Keith Keogh | Cage Warriors 200, Irish MMA Update & UFC London News | The Energized Show

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What is up and welcome to The Energized Show! On this episode CMAC MMA's Keith Keogh joins us to discuss his upcoming fight at Cage Warriors 200 Dublin, Irish MMA Update & UFC London News along with all the latest combat craic. Like, Comment, Subscribe & Hit the notification…

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stay ready and honestly as I said obviously I'm looking at being in the UFC next year so all I have to do is stay ready this year and get fights three fights two or three fights puts me up right up there you know [music] >> the enjoy show up the >> lad are you ready >> yeah ready b okay here we go it's >> [screaming] >> Okay. What's going on, guys? And welcome to a brand new episode of Energize, brought to you by Orings Competitions. Ross, >> are you intoxicated or something? >> Introduce the guest, man. Today, we are bringing you undefeated cage warriors feed. It's the one and only. It's CMAC's own Mr. Keith Ko, baby. How are you doing, Keith? >> Yeah, doing good, lads. Doing good. Just back from a session there about an hour or so. Got a good walk in this morning. So, feeling good. Nice Monday morning. And I just keep thinking two weeks today I'll be four and out eating some Biscoff donuts and some ice cream and stuff. So, >> who were you trading with today, Keith? >> H it was me, Alex, Ross, and Trevor down the club this morning. Yeah, >> perfect. Did Trevor arrive on time? >> Did he arrive on time this morning? Uh, yeah, he did actually. He did. He did. I think >> I think I was there early. So I can't remember. I wasn't checking until I was there. I was just [ __ ] bored and gaff because can't hear anything. So I went down early. I think he arrived in time. I'll give him that one. >> Yeah. Fair fair play. No. Uh must say I watched uh Amy Kelly's did a great sort of documentary sort of day in the life with the Semac lads. Uh very impressive to watch. And uh you guys were Gaz Hickey Fitness who where you always are. So shout out to Gaz Hickey. But uh I saw Trevor arrived late and I was like come on now Trev. You're on calm arriving late now. Caught wrapping up. >> Yeah, he was pure slacking and then like he'd go up to like you know all of us. He's just he's a Mark Hunt. He's like he loves it. >> Well done Sparring that night and then he arrived late Sparing as well. Like Spar hadn't started but he arrived late to the class anyway. Mark >> crashing be late like >> Yeah, that's it. >> But like in fairness he loves the camera. So uh shout out to him. But uh Keith obviously you know February 21st it all goes down. Cagewires 200 big show. The freak show is back out in action. Is that the new nickname? But we stick with that the freak show. >> Yeah. Oh yeah. Do you know what? Like it just kind of fell into the place. I have to say like David Fagen Coffee and Combat. He said a force and it kind of rolled off the tongue obviously with with me name and then obviously like uh you see the pictures that kind of come out and I'm like just [ __ ] screaming at the camera and stuff like that and like that wasn't obviously intended. I just they would go [ __ ] absolutely mad like I don't know the adrenaline boys. So like [laughter] that dolly does take h for cage warriors and then with the lamb and then obviously when you self it's like a [ __ ] mad scene when I come out to walk out. So it kind of just all fell together then with that. Yeah. >> No happy days. Look I think it's great. I think it suits you as well and at the end it rise with the name as well. So it rolls off the tongue. So we absolutely love it. Obviously Keith uh just to touch base on it you know you've done quite a bit of travel uh this year already. Um you've been over in France. You were down in Cork. Is there any more traveling now before you head over to the RDS or is the travel done? You can actually, you know, rest easy for a weekend. >> Yeah. No, no, no. Next weekend is just rest. I don't like Yeah, there's no one on next week. Um, so like it'll literally be about the weekend now will be about cut me carbs and just relaxing for the weekend, getting the body ready. Like I done last bars last week be like hard conditioning this week. Like I know like I'll have hard conditioning with gas tomorrow, some rolling, some wrestling, but like no more hard MMA sparring. And it'll be all pad bags like drilling and getting kind of ready down for for next weekend, you know. >> And tell tell us this uh I do want to touch on it. Jordan Bradshaw massive win there. He's 3 and 0. Uh except another fight on short notice. Uh well, opponent changes short no upper weight class. Opponent wasn't going to make way catch weight above the weight class he's normally fighting at. Um obviously big big big L pair of balls on our Jordan Bradshaw and then unbelievable finish but it looked like a picture perfect weekend for him. Mass massive finish. The arena looked so cool when he was fighting out there. He looked fresh all week and then obviously we saw I don't know if you saw it today but he made like a lovely tribute that that fight was uh for Emil. So uh what what did you make of of that as a weekend and then how how much uh >> how much of a factor does uh a meal play on people's brains in the club on a daily basis? >> Yeah. So on like obviously the weekend itself was was unbelievable like saying J is a big pair of balls like he he really does not give a [ __ ] Like the last fight it was meant to be 61 obviously and they were like oh no your man can't make the way. yesterday and he was like 66 [ __ ] it do it [snorts] and like