Michael Cronnelly interview

Summary

Michael Cronnelly is an amateur MMA fighter representing Connrioct MMA in Galway under Kevin Moran, we speak about his activity last year, winning a civic award in Galway and his trip to Thailand He speaks about being present in the moment something he discovered from taking…

Transcript (youtube_captions)

Yeah, yeah. >> [laughter] >> Yeah. >> Okay, it's been quite a while now. So, it's my absolute pleasure to have Mr. Michael Cronin back. He's going to be fighting Paul Hughes on 22nd November at Your Fighting Championship. An absolutely cracking fight. We're still a good bit away from the fight. I'd say maybe 3-4 weeks. How are you feeling? How are you and how are you feeling about this fight? Thank you for your time as well. >> Thanks very much, there. Thanks for having me on. Feeling good now, yeah. Um been a few months out of the cage, but uh it's nice to have um something on the horizon again. So, it's just um just trying to get it now. Doing my thing. Um I was I was away for a little while. Down in Thailand and um been back now been back now 2 months, so I'm just tipping away. Keeping the good side out. >> Back back to the Irish weather. How was your trip to Thailand? How long were you there for and was that something you you were planning for a while or or or what was it? Just talk to us about what you kind of felt. Just just talk to us about your experience over there because a lot of fighters do go over. What how did you find it? >> Uh I found it good like it was uh it was eye-opening, I suppose is the best way of putting it, you know. Um How did it come about? Yeah, well to be honest with you, I was going I was going on about it for long enough myself like you know, anybody who knows me was talking about it or whatever and just you know, I I I knew I knew people out there and uh I just said, "Fuck it like might as well go on out, you know. No time like the present." So, um Yeah, that was it. Like just after I was away for a couple of months there uh finishing my apprenticeship and after that then I just said, "Let's go for it." So, um I found the I found the training good out there like like I said, it was uh eye-opening, you know. I was um on the mats with like very good people and um very high level and uh just good to good to get a different perspective I suppose, you know? Um Like I suppose you're you're not always as uh you're not always as good as you think you are until you step on a mat with guys [clears throat] like that, you know, UFC guys, pure fellas. You know, so it was uh it was humbling as well. Um and just to I suppose just see a different lifestyle as well. >> Yeah, I like what you said there about obviously the lifestyle as well. But one of the things obviously you're saying like you're going up against UFC and pure fellas. Isn't it mad like when you see big time boxers go places they've got security and this that and the other, whereas MMA we're all real people, we're all people at the end of the day. But MMA MMA fighters can freely walk around. How does it feel like just like you're just there and then just like UFC fighter walk past? Did they ever think Did you ever get mad like starstruck or woah or did you think or they're just another fighter like me? >> Uh what you said there like there was one day there I was sitting in a cafe, eating with the food or whatever, and there was a there was a former UFC champion just sitting there with his headphones on eating his food or whatever like casually enough like, you know. So you know, it kind of um I suppose brought a bit more down to earth because like all too all too many times, you know, you see these people on the TV or Instagram or whatever, and I think like everybody does it I suppose we kind of glamorize them a bit or whatever. And then when you just see them tipping around the place on the street in Thailand, you know, in eating a bit of food or whatever, like it just kind of I suppose it just makes them the same as yourself, you know? Cuz we're all the same at the end of the day like, you know, we're all we all have our own reasons for doing it and we're all chasing something, you know, whether it be at an amateur level, amateur level, or pro level. >> Yeah, it's it's a mad and there's I think it's a good side to see because like you said people glamorize them and this that and the other. But when you see he's just a normal dude, we're both in here in the same place to eat. He's just sitting there eating. No security, no fuss, no nothing around him. It's good to see that. These people are like like I said we're all people but in in different realms of celebrity, you know, yourself people can't even walk the streets. But um how long did you say you were there for? Was it 2 months? >> 2 months, yeah. 2 months at all. >> And you stayed in one place or did you move around? >> Uh I stayed in Phuket. Um I went to Bangkok, right? I went to uh I went to One Championship for a look. And that was a that was a good experience. >> Uh One Cha- You went to a like in a match with >> to Sorry, I went to a Yeah, I went to One Championship show there