Andreeas Binder | Shaolin MMA Galway | Energized "One-2-Watch"

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What is up and welcome to the Energized " One-2-Watch" Show! Andreeas Binder competes on Clan Wars 39 & 40 on June 5th and is one to keep an eye on in Irish MMA. Like, Comment and Subscribe for more Energized videos & Hit the link below to get the PPV to support Irish MMA! Clan…

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Okay, what's going on guys? Welcome to a brand new episode of Energized. Ross, introduce the guest, man. Here we have one to watch. He main events Clan Wars 40, Andreas Binder. Andreas, how are you doing? I'm good, Ross. How are you keeping? How are you, Barry? What's the story? Thanks a million for coming on. We were just Ross just announced it there. We have a new feature on the show called one to watch. As you seen, we previously had Ger Harris on. We have Andreas on today. And he is fighting on Clan Wars this Saturday, so we had to get him on. So, make sure to hit the link in the bio to buy the pay-per-view to support grassroots Irish MMA. Ross, fire ahead. Andreas, what is going on over in Galway because there seems to be something in the water over there. Shaolin MMA seems to be doing incredible things. Obviously fighting on this card, you have Andy Davis, you have Darren Kingman, and have yourself. You know what I mean? These are some top athletes that Galway MMA is producing. What's going on over there? Uh just hard work, really. Um everyone just kind of put their head down all through lockdown and just worked worked their asses off and just we just want to fight. Uh we we previously fought on Clan Wars every single show. We took fighters and we won team of the year, knockouts of the year. You name it. So, we just want to kind of like put Galway on the map even more than cuz you know, all you hear like of different clubs up from Northern Ireland, from Dublin, you name it. But uh being from Galway, it's it's hard it's hard to kind of like cuz we don't have many MMA clubs in here, you know? Do you feel like you're underrated in Galway? I I'd like to think that, like you know, we we prove that time and time again even in fighting against the SPGs and the Team Rhinos and you name it. Um we we're kind of like overlooked at, should I say? But uh we do our talking in the cage. And what do you say? On pads? Yeah, Andrew, so you obviously made your like MMA debut over a year ago. And then like then all of a sudden like COVID pops up and it's just like absolutely halted the trajectory of your pro career. Um like in between that did you sit down with your team and like discuss like what were What did you sort of come up with in your with your team that would help you progress over this year and not being able to fight, but just pretty train like what did you really really focus on? Uh well, I I kind of focused on everything. Uh I'm not going to lie like the first step in the the first wave I should say of pandemic when it started the first lockdown. Um it was more mentally draining than anything else like I was still doing my training. I was still coaching kids kind of through Zoom calls and etc. trying to stay fit. But um mentally it was just mentally draining like I kind of sat back for a week or two I'd be like, you know what? I I don't want to be a trainer. I don't want to do this because I knew it was just prolonged and like this COVID and you don't know what was going to happen. And then I kind of like like the way our gyms were closed and we weren't allowed train, we set up we set up like we bought mats, we bought like the cage wall, we bought everything just to kind of like train and kept keep busy and we kind of made a little group, a little bubble should I say. And then Ian Ian Coughlan moved down from Dublin as well. And I've been training with him and the rest of the lads my weight and it's just progressed on everything like wrestling, jiu-jitsu, striking. I was training with world champion in taekwondo. It's it's it's excelled big time like, you know, I kind of I stayed a bit quiet for the first few months um just kind of grinding away and training and it's just I found it was better when I was training like that I didn't have any fights lined up because I can focus on everything. But then when you have a fight lined lined up or whatever you kind of have to focus on. Um or this style or this style, but it was just nice to learn from everyone, you know? Yeah. Yeah, man, it's great to see that, you know, you're putting in the work behind the scenes. Um you know, obviously the country's opening back up and you know, you're headlining the show. I I don't think you've ever lost on Clan Wars, have you, Andreas? No. No, I I fought on Clan Wars I think four or five times. I can't remember to be sure, but no, I I absolutely love the atmosphere up there. It's going to be a bit different now without having the crowd and like I always bring, I mean, hundreds of people coming up to Belfast to watch me fight and everything and means the world, but it's it's I don't know. It's it's going to be weird fighting without crowds to start off. The funny thing is uh myself and Ross like we were friends. We've been friends on online for ages now, but I remember we went to the event Ross in the right venue and the only two people we