Sharifi was like so highly talked about not not the one going the fight in September >> OG one >> yeah so Sharifi was so like sharifi was so talked about like all you kept seeing was them talking about how good his grappling was even when we went over this time they were like cuz uh they were talking about how good his grappling was about Sharifi [clears throat] and like Jordan obviously went down and like took him down on the deck and punched his head in to be fair so they were like so high on him obviously come back this time and then obviously a man wabby the force opponent over there was highly talked about and then he just kind of went shoot about them boys. [snorts] Um so coming into this one he was meant to be fighting another MMA factory lad obviously he pulled out and then it was like upper weight again and then J not bother to him. He was like like there was no even questioning like when we heard like your man I was 66 obviously like none of us even question what J going to take and I was like [ __ ] could have been 70 I think they would have done that been honest and then I didn't even know I went into Gasma or Gas like oh [ __ ] did you hear about yeah Joro's bloke he missed way and uh I was like oh no I looked at me phone and the lads had been saying about it in the group chat obviously a man had missed way Joro doesn't matter give me [ __ ] a few hundred extra quid obviously that's all that [ __ ] mattered to him he took the [ __ ] the few quid off of man sports I We knew he was going to beat him. Like he's that good. We we we knew he was going to [ __ ] in. We knew he was going to do the business. Um and he went in there obviously absolutely pigs are perfect. Like that [snorts] show really suits him so [ __ ] well. The big arena and stuff like that. He goes in and he shines like you know what I mean. He loves the [ __ ] loves the the French c him as well. And it was just like yeah it was a great weekend obviously going in no damage and [clears throat] getting a great finish. You know >> and with that with the with the finish as well h if anyone knows Jordo from his amateur days you know what I mean? He used to come in and he wearing the toy shorts and you know he's so well known for stand up. Do you think people underestimate his grappling game? Cuz a soulev stretch is not something that comes too often the MMA scene especially that early on in someone's career and the way he did that was absolutely sensational. >> No, 100%. I just think Jordan's always been that good. He's just getting the show now. Do you know what I mean? He's just really getting to show it. I think that's why like I is the perfect place for me to get that kind of experience going. like he's like none of us obviously ever underestimated like we all we all know how good he is. He's not like he's not we didn't think of him a striker or a grappler. We just thought of him as a great MMA fighter and he's just really getting to show that you know what I mean like and he can really put it together now because like his last fight as I was saying Sharifi was like it's such a good grappler and he went in took Sharifi down >> like there was some great leg entanglement exchange as Jordan end up on top and [ __ ] absolutely smashed his head in and everyone kept talking about like this young flare who was a black belt and or whatever whatever he was and like everybody like the whole MMA factory scene and stuff like that the the Jimmy fight Jordano just went in and just killed him. So coming in here it was like yeah like we we knew he had that in his locker anyway like so it was no surprise to us but obviously to everybody else saying it like >> it was like it was good for him to show like he came in with a chip on his shoulder and he [ __ ] went in and showed it and that's the [ __ ] way to do it. You know what I mean? Come in and safety you know what I mean? There's no no better way of of putting that to bed putting that conversation to bed like of is your is your strike play. He's never made for you know. [clears throat] >> Yeah. Yeah. He really really can do it all and like he he just seems to be an absolute stellar guy. He seems to be so grounded and obviously you know he dedicated the fight after to uh one of your one of your teammates uh Emil like that's that just goes to show the type of guy he is. Does everyone in the gym just respect Jordano that way? He seems to be a very like sort of stoic individual. >> Yeah, of course. Like you know what I mean? He's a great lad and obviously him him and a male were [ __ ] him and a male were probably the closest like you know what I mean? Like we were all close but like him and the male really were they they were really tight like you know what I mean? And um obviously they live we all live in Blanch but they both live in Terostown together and stuff like that. Obviously we all went to the same school and and stuff like that but but him and him and Zardo were always coming really tight. So um yeah like obviously it's always on his mind. I'd say it's always on I'd say everybody's mind but I'd say his been a little bit more like obviously living in the area and obviously like he was really one of his best mates. [ __ ] doing that like was just yeah it was that was [ __ ] like unbelievable like to be fair like what a what a great gesture to be fair from J like and you know cuz like at the end of the day like even >> like you would like you kind of have to let some of them things get off your mind like on fight day like I don't know if you heard like we had like a young lad like he actually passed away in the gym the day of the fight against uh when I was fighting Damian McKenna poor Daniel he was only 