Akim Kinsella | GladiatEire FC 1 · Ireland news

Summary

After grinding out a tough three-round win at GladiatErie Fighting Championship, Akim Kinsella and I chop it up about the fight, the game plan (or lack of one), and why going the distance might just be more valuable than a quick finish. Don't forget to like, comment, and…

AI summary AI-generated from the transcript

Combat Confidential catches Akim Kinsella after his three-round win at Gladiateire Fighting Championship 1 (the host calls it Gladiator Fighting Championship). Kinsella says he is happy with the win but exhausted after a tough bout against Ben, a late replacement for an opponent who pulled out weeks earlier; he had only studied Ben’s single amateur fight (with possible novice experience) and treats this as his eighth amateur outing. He describes controlling grappling while struggling to settle because Ben was strong, held his glove, and kept scrambling, and he notes a clean first-round takedown and drilling with training partners. His approach was to flow and counter, expecting a shot, and to threaten the neck early; he nearly hit a knee bar after an unplanned kick rolled into a leg lock, and he feels safe in leg-lock scrambles in the cage. He cut about two to two and a half kilos, prefers modest cuts to stay active, values three-round experience over quick finishes as an amateur, and says the fight confirmed he can keep pushing when tired after taking shots in the third. He has another bout booked for the 25th at the end of May (promotion name unclear in the audio), plans to return to the gym quickly, and mentions teammates Ken McCart and Malik competing on the same card before celebrating with takeaway pizza—no pineapple.

Transcript (youtube_captions)

[Music] Uh, welcome back. Uh, I keep want to keep messing up the name. Um, of the event Gladiator Fighting Championship. Um, Mr. Akim Canilla. Ake I I always screw that. So, my bad, dude. Um, first of all, congratulations on that. Um, I have to tell you, your takedowns, they look great, man. Like that's so like you go right in there and then you just grab you wrap your leg around there and then just fall right over. Yeah. That that was the one in the tour round I think. Yeah. Yeah. It looked it was flawless. Like you've done it a million times which I'm sure you have. Yeah. Always drilling with the boys in the gym. Yeah. Yeah. Um so I you know first things first like how do you how do you feel after that? Like not not the best to be honest. Oh why not? I'm I'm happy with the win but I'm just tired. It was a tough fight. A very tough fight. He was strong. Hit hard. I'm just happy to get the window. More experience. It's just another three rounds. So, sometimes getting the three rounds is better. Tons of experience already. Yeah, I know. But you want to get as much as you can more. True. I feel like getting the three rounds is better than getting the finishes most of the time, especially as an amateur like Yeah, absolutely. Just getting the feel of it all. Even though I've fought a good few times and like I don't feel like I've had a fight like that yet. So, that's another one ticked off. Okay. Right on. Uh what was the what was the most trouble you had in there? I would just I don't know. He was strong. He was strong in the gra. I know like I was controlling the situations and all, but it was like it was just very like I couldn't settle because he just kept it kept feeling like he was pulling to move away or scramble and then I was thinking I'm going to have to chase it. That's what you can see. They corner kept telling me like just let the shots go, but he was holding me glove very hard like so it wasn't that easy to just free the arm and let them go. But yeah, I got a few good few shots in and hit him a good few smacks. Yeah, absolutely. Um did you study this guy much with who is this? Uh Ben. Oh, I was meant to fight some Motherfell. I don't even I can't remember his name, but Okay. He pulled out a few weeks ago and he offered me this fight. So I just said, "Yeah, whatever." I don't really care who I fight. Like just right on. I'm just trying to get in. But I watched I think he only had one fight. I think I think maybe he had a bit of novice experience, but one actual amateur one. I just watched that and I didn't think he was on like Well, how many fights is this for you now? This is number eight. I think that's me. Eight, don't you? But um yeah, no, I just I watched this one fight. I thought it was better. I think I'm the best. Obviously, I have to think that way. So, I said, "Let's get in and find out, man." And obviously, I was better. All respect to him. That was a very good fighter. Did Did you kind of have a little bit of a plan kind of coming into this or you just really to I expected him to shoot on me. Okay. So, you can see I tried to set up that choke straight away from the first round cuz I was just I knew like when someone shoots in on me, I'm always going to wrap their neck up like I do so much in the gym. So, um my plan was just going to go with the flow. Whatever he brought, I was just going to counter and do my thing, which I did. So I saw you you almost landed a knee bar there which is awesome. You look very close in the jiu-jitsu in the gym always drilling leg attacks. So I think it goes well in MMA as well. Like you said it's good to keep yourself safe some scrambles. So yeah went for I think I threw a whale kick or something. I don't know where that came from cuz I don't even throw them but I just managed to roll into a leg lock. So that helped me in the third round. Yeah. Right on. Um the that knee bar would have been beautiful if you landed and then you like you were in kind of that 50/50 leg lock or leg position there. Did he I couldn't really see from the camera position, but did he have much on you or No. No. I'm so comfortable in that position. So comfortable. I don't like Nobody's going to finish me. Maybe jiu-jitsu cuz it's you can't throw punch. But in the cage, no one's going to No one's going to finish me by leg lock, man. I'm too comfortable in that position. Right on. Right on. Um, did you learn anything from this? Obviously I can't wait to watch it back. What What's one thing you learned from this? Just I I can keep pushing. You know what I mean? Even when it gets tough. I knew I kind I knew I already knew that about myself. But it's nice when you put it to the test and you see it cuz he hit me in the third round. I was tired and hit me a good few smacks and I dug deep, you know, finish around strong on top. So, I'm happy with it. Right on. Um, what what's I guess what's next for you? Do you like you have I have a fight lined up now in your war. Excellent. On the 25th. Yeah. Okay. Right. At the end of May anyway. Yeah, I should be there. So, I'm looking forward to that. Just get back to gym. I don't feel too uh I feel tired but not banged up around. Okay. Hopefully back in the gym in the morning and just keep going for that one. Awesome. Did you have to do You didn't do a weight cut or anything, did you? I just cut like a few kilo. Nothing crazy cuz for the day before was I don't want to be going in too late. Yeah. He seemed big enough as well. Like he was lanky. You know what I mean? I think he's a bit taller than me maybe. Yeah, I think he was. No. Yeah. I cut about 2 kilo 2 and a half kilo. You know what I mean? Nothing crazy though. Like just cuz if you're cutting too much weight, you can't do them actively like I mean you can't keep banging them out. So yeah, like if I was to cut way heavy this one and then four weeks not good for your body. You know what I mean? So two kilos nothing. me diet down falls on me. So awesome. Uh what what are your plans for the rest of the night? Um so we have how you going to celebrate this? Have a Ken McCart he's going to watch in some and then we have Malik as well for the belt. So might take the belt home later and then we'll all be going home happy hopefully. Right on. Um and then just one get a bit food later as well. Nice take. I haven't take away in a while. Yeah. What's your go-to? Probably get pizza. Oh heck. From anywhere in particular? No. See what happens when I go home. Wherever's open. All right. Here, here's a fun one for you. Uh, does pineapple belong on pizza? No. No. No. No chance. I wouldn't even try that one. No. Oh, man. You're missing out. You know, uh, pineapple, ham, jalapenos. No. Check it out, man. I'm just a chicken and pepperoni type of guy. That's me. Yeah. I generally just do pepperoni myself. Plain simple. I'm mixing it up. Like I said, pineapple, jalapenos, ham. Yeah, that's it. But Art, look, man, I appreciate your time. Congratulations. Thank you very much. Come back. Let's go.