knew were were yourself and Ian Garry. And then it's so funny how like it's actually such a small country, isn't it, Ross? I know. Yeah, I know. It absolutely is. That that was a Cage Warriors fight, wasn't it? Yeah, yeah, it was it was a it was some scrap and he's a heavy hitter and I can't deny he's a heavy hitter. Yeah. And everyone knows in the country now how well Ian's doing. He's fighting for the Cage Warriors welterweight title and like everyone's like backing him. And then funny enough, you're the only person who have beaten him. Yeah, yeah, that's that's the thing like we were both starting off our careers. Um I knew he was a he was a good fighter back then even though he's a phenomenal fighter. But I I wanted to uh how should I say? I wanted to test myself against his skill and I proved that like you know, experience, you know, beat beat that. And because I think I had about seven fights under my belt and that was his third or fourth one if I'm not mistaken and he was undefeated as well. So I was like, yeah, let's do it, you know? Yeah, well that just shows just go show your skill level as well cuz I'm I'm sure from day one Ian was a bright talent and like we've seen what he's gone on to now. When you see someone like that go on to what they've done, I'm not going to say it might make you jealous or envious, but like are you almost like upset that you haven't progressed as fast as he has? You know what? Everyone kind of progresses at different times, at different Everyone kind of hits different times, different peaks, you know what I mean? And I'm actually I'm actually proud to see him do that like because it brings us young prospects on as well like so fair play to him like but yet again, you know what I mean? Like it just kind of it's helping young kids as well to kind of develop their game and be like oh, I can be a world champion or I can do this, I can do that. And it makes me proud seeing that like, you know? And I'm happy how with that. Look, he got where he is and everything through hard work and I'm not going to take anything away from that. But my time will come. And Andreas, obviously, you know, you plan on putting on a show come this weekend fit to gym and pay-per-view links in the bio as Barry will say about five times in this video. In the bio. In the bio. In the main event in the bio. Andreas, what's what's the next couple of plan What's the plan for the future the next two or three years like, you know, how many more fights do you want to take? I'm not too sure is the Battle Arena still a fight on Yeah. The Battle Arena fight still on. Where do you see yourself in year, two years time? I want to get as many as many fights as as much experience because I've missed out on so much over this past year or because of COVID, because of fights getting pulled on me, because of shows getting canceled on me. I obviously have this fight in Clan Wars. I'm glad to be back on. I have Battle Arena then again in in 24th of July against Corey Beldon, same another good prospect from the UK on the feet as a pro, good amateur career. Um there's I just want to like if it was up to me, I could fight every month. That's what I've done as an amateur and I miss that. And I'm I kind of miss fighting so much that I'm willing to even fight every month. Do you know what I mean? I'm going to be ready after this fight. I'll take I'll take maybe just under a week out um just to relax a bit with the family and friends, and then back into camp again. So, I want to try and fight as many many fights as I can this year. Hopefully five fights by the end of this year. And tell us this, where where is the end goal? Um some people like are UFC only, some people are wherever they can get the most money, some people have, you know, various different goals. What's the goal for Andreas Binder? Obviously, I want to be a world champion either in uh Cage Warriors, either in Brave, in One Championships, in UFC. But, I have to kind of play it how should I say? I want to play it as Obviously, my end goal is the UFC. But, I need to work on my technical skills. I need to work on how should I say? set fights a bit more and everything. And then, do you know what I mean? I want to put my name out there um by obviously finishing people and making big big moves in in the pro league. But, yet again, you need to be smart about it as well. You don't want to be fighting people that are like 17 and 0 or whatever. Do you know what I mean? That's when your management team comes in handy. That's when your coach is coming in handy. So, um yeah, but I'd love to fight in the UFC. That's my end goal. And who who's at who's at the board board of directors table at Andreas Binder uh and Co.? You know, who who sits down at the table? Who do you discuss your future with? Uh Ben Ben has been my rock since literally since the amateur careers. Uh I remember like I was into judo, and I was this fat little kid fighting at like I think it was under 100 kilos in judo. And um I came into I remember it was a novice interclub event. Hit the lads up with suplexes and ouchi maras, slammed them. Then Ben came into me straight away and he was like, "Look, I think you should start doing MMA." I was like, "Nah, nah, MMA is not for me." I went in then, literally, he he used to come into Ollie, drive me in him- himself and