14 but like you you hear stuff like that and you have to let that stuff go out of the back of your mind. I we didn't even know. One of my mates actually came around to me and told me that. Um but like you're being told like you have to let that stuff go out of the back of your mind. Do you know what I mean? And the same with that he uses that to fuel him. Do you know what I mean? Obviously use that to fuel him. He was like I'm going to [ __ ] go out here. I'm going to finish something and I'm going to dedicate this performance to him. So like stuff like that you don't want to talk about because sometimes it gets fighters down or it gets >> Yeah. I guess >> like a bad a bad buzz, which is horrible to say, but that's just the way it is at the end of the day. You're going in to try to like you're going in to try to finish a fight. So when you hear of like deaths of your mates and people out of club, the last thing you want to be thinking about is that. And like he like made it sure to pack the Emil's memorial card in his bag. Like being honest like that, like stuff like that you don't think about. You know what I mean? It's like gum shield. Gumshield that's everything else I can go with like passport. by him obviously like even having that in the back of his mind was obviously something that was that was playing playing in his mind still and and he was able to go out there and use it I feel >> yeah absolutely and look obviously uh hopefully the the entire team can you use you know the club's legacy as fuel to go forward and put on those great performance because you know I I'll be honest the club is probably you know one of the best clubs in the country right now and like in terms of results like must be one of the highest win percentages if not the highest win percentage in the country at the moment like the really really really are on fire. Picked another belt at Elite FC at the weekend as well. Daniel Arrow with the second round finish. Um you guys are really sort of seeing the the fruits of your labor. I I I think we sort of seen it maybe three or four years ago we could see yourself Jordan Alex sort of you know at the top of the amateur game or rising at the top of the amateur game being like >> these are all going to go pro and they're going to be you know a a a gym to really take note of. And now it's happening and you guys like your win rate is absolutely phenomenal. Do you feel like you're part of something special in CMA at the moment? >> Yeah, of course. Oh, like 100%. But like it's just it doesn't feel like it doesn't feel any different to us like that we're winning like this. like we're going out and even fights that we're losing like you know now we're making mistakes and it's just getting that like we we always preach that for years about getting experience and like we've always took fights and that's why like people just like maybe slept on us a bit but like now like it's it's showing we did the right things for years we took the hard fights we've done all the right [ __ ] and like people can just see that now you know what I mean people can see like Alex Jordano Trev ka Jake Henry everybody in the gym like you know what I mean is doing well like all the amateurs Eric winning the nationals he's over at the eye master there Daniel obviously winning the belt there at the weekend People are really seeing people are saying that like you know and then um obviously like even like Jake obviously he's a great gap and we were like great let's get in there and have a K1 fight you know what I mean and um that's what you need to do before you go pro because like a couple of us had the K1 fight years ago so we sent him down there done that and he's done absolutely great so we're doing the right things and whether they pay off or not in the time that's not that's that's not the the thing that we need to be worrying about we're thinking about the big picture and as you can see for everybody else like as yourself just saying was now everybody else is seeing the big picture now everyone It's like, "Oh, [ __ ] [ __ ] They really are doing well. Do you know what they're doing?" Alex is after like [ __ ] really putting this this thing together, this this club together and making us into like a [ __ ] MMA powerhouse. And and he really is like, so I think this is only the start. Like we all all going well now in two weeks time. Um we'll have three another three wins on Cage Warriors and putting ourselves right right into the position of like a couple of us being in the UFC next next year. >> Yeah. Absolutely. >> Yeah. Well, the thing is, Keith, like obviously Cage Warriors can see that like CMAC have something going on there and like at the moment like you're obviously you're three and0, you're on a fiveight win streak and you're fighting Gabriel Ramos. Um, can you tell us like like when Gabriel's name came around, were you like, "Yes, get me in there ASAP." >> Yeah. Oh, 100%. Like, because I hadn't got a fight offer and like I had like I hadn't got one fight offer like beforehand like I I heard people had been me down and stuff like this and no one would say yes. So I was like I was a bit frustrated, a bit like oh would would I not get a match and stuff like that. And honestly I was going to bed one night and I kept like every night I checked me phone for for Lewis to text me. And I remember like the the day I got offered it I I was like I'm going to check me phone one last time cuz I couldn't even sleep like because I need someone like that's that's how much I wanted like I wanted to fight. I couldn't sleep about it like I was finding hard check me phone. I was waiting for a topology the whole time. I was just waiting for someone's