in Lumpinee. So, it was good to see that. Um you know, that was a I've I've been to PFL shows and Bellator shows and Cage Warriors shows and stuff like that in Ireland, but uh it was just nice to to see something different um like One Championship. >> And over over there, you were talking about the lifestyle there. Do you see like that fighters over here it's just a completely different lifestyle that they have to live to be a fighter. Like what what what is it like? Cuz a lot of people talk about wanting to go over. Jordan Bradshaw is one of the people who said he's he's actually signed for one now. >> Yeah. >> He always wanted to go over to Thailand and just live that fighter's lifestyle. Did you get to see a glimpse into what their life is like on a daily basis which they've been doing for years? >> Uh yeah, yeah, for sure. Like um I was I was next door to the gym where I was training. So, it was just just wake up in the morning, go to training, you know, tip around for a while, whatever. If I was going to train in the evening, I'd just go to bed maybe first news you'd want. You'd You'd want to rest all right now. There took me a while to get used to the heat and all that. But um no, it's like I suppose when when I'm here, I'm um I'm working as well and then go to training in the evening and stuff like that, you know, I was busy busy busy the whole time. And then, you know, out there, it was just like wake up, go train, uh you know, get a coconut or something or whatever, just go for food, relax, you know, walk around like just you'd be kind of like I'd be a little bit wired sometimes. Like I'd be looking for something to do, you know? Sometimes I'd just like have to go over a walk or something or do something, but uh no, it's it's definitely more laid back, like, for sure. Uh Um but, like it's uh you know, what I suppose it's nice to nice to experience. It's nice to come home as well. >> Yeah, no, it is always nice to get home after a long spell of traveling. And like I said, it's it's like a real slow pace pace of life. You were very active last year. Was it nice to have that kind of slow down pace pace for a little while? Cuz like you had a an active year last year, and then you've had a bit of a break from it. So, was it nice to get that bit of a break in that slow pace? Especially you just finished your apprenticeship as well, which is a big deal. Congratulations. >> Thank you. Thank you. >> And so, there was a lot of stuff going on in the last year, your last year of apprenticeship, active year. Was it nice to just have that that wind down time, and and kind of enjoy it out there, and just kind of just just just relax, and kind of just upskill while you were there? >> For sure, yeah. Um just uh just yeah, slow slow things down, like I said it there, you know, cuz it's it's been it's been hectic. Uh you know, been busy busy busy, but like I think you need I think you need that time as well to kind of reflect on um you know, how things are going, where where I'm at, and stuff like that. And uh I for sure for sure was able to do that a bit, you know. Uh But uh yeah, I know, it's nice to slow down, like I was What's that? How many times I fought last year? I don't know. I fought like nine times, something like that. That was kickboxing and MMA. Do you know then I broke four times on top of it. You know, it gets hectic, like, you know, it's uh that like it's good that's good, too. You know, I wouldn't change it either, cuz I got so much of it experience from it. Uh but at the same time, you know, I think it can cloud you as well at some time you know, at times. Like you're just constantly like thinking about like what's next, what's next, you know, like what do I have to do, you know, how do I do whatever. And um you know, that can that can lead into other things as well, like I know um I know I'm guilty of just not being present at times, you know, like thinking too much forward thinking about behind, like just not being there in the moment, so you know, when I was in Thailand, like it's uh it kind of slowed me down a bit, I suppose, you know, and and um it was good it was good to to have the opportunity to do that as well. >> Yeah, and I know 100% cuz like that I've seen Lewis Byrne was someone I think he fought five times in 12 months and he said by the end of it I think he took nearly a year out from MMA cuz he was just like my body, everything is just [ __ ] He said he'd never take it away because now look at Lewis who's gone and I know he lost his last fight, but what is he five five and one as a pro? He he went through a lot of things as well and obviously you've got a big fight coming up. Paul Felder is someone whose record in my opinion doesn't show the level that he actually is. How are you looking forward to this fight? I think it's a fantastic fantastic fight. It's a dangerous fight for both people. That's what I like about it. How do you feel being matched up against Paul and have you looked much into him or do you already know Paul would you know kind of what he'd be looking for going into a fight against yourself? Yeah, I'm looking