Ollie Ollie Mannion and drive me into training. And I came into the in the in the club or whatever saying, "I'll fight any light heavyweight." I was like 93 kilos back then, like Big dog. I was absolutely just a fat little donut, like and then then he put me in against Vilmar. He was he's a pro MMA fighter. I think he's like three and one light heavyweight. And he was walking around 110, 115 or whatever he was. And he was like, "All right, you want to fight light heavyweight, go get him." So he done some rounds on him. I couldn't even move the lad. And he was like, "Right, light heavyweight is not for me." Dumped me on my head a few times. So yeah, maybe I'll drop middleweight. And then I found I found out I'm too small for that as well, so I'm I'm slowly just I feel alive at welterweight and I feel strong as well, you know. Well, I think physically you look like your stature like welterweight is is a good size for you. I think you have have a bit of range there as well, which is always nice. So it's it's good that you have found your home and it it's good that, you know, you have been steering you in the right direction. Does he look after your management side of things as well? Yeah, for now I don't have a manager. I he was getting me my fights, he was getting me, you know what I mean, my training and everything. But obviously further down the line when my career progresses, I'll obviously be looking for a manager manager like on board as well. And then I'll have my coach and my manager, two separate businesses, you know. Yeah, exactly. Well, looks like you're starting to like tie everything together, which is great to see, isn't it, Baz? Yeah, I was like I was just looking at it like you can tell you absolutely love it and like you can tell you're going to do really, really well. But like the thing is the hard thing is like everyone knows you not you, anyone could just win a fight and then a lot of people be like, "Oh, you're amazing." And then you take your eye off the ball. But like what what What really keeps your eye on the ball, Andrias? Cuz like the really the more you win, the more you're going to be tried to get People are going to try and take your eye off the ball. My eye will never come off the ball because I've now grown up grown up in Ireland or obviously obviously coming from Romania when I was such a young age, being that foreigner kind of, you know, I I moved to Ireland when I was seven. So, regardless, I'll still be considered a little foreigner or whatever, do you know what I mean? So, getting bullied growing up and all that, and I just kind of want to set a good example for the kids anyway. That's that's my main goal, do you know what I mean? I want them to look up and be like, "Oh, I I I I I want to be like him." Or, do you know what I mean? Or even better. That's what I'd love to see, like How was that growing up actually, Andrias? Cuz obviously that that's going to be rough, you know what I mean? Like uh Kids Kids Kids are harsh, man. You know what I mean? Like that's just a fact of it. And like Yeah. They try and say the meanest thing they can to hurt you, you know? Yeah, they look for anything. Whether you're too tall, too small, like too smart, too stupid, or you're one like, you know? Yeah, so how How was that growing up? And what was it like moving over to Ireland in the first place? Or can you even remember that? Uh I can remember every single day. Like uh It was How should I say it? Like it was It was I just wanted like my parents wanted a new future for me. Like obviously like growing up growing up back home, it was nice and everything, but it was um It was a It was a tough It was tough upbringing, like, you know? Obviously like we didn't have money back then and whatever. And um I'd see like all people like close friends of mine uh their parents moving to Germany or whatever, and they'd be having new phones and all that back home. And obviously like it, you know, like I didn't pay heed to it, but just thinking back on it, it was it was tough like growing up. And then when I came over here like my parents moved here, I'd say about 25, 26 years ago like trying to get me a better future and all that. Was it straight to Bally? Yeah, yeah. No, they moved to Dublin first. They They lived in Dublin for a year or two and then we came down to Galway because it was just a bit more quieter and kind of like laid back a little bit like well, I think they've done every single possible job out there just to kind of raise me and my brother, you know, to a better better life. And I'm grateful for that every single moment like, you know, so and even education wise like it's just the education up here is just so much better than back home, you know, unless you were kind of had your your guys in the in in the school and here's a bit of money and all that. You won't get anywhere like, you know. So, I was lucky enough like to end up like finishing school here, have my degree, have this and the other. So, that was my plan B. So, just growing up I was constantly like finding everything really. So, it was just nice to be kind of keep my head up and kind of have my focus on something. I was always big into sports. I used to play football all the time with everything playing, you know, or yeah, that was that was it really like it was buffering awfully. Yeah, you