topology to pop up like you know like Louis was sending me a message and I seen it I was like yeah clicked into it honestly yeah just give me the [ __ ] didn't give a [ __ ] I was like yeah take that and it was announced then shortly after a few a few days later it was announced um so yeah I was just [ __ ] I was literally just buzzing that absolutely get like to get an opponent you know >> look he he seems like a danger enough guy think all his wins are coming by finish he hasn't been finished before obviously Yeah, come Friday night, you're looking to change that. We all know Keo is a finisher. H you you come to finish whether it be strikes or submissions, you know what I mean? You're looking to break this guy's will. Do do you do you feel like this going to be your toughest uh test today? >> Yeah, it could be. Could be. Might not be. But like the way I see it is I fought loads of these tough lads at amateur. So a fight is a fight. Do you know what I mean? Like I fought hard lads at amateur. So I don't see this lad being tougher than the people that I fought at amateur. And even if he is, these are the fights I want. Do you know what I mean? Anyway, like I'm going to just go in with like, as I say, with a point to prove and go in and show what I can do. He is dangerous. He is good, but I'm just better. I'm just I'm just that much better than anybody I'm going to get in the cage with. So, it doesn't it it doesn't really matter that much, I suppose. So, I'm h I'm going in here. He is dangerous. All I have to do is just be careful, get his timing down, and then I'll just beat him. Do you know what I mean? um like he has some good like from looking at some of his stuff I won't say like he's good here and he's good there or whatever but like I've seen them picked it out and like I'm gonna be part of him there anyway so um I'm a finisher he's a finisher so it'll probably be really exciting fight um so it doesn't doesn't matter to me I'm just going to go in there and finish this guy [snorts] >> we haven't even got one round of m out of yet so like wouldn't wouldn't wouldn't mind you go into the third minute for once >> yeah [laughter] it might be even good for myself to get that cuz like even the even me last I was I was kind of expecting it but like um obviously I I I know me level in there and I just find that I can just kind of bulldo people. So um it could be the same here. I might have to take me might take me time a little bit more like you know to to show off some stuff and get me timing down and really be uh really be relaxing there like you know and I think I have such a good array of stuff like on the feet and on the deck. So I can do it all. Um, I can do it all in her life h come the 21st, you know. >> Yeah. Keith, you you obviously made your debut with Cage Warriors back in in April, so you're not even with the organization a year. How much has your life changed? >> Yeah. Like in a way it's trans because it's just like now it can be like, right, I have so many more fights than I'm in the UFC. Do you know what I mean? And that's the way it changed. And nothing else changed. I'm still fighting. I'm still training every day. And everything else like around me is the same other than I can get to the UFC now with a clear goal in mind that it's like okay I'm not starting from scratch here. It's like right in two weeks I'm 4 and0 I could potentially only need two more fights and go get a contender shot or go get like or else I could just get a call to the UFC if I get if if I if I do that like you know what I mean and I'm not like I know that's insight I'm not really been like okay that's there I have to take every fight one by one and that's that's kind of the way I see things. people leap leap frog ahead of themselves and they they think about it too much but for me I'm literally just thinking every fight at a time I'm just grateful for to be in the opportunity that's being honest. >> Yeah. Well look you you've really earned it. Um as we said like you've blown through all your opponents so far. Uh we expect you get another win here. Uh well every time Kiko was on the bill we expect him to get a win as was Keith Ko himself. You know what I mean? It's it's what we're accustomed to I suppose. Well, even the crowd goes ably mental as well after the fight like re really really does. Are you looking to have an active 2026, Keith? Then you're looking to get three this year. >> Yeah, 100% 100%. Like I'm just Yeah, like that's why I think like fighting in February is perfect. At the same time, it's like obviously I was glad I went away to Thailand to get some training in because then it was so close after Christmas. So, but that does that all it does is leave you open then for the fights like you fight if you fight in a four nearly halfway through the year and it's like we're getting other fights. But now it's like, okay, you can come back in hopefully no injuries and stuff like that after this fight and then you're just ready to fight for the next one. You know, stay ready. And honestly, as I said, obviously I'm looking at being in the UFC next year, so all I have to do is stay ready this year and get fights, three fights, two or three fights puts me up right up there, you know. >> Yeah, 100%. And look, I suppose we I watched Alex talk about it, but uh I'll be interested if your take cuz I feel like you're almost his right-hand man in terms of like cornering and coaching people with within the club. H obviously three of you fighting on on at the same time the running order is not released, but do you guys have you guys discussed that or is that something you wait the running car comes out and then you'll discuss it