Joshua Hogsett | GladiatEire FC 2 · Ireland news

Summary

This post fight Josh breaks down his first knockout win, last minute opponent changes and the mindset it took to stay focused when things were uncertain. He talks about discovering his power, trusting his coaches’ read of the fight and learning to recognize when an opponent is…

AI summary AI-generated from the transcript

Combat Confidential post-fight interview with Josh Hogsett after GladiatEire Fighting Championships 3 in Belfast (7 December 2025). Hogsett explains he was originally booked for amateur but accepted a novice bout on short notice after opponent uncertainty and pullouts. He describes his first knockout win across three rounds: hesitant to chase a finish until coaches Danny and Em repeatedly told him the opponent was hurt and that he could knock him out on the feet, while he still stood the opponent up when down because he trusted his wrestling. He recalls a solid opponent takedown in round one, says wrestling is his comfort zone, and wants to keep improving striking. He details camp frustration—many rumored opponent changes, only one formal pullout, low motivation until one week out when the bout was confirmed—and that he prepared by watching a YouTube video of his opponent (good jiu-jitsu, striker). His lesson for next time is to read damage and not dive into grappling when the opponent is already hurt. Looking ahead to 2026, he will be away in February when the next GladiatEire show runs, hopes to fight on a March card and at GladiatEire in June and December, and plans three or four bouts. At 20 he has not had an amateur fight yet and wants amateur opponents with records to prove himself, though he feels ready now especially for grinding striking over three-minute rounds.

Transcript (youtube_captions)

[music] Okay. Um, first of all, >> congratulations. >> Thank you very much. >> Uh, hard to believe that was a a no considered a novice fight. >> I know. I know. It was uh I was meant to do an amateur fight, but take us long getting fights and people pulling out and stuff >> just to be is easier. I'm the only person who would fight in such short notice would be a novice fight, >> right? >> So that's reason. Hopefully next year I'll be doing all amateur fights. >> Yeah. Yeah. >> Um I guess let's keep it simple here. Like what what was it like >> what was that win for you like? Like >> it was honestly it was unbelievable. The first time I ever knocked someone I didn't think I could knock someone out to be honest. But uh after the first after after every round um my coach Danny and Em saying I do whatever you want, you can do it everyone. And Emtt kept saying you can knock them out. You're better on the feet. you can knock him out. And I was still like hesitant. But by the third round and he kept saying kept saying I see it was hurt. I was like I might as well go for it. Every time he went down I stood up cuz I was like I can wrestle like but >> yeah the ability knock him out. So I really want to try and do it cuz win anyway. >> Okay. >> So I want to try end up working for me. >> Heck yeah. Yeah. You definitely uh kind of the dominant fighter in there for for all three rounds. >> Um and trust the first two. I think the he got a a solid takedown. kind of thing was on the first round. >> It's good. I haven't done for a we bit. >> Yeah. And um kind of had you tangled up a little bit. Uh you were able to to pull out of that and uh definitely, you know, land some strikes and then use your wrestling which you are very good at. >> It's just wrestling for me now like but striking is where I really want to try and improve and >> Okay. >> Feel like I have getting better slowly but I'm getting better like. >> Heck yeah. Um, so you said that you you were dealing with like bunch of pull outs and everything like what what was it like how many did you uh how many pull outs did you have to deal with there? Well, >> change of opponents >> really. It was only only technically one one person pull out cuz one fight was like posted and that agreed. But I heard throughout um the whole time leaned up I heard a lot of names. Okay. >> Potentially and like oh no he can't do it and he's injured or you know he doesn't want to do that weight or whatever. >> But uh so near the end I was kind of like losing losing focus a little bit. I wasn't like training as much. I was training every day but I wasn't training doing extra stuff like going in the morning. Was it was it sorry was it tough cuz it was like a bit uncertain or >> Yeah, it was very uncertain then two weeks out I thought I wasn't fighting. >> Okay. >> And then it kind of I was still helping the rest of us lads who were fighting so I was still in shape and I was still doing well but I just didn't have the motivation myself to like properly like aggressive and you know like the fight then I got one fight week and I was >> Did you know anything about your opponent tonight? >> I did watch like a YouTube video the other night. So I knew um he's good J. If you got me on the ground, I have to get up and stuff like that. But I saw a striker and I could take him. So >> what's uh what's something you're you're taking away from this? What's something you want to use next time? >> Something you want use next time? Um I need to like read my opponent like >> he was hurt every round, >> but I still went in with a grapple when he dove in >> and it wasn't until the end of each round where like don't keep going in. >> Okay, >> you can wrestle him, but just step back. He's he's done. he's done for like being more aware of like the state my opponent is in and like take the stick, take the fight through that, >> you know? >> Heck yeah. Um, so what's what's on the cards for you next year, right? We're closing out 2025 now. It's December now. Like what's what's your plan for next year? >> Um, well, I'm away in February, which is the next Gladiator. Okay. >> But hopefully there's like another show in March, whatever it is, and I want to find that and then June Gladiator in December. Definitely. There's several shows going on in March. >> Yeah, I want to fight three or four times next year. >> Okay. >> Cuz uh I'm behind like, you know, I'm 20. I haven't had an amateur fight yet. So, I want to fight as much as I can next year. >> Take it, you know, take take your time. Um, you know, it's you're young. You said you're only 20, right? >> Yeah, I'm 20. Still a baby. [laughter] >> I'm sorry. I'm sure you I'm sure you probably hate hearing that, but no, like young and uh you know, take in all this experience like uh you know, you don't [clears throat] want to >> I'm fine with a lot of great guys. Like, they're all unbelievable. So that's why I want to get the amateur level. Show what I can do against someone who's actually amateur. >> Absolutely. >> Someone has a record, something like that, you know. >> Yeah. No, I I I totally get that. U But you definitely want to You don't want to rush into something, you know, and I I certainly don't think you would. >> I do, but I mean, [laughter] but uh I don't know. I feel good enough to today. I think >> just my record doesn't show cuz I haven't fought that much, but I feel like you can do it, especially grinding strikes, >> right? >> Cuz I have I think I have the endurance for three minute rounds easy and I want to show what I can do. >> Well, I I definitely think you got it. Um, and I'm looking forward to seeing you fight again. >> Um, you do you do you have anything uh you want to say before you go? >> No, ask me. I think I'm ground. >> All right. Right on, brother. Look, I appreciate it. Congratulations. Fantastic in there. >> And and I can't wait to see you fight again. >> See you again. Thank you. >> Yeah. Appreciate it. Thank you very much. >> [music] >> Heat. Hey, Heat. [music] >> [music]