just brought up you played different sports. Do you think playing multiple types of sports actually can help you in in fighting as well? Oh, big time, big time. Like, you know what I mean? I used to play football or soccer, sorry. I used to play soccer for Galway Bohemians. I used to grow up playing football against like Riverview and loads of different clubs. But, uh when you say, you know what I mean? Like, oh, MMA is an individual sport. It's not really like it's still a team sport at the end of the day. You're individually alone in the cage when you go in. But, behind you there's a team. Do you know what I mean? You have your strength and conditioning coach. You have your boxing coach, you have your jiu-jitsu coach. There's always going to be a team. You're going to be at the end in the cage locked in there and all you and your opponent. But, it's it's a team sport. I I I It's randomly like tennis, isn't it? You can't You can't get better at tennis by hitting the ball over the net and no one hits it back to you. Yeah, exactly like exactly it's the same in every sport like that, you know, you know what I mean? You're still individually on the court or whatever like for golf but I'm sure there's coaches that like you're probably have to do your strength, you have to do your technique, you have Do you know what I mean? Like Yeah. You You also mentioned your brother your brother is following your footsteps as well, isn't he? Yeah, well then Dennis used to he used to do MMA as well but how should I say like he started off Judo to start off. So I went into Judo and he was kind of like the how should I say he was like the center of attention and everything like you know cuz he was all he was the he was 10 times better than me at Judo, you know? We're both Irish squad, everything was great and then I was like you know what? I'm going to try MMA. So I went into the MMA and he followed me and then I was kind of in the in the center of attention and there and he was in my shadow so he was like you know what? I'm going to do something else. So then he went on into Muay Thai boxing, you know? And he's just he's stand up game is just absolutely lethal for such a young kid like well he's not a young kid anymore like he just turned 20 like now? 20? 20, yeah. You never know he might he might come back to me. You never know you can't really and especially with the Judoka background is something to behold like you know when you see obviously run the rails he's successful you look at someone like Hector Lombard as well, you know what I mean? He for me he was actually the epitome of Judokas in MMA just because he was obviously you know so much shorter and smaller than the fellows he was fighting for yet he could toss them around like there was no tomorrow. That was actually my first fight was Lombard and then I was watching George St-Pierre as well so that was a I want to be like them, you know? Like just Yeah, but it was years ago. Yeah, so like as we were saying like if you want to like make sure to buy the pay-per-view for this Saturday's event. Andreas is obviously headline and it's here to promote Irish MMA and there's going to be more and more events coming. I think Clan Wars are doing another one in August as well and like that'll be that'll be great to actually get for fans to go back in that I'm not too sure yet but if there will be fans allowed we will be there. Um Ross, anything else to say? No. Um Andreas, is there anyone you need to shout out? Uh well, my sponsors anyway, they've been on board for me for do do literally from the start of my career. Uh especially at Pro, it was very tough now, especially when we're not really making any money because of this COVID. Um it's just whatever they help me. So, a big shout out to Soul Flo Recovery. Um Adrian Nicklin there, they've been looking after my my recovery day in day out. Um Print on Galway, the girls in there, Diane. Um they've been looking after all my fight gear, and it's just saving a bit of bob there and then. It's hard as well. I have I have new sponsors as well, Galway Autos and Intercars. Uh Galway Autos, they they do van hires, rent cars, buy cars, you name it. And then Intercars, they're the garage obviously. That's where I go to get all my service car, and my mates, they all go there. I have another new sponsor, Back in Motion. Alan Daly, he's my physio. So, I've literally been keeping me injury-free all through, especially these 47 tough weeks of fight camp. Uh it's been a long long road. been ages, man. Um I have Galway City Gym. Uh they're my local gym. They've been They got on board uh 4 years ago. Um when I I think that was my first gym that I joined. So, they've been looking after me. And last but not least, I have Jack and Jones. I'm the face of Jack and Jones in Galway. So, that's that's uh all is uh great exposure as well. So, uh yeah, get all your clothes in there, guys. They're good quality. Shout out to all the sponsors as well. Well, look, make sure to buy the link. The link is down in the bio. There is no excuses. It's going to be on Saturday. Make sure to buy it and get involved and support grassroots Irish MMA. Ross. So, guys, um if you did enjoy this video, which I'm sure you did, if you like it, Andreas Binder, make sure to like, share, subscribe, and as always, stay energized.