then? >> Yeah, of course. No, of course we we've discussed it like you know it's coming up. We we will have to wait to see what way the running order is as well. But we have a great team there as well. Like you know we have Jord there, you have Ross there, you know what I mean? Um Colin Nolan, Jake Knight obviously like he's he's teaching grappling in the club now. We all know how good his grappling is. But like Ross Ross and Jordan are always in the corner as well there anyway. So >> them boys are there like the last like Jordan wasn't there at the last cage warriors in Dublin and then Ross wasn't there at the force but now we have both them together anyway. So like they both have always been in corners anyway. It's kind of been the four of us like kind of chopping and changing. Anyway, obviously like uh so the they'll be there and then we have like kind of as I said kind of Nolan and we'll have Jake and stuff there and uh yeah so it doesn't really matter. Um obviously ideally like everyone wants Alex in the corner you know what I mean? He's our head coach but he has to focus on his own fight and like >> of course >> I I I like we all have trust in the other lads in the corner. We all have trust in each other and that's the great thing about being in this gym. It's like we all have trust in each other and it's like okay we're well prepared and we know I know the lads are going to like try to call the right stuff and and and things like that. >> Yeah. I suppose also with wi with uh so many fight on the uh on the same night you're actually I suppose you're entitled to more corner people as well. So you can bring the likes of Jake and Henry and stuff in to like you know just for people to work with in the back. So that definitely is beneficial. [snorts] >> Mhm. Yeah. Exactly. Like just even just being able to like have a good crew around us, do you know what I mean? Like energy wise to get doing this with your team every day like you know and these people are helping you drill and it's like is it all together like they should be able to see like especially lads going pro as well. It's like okay like this is here for you now in a few months or next year if you want it as well. So everyone feeds off the energy you know what I mean? Everyone's doing well. >> Yeah. Keith, also like before we wrap things up, um we did the energized end of the year award show and CMAC was voted the energized amateur team of the year. Uh tell us like like who coming through the amateurs is someone that people definitely have to keep an eye out for. >> Yeah, like obviously you have the two lads who like I think soon enough will be probably Jake and Henry. Um and then you obviously you have like Nick as well there and Daniel and Eric Marco. Eric Mar's fighting in the eye mask this week, you know. Um, Conor Nolan obviously won the nationals last year as well and went to the IMAP. So, we have so many good lads, but them them lads that I just mentioned there like Daniel obviously winning the belt at the weekend. It was it was great against against Caleum Leech like he he done everything like stay composed got back top position and finished the fight from good ground and pound Daniels Daniel's one to watch and obviously Nick had the belt on that show as well. And then Eric Marco is absolutely flying like he won the nationals like he went in there got two hard hard fights there last year um in the nationals and beat a good guy in ZoroV I think his only lo I think he only had one loss as well one or two losses Zoro boy and it was like this going to be a really hard fight Eric stuffed all the takedowns and then knocked him out in the second round and now he's going over here to the IMAP. So the these are the type of guys that like could be torn and pro within the next within two years anyway. They're all young guys. They're all They're all really solid, you know. >> Yeah, the gym definitely is on fire. And like >> Ross Kernney as well could could definitely make the jump this year as well. >> Yeah, you know, great to see him back back in the cage whether whether it's amateur or pro just in general. Um obviously he went for years fighting the best in the country and he we just haven't seen him as much as we'd like to see him. So it would be great to see him back in there. >> Plus big fan of anyone else called Ross, you know. >> Yeah, [laughter] >> that's be. Yeah, but the boys is there. >> Yeah. So, make sure to get in contact with Keith Ko who's looking to go 4-0 on the 21st of February. Keith Rapsy buzzing to see you back in the Yes. Is there anything you want to say to the the freak show army, man? >> Nah, like honestly listen, everybody knows everybody knows what it's like there. Like everyone does be buzzing. You see yourself like the lads, everybody from the area always goes up always goes out and supports or if not if they're watching at home because honestly like listen, it's only after Christmas as well. I don't expect people to be paying paying the money and they still do every time. Um, and it's because I go out there and I try to entertain. I try to put on the show and honestly everybody that supports me from the community, I really appreciate every single one is whether it's either making it there is it's a sponsor. No matter what it is, even people pass me going to shop telling me well done or whatever or even people telling me I'm shy anybody or or telling telling you any anyway anything. Anyway, um I really appreciate absolutely everybody is [ __ ] the committee is great and everybody that shows it was absolutely honestly absolute legends. >> Yeah, I actually want to hear someone come up with a Keith Ko chant for February 21st. [laughter] That's