forward to it, you know. Like I said, it's been it's been a few a few months away from the cage and um you know, some necessary time away from the cage as well, but uh I'm looking forward to it like I I know uh Paul loves coming fights, so um I'm just going to just get in there now, I suppose, you know, train train away as I am. Keep training and um you know, I'm not not thinking too far ahead, like you know, just today's training session, whatever, you know, when that's done, tomorrow's training session, just like uh try not to focus too much on uh outcomes or you know, like how I'm going to approach it or whatever, like you know, I know his style, he knows mine. And um I'm just going to get it get there, be present, be in the moment, you know. >> And that's cuz cuz like we were saying last year it's so much built up and you were talking about obviously being cloudy and stuff and is that why you got you've got this fight at the time and usually would have had stuff kind of booked for after as well. Is that kind of what you're going forward doing now is just just taking one fight at time obviously if certain opportunities might come up but just focus on who's in front of you and right next rather than thinking not passing but going okay, I want to get another fight here here and here. >> [snorts] >> Yeah, just exactly that. Just just focus on what's ahead of me, you know? And even you know like that's that's still three weeks away, you know, there's a lot of training to be done yet like I think I think more importantly is just to be there when I'm training. Be in the room, you know, and not thinking like I need to do this, I need to do that or whatever. I just be there. Be present. Be relaxed and um just like I'm treating myself you know, a bit more as a beginner now, you know, like when I started just you know, trying to learn as much as possible. Uh taking as much as possible. Whatever works works, you know? Um but not trying to not trying to force anything. I suppose I'm going to use the analogy I suppose to be throwing off [ __ ] at the wall eventually something's going to stick. So Um yeah, so just just day by day. Day by day for now. >> Yeah, I like what you said there. You talk about like being a beginner again. Do you do you think sometimes that happens with fighters that they kind of they they fall out cuz still when you're a beginner it's so excitable and so you're so like enthusiastic. Do you think sometimes with being so active and like that results up and down sometimes sometimes you just not that it bothers you down but you don't have that same enthusiasm. Is is that what you're talking about getting that enthusiasm back being in the moment? >> Uh yeah. Yeah. Like it's when it's when you start off at first it's all so new. It's you know, such a new experience. Even even when you fight, you know, like uh I know I know myself like when you go in there it's like so crazy but you're like You just get so into the moment. It's just like you're not thinking. You know, you're just doing and nothing gets the thing done like doing the actual thing, you know, instead of like thinking too much or whatever. Um, head's not in the cage when it's meant to be there, you know, or whatever. Same thing with training and like, you know. And um Yeah, I just like treat it like a beginner, you know, even I was I was at the I was at the MMA leagues where some of our lads there at the other day, like, you know, and it was just It was nice to It was nice to go back there where like there was five five of our lads on Monday and then there was another one on the Saturday as well. So, um like it was just nice to see them at the start of their journey as well, you know, they're they're they're just getting going and uh you know, it kind of I suppose it brings you back down to earth as well, like, you know. It wasn't all that long ago I was there, either. >> Yeah, it is what I was going to ask you. Obviously, I would assume you're up there cornering and helping the lads as well. As a fighter as well, how much do you like cuz a lot of fighters when they do that they say, you know, I actually really like this side of it as well. Do you think that's giving you new enthusiasm as well seeing them and seeing them at their level beginner and then you're being part of their journey to help them improve and help them win these things. Does that give you a bit of motivation and enthusiasm as well seeing seeing these people coming in and you're a part of their development and their success? >> Yeah, for sure. Um Do you know, I it's uh I suppose it's important to give back as well. Uh you know, like there was people before me like Georgie's I call them, you know, the ones that were uh the ones that were training and were around before me and they helped me and brought me on when I started. So, I think it's important, you know, that I help out now and um you know, do what I can, you know, even if it's just a bit of insight or something or you know, maybe I pick up on something that they mightn't see or whatever, you know, and like and sometimes they can catch me out on something as well. Do