacob WALKER-WILKINSON. In the UK open 2024, he stayed very respectful towards the referees, showing what all fighters should aspire to.

Where do you see LED Saber going over the next five years, especially with its growing international reach?

If it stays on track, I do feel like more countries will take France’s approach of recognizing it as an official sport. Thus popularizing it. If that happens, the saber tour could hopefully become *the* meeting tournaments for all schools to attend!

Finally, if you could step into the arena for a full three-round match under official Saber Tour rules against any opponent—historical or fictional—who would you choose to duel, and why?

Had it been possible, I would’ve loved to have sparred, and thus learned from, Sir Christopher Frank Carandini Lee, and Viggo Peter Mortensen Jr. Both are widely recognized as being incredible fighters, and I chose to believe they would’ve found, or might find the sports to their liking.

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Thank you all very much for reading, I’ll see you again soon for more Saber Talk.

May The Force Be With You