what I want. [laughter] >> He does get I can I think I can always hear him like he gets the like you can hear him from absolutely miles away. He's crying and all after fights and all. He's an emotional lexo. He he he just started and everybody else just get going with it like he's [ __ ] he's dead and you can just hear him go from the start like you know >> love it. Thanks very much for your time bud and we'll let you get on the rest of your day. >> Thanks very much for having me on lads. Appreciate it as always. >> The enjoy show up the >> So Ross that was Keith Kio your favorite Ko man. Jesus, hope Alex isn't watching, but uh yeah, Kikio, what a guy. CMAC doing incredible things. Really, really impressive gym at the moment. Um doing all the right things. Alex O Sullivan is really building something special there. And uh Yep. The O Sulvin, what a great fighting family. >> Exactly. So, if you are new to the Energize Show, make sure to like, subscribe because we are here every week, aren't we, Rats? >> We absolutely are here every week. we do not miss. And we are the go-to place for all the other MMA content. >> Yeah. Well, the thing is we will be at Cage Warriors on the 21st as well. And we will be at ADCC Ireland as well, and that will be on in the DCU Sports Complex. And Ross, we're really looking forward to Cage Warriors. Yeah, we really, really are. Cage Warriors is going to be Whopper. ADCC is going to be Whopper. It's going to be like our page is going to be absolutely rammed with content that day. Um, and look, more people keep on signing up for ADCC every day, which is great to see. Saw Steu M Peter signed up, the current Masters absolute champion. Uh, he won it last time out. So, uh, looking forward to seeing him back there again. It's going to be an absolute whopper night. And then obviously we'll go all over. We'll go from DCU to the ODS, from the north side to the south side. If it's happening, we'll be there. Uh, can't wait. Cage wires, Kicho. Kiko probably going to end a fight on the main card. bring the massive crowd, big ticket seller over there. Um, and look, I'm really looking forward to seeing all the CAMAC guys, all the Irish gyms, uh, go out there and put on a show. And look, I'm I'm excited to see how big Cage Wires make the event as well. >> No, same here. Um, like 200, it's a massive show. Like Graham was like, look, have to go to the the best place to put on a show. And that's me. >> You know yourself, Russ. Um, but like since since last week's show, we had Max Lai on, there has been no people falling off the card as of yet. So, look, things are looking good. It is going to be a huge night. As we said, make sure to get on to the fighters to get tickets. And also, we'll be live in UC Fly Pass. Myself and Ross will be covering it from the RDS itself. So, we'll be doing interviews, we'll be putting out content, and we'll be keeping up to people keeping people up to date as every fight goes on. Won't we Ross? Unless you're too busy taking selfies. >> We [clears throat] absolutely will. We will. Absolutely will. And speaking of covering Irish MMA Bosmo, Elite Fighting Championship 7 went down in Cork over the weekend in I think it's Black Rockck GA Hall. H first thing I'm going to say is I really like that venue. H the setup that they have there is really cool. The big walk out screen that they have Fley is really really cool. Uh great great production to to watch the show. uh one or two issues with the stream, but they they got that rectified after the fact and was able to go back and watch the fight at the end. I always find the stream is a bit of a funny one because I feel like the promoters get flak the stream is not done correctly, but obviously they're not physically capable of running the stream themselves. So, it's always a bit of a you're relying on someone else and then you're also relying on Wi-Fi of a GA hall, which is always uh you know, can be hit and miss at the best times, I would say. So, it it is a it is a tricky one, but uh look, I watched all the fights. Uh I was really impressed with the show, I suppose. Maybe uh will I give one or two standouts spad or do you want to give anyone a shout out? >> Yeah. Well, Ross, let us know. EFC, their seventh show. Who really impressed you the most? >> For me on this occasion, I think massive credit to Amy Scully. I thought she looked fantastic uh on the night. um was a second attempt at Narn to get the job done, but she walked out of there, the Shawweight champion of EFC. Um obviously she's fighting out of SPG Ireland, does quite a lot of grappling and brew grappling as well. Um look, I think if you took all the female amateur fighters in this country uh today, I'd say she probably has the best grappling pound-for-pound out of all them. Um she is phenomenal. She is a phenom on the mat. Her top pressure is absolutely crazy. and uh she was manag managed to take home an arm for for the win. So uh shout out to Amy Scully. Uh interesting enough, I was very uh impressed with uh Charlie Freeove who uh had a submission grappling match against Jared Ryan and was able to get a triangle win. Obviously Jared Ryan is an absolute staple of the Irish amateur scene. Turn a pro on Virtue and Charlie Figo Blue belt um was able to get the win there. That that was impressive. And then they had K1 on the show as well. Jake and Guy fought uh Oliver Bala uh out of MA Cork, two uh top prospects in the amateur scene in MMA, had a K1 fight and Jake and Guy won via TKO stoppage. And I suppose with Jake and Guy as as we touched on with KO uh you know he's a top prospect in in the gym in CMAC and he's let's be college sp he's really well known for his jiu-jitsu and his grappling game. So to see him get a TKO finish, I think that will do wonders for his confidence as he moves towards the pro game. Um, and just while I am going, I might as well talk about the other two title fights. Uh, we saw Daniel Lara beat Caleum Lynch or Leech in the for the super middleweight title. Caleum Leech uh looked really really good over the first sort of six or seven minutes. Um, he was very very good grappling displayed. I think he's going to be actually displaying that grappling at ADCC, but uh Daniel Lar managed to get a reversal, get on top and get the TKO finish. And then in the main main event, uh two two of the country's favorite jock sniffers according to Ran Dun Levy. Uh Rean Dun Levy fought Shane Carly in one sensational MMA grapple match. H very close decision and Shane Carman got the nudge nod on the judges scorecard and afterwards the postfight interview he said he wants to solidify himself as the best featherweight in the country. So that is going to be one one hell of a journey that he's going to be on this year. But uh the Carly Bros have some of the best jiu-jitsu in the country. H elite FC Whopper Show really really enjoyed it. Um Barry Kenny got a lovely guillotine choke win as well. Tom Bley I think has gone seven and one his last eight fights. Definitely something to look out for. Great show from start to finish. Enjoy the plasma. >> No, you know yourself. It was a great show and uh fair play, Ross. You put out all the finishes and the winners on the Energize Show Instagram page. And Elite Fighting Championships will be back again on the 9th of May. Ross, so EFC 8 in Cork. No way. [laughter] Now, Ver fair play to Bario Callahan and all the EFC crew. Um it's not easy putting on shows in this country and they do a stellar job. So long may that last. >> Yeah, exactly. Was Brian Manning knocking around? >> He he was he was having a few points there with with his bogey eye. So uh hopefully that eye surgery went went to plan and uh we'll see him out there again there soon. But uh yeah, shout out to the MMA core crew who finished the night out in the cage with Shane Carby bells around his waist. What an even >> Yeah. Uh, also speaking of uh, monster MMA, MMA Corks, Jack Maguire will be fighting at Octagon 84 in the Czech Republic this Saturday. He is the only Irish pro athlete competing this weekend. So, Jack, he hasn't got social media, but like we're putting it out into the atmosphere, Ross, that he will get another victory representing MMA Cork. And I'm sure Brian Manning will be over there as well. Uh God knows what he'll do for that walk out, but we will definitely keep you up to date on that one. Um Ross, before we go into more of the action from the weekend, Irish jiu-jitsu is back this Sunday the 15th as Slice and Scrap 4 goes down. Yes, it does. Slice and Scrap H up in Derry putting on some fantastic matches. We have some really high level uh jiu-jitsu practitioners coming out in force. I am really looking forward this one. Um, one person who I'm definitely looking forward to seeing out there is Andy Young. I love seeing some of the coaches uh go out there and show their students that they still got it. So, Andy Young and fighting Conor and Coyle Hybrids Devils versus SPG Straban. That should be an absolutely fantastic scrap. H Chris Salmon from Brooks BJJ. He's on the card there. He's also fighting ADC. He's a former ADCC gold medalist. So really excited to see that one. Um, with that being said, there's a few female fighting on the card. Emma McGlin from Team Tres fighting Katherine Meek from Newground. And lots and lots more. Adrien Barrow is on the card as well. He's the top MMA prospect trying out his jiu-jitsu and slice and scrap 4. And Tim Mallister from Yoda as well. So there are plenty of people there to talk about h at slice and scrap. I can't wait to see who gets their hand raised, who's who's coming home with the slice of pizza and who's going home losing the scrap. [laughter] >> What's your favorite slice of pizza? >> Uh I don't know like uh the I actually like Hawaiian. I'm a pineapple on a pizza guy. So like come at me, bro. [laughter] What about you, Bazo? You pepperoni? >> Uh I don't mind me feast, man. Yeah, I don't I don't mind a me feast, but I feel like a me feast is different depending on where you order from, isn't it? Like they all the same meats. >> Well, every now and then. >> No, not really. Not really. >> But look, we can agree to disagree. We do on most things, don't we, Ross? >> Um, Ross, well, that is the action to look forward to this weekend. Just a few things we want to say as well that happened over the weekend. >> The UFC was back in the apex, the meta apex to be exact. Uh Mario Batista got the victory over Vinnie uh Venicious Liviera Ross. Like I'm sick of these Apex fights to be honest, man. >> I'm not really for them. I They do serve a purpose in some regard with like Dana White's Contender Series and you know, Tough being there. It's nice that there's a bit more of an arena for them uh per se, but I don't see the benefit of them. I don't think they're as exciting of a watch. which I think during co it was great. You could hear the corner and it was a bit of a I suppose it was a bit of a novelty one might say as opposed to now they've rolled them out so often they feel like they're a rinse and repeat and feel like anytime anyone fights in the apex they don't get the same noise when they fight on a stadium show and that could be anyone. They could be I I just miss that they're not really take the opportunity to take fighters who come from a certain area and have them fight in their hometown and like just say you go to Texas, you find six or seven Texas fighters and you put them on that card and if they win they get a big rub and they seem like a big superstar. You know what I mean? Like I remember when Steve Mic fought in Cleveland and the place went nuts for him and he looked like a big superstar. He was the heavyweight champion and then they didn't put the next show in Cleveland. I would have been like, "Right, we're going back to Cleveland with Steve Motic." It seems to be if you want a numbered event for the UFC, the city has to dip into their into their uh wallet and pay for pay for the UFC to come there. And with that being said, you know, you sort of end up with the UFC having these random fights in random places where the fighters on the card have little to no affiliation with the area. Yeah, that's why I think they should be going to maybe like smaller places to have these fight nights because people the fans still want to have an experience there. So >> I think they need to do like a European leg at some stage where they go maybe see see the way they do London, right? It's probably not going to happen this year, right? >> Yeah, but the London card was just announced as well. >> Yeah. Oh, no, it was. Yeah. And a lot of people were disappointed with it. I wasn't. I actually thought at the end of the day the UK has two really big superstars at the moment. Tom Aspenol and Patty Pinler. It's not a number card in London. It's a fight night. They're both probably too big to fight in a fight night. Now, you know, Param want them on the number cards. That's just the way it is. >> Yeah. >> You know, I mean, at this stage, you're giving Lauron Murphy a chance to become the number one contender, become a star. you're giving the likes of Luke Royley to really step up and become a star and you know MVPs fighting Sam Patterson like that's another big fight at the end of the day you can't give out that you want more UK fighters to get in the UFC and then when they get in the UFC give out that you're not getting the stars on the UK cards. You can't have it both ways. Uh you're you're not going to get Tom Aspenol unless it's a pay-per-view. They did a pay-per-view over the UK for Tom Aspenol. You know what I mean? Like London at least are guaranteed a card every year. So I I wouldn't be too against it. There were a few random fights on the card that I was like why is that on the London card? Like uh I know Lonnie Kavanaaugh was supposed to fight the week before. Now he's fighting Brandon Moreno which is wild carryon. Uh and Harry Hardwick's fighting the week before in Vegas as well which is so random. And then someone like Austin Lane is fighting on the on the UK card which makes no sense. So there are a few like that that I'm like geographically and time wise they don't make sense but at the end of the day like if you're a UK and May fan you know you want to go out and support your fighters well like UFC London that's what it's there for you I still think yeah it's well look and it's not going to be in the apex is the main point like >> yeah exactly [laughter] you know I mean like it's >> it's just not hard >> it's just even though Walkouts are like also very important as we've seen from Brian Manning and like when you the walk out in the apex are so small like that no one's walk out would ever I don't think a walk out has ever gone viral in the Apex has it >> I think Darren Hill did once because no sorry two times went viral Darren Hill walked out to no no music which I think sort of had a bit of uh virally it went a bit viral and then Mike Perry went to walk out to Halo >> from like the game Halo And they played Beyonce Halo he walked out to that one. >> Was that was that Darren Hill fight? Was was that not in um Fight Island? I >> I think I think he's I think he's walked out no music a few times, but I think he did it in the Apex and like that got a lot of got a lot of attention. >> Well, there it is. And so, uh also BKFC was on over the weekend and Andre Olowski defeated Ben Rothell for the heavyweight title. Uh Andre Alowski said after that people could if you put your mind to anything you can achieve so many things in life. He's overcome cancer three times in his life. Um that was a very like an emotional speech and uh >> you can't put that big dog down. >> No, I'm sure uh the cancer has touched everyone at some certain point like whether it be like a friend, a family or like some someone you know. Um, so that was uh very heart touching. And then uh also PFL was on over the weekend and uh Usuzman Nurmagamedov retained his PFL lightweight world title. So Ross, that wraps up this week's show. As next week we will be back. We will have none other than Mr. 80cc Ireland Kieran Davern on the show and we'll be discussing 80C Ireland fight week for Cage Warriors 200 and much much more as always Ross is there anything you want to say about today's show on how energized it was on uh how great it was to have Keith back in the show how Max Laddy was on last week's show just just want to say thanks a million to all the guests who do join us on the show always really really appreciate their time thanks to anyone who has tuned into the show h if you are here and you are listening to this part at the very very end. Go down and hit that thumbs up button. The like button goes a long way for us. If you do have uh 30 seconds of your day, leave a little comment and if you did find the show entertaining, don't be afraid to share it. We always appreciate that. Thanks a million. We love you. Hopefully you love us. And as always, stay >> the enjoy show up the Irish. It's the face that runs the place Chaos Cortis. I want to thank the Irish MMA community so much for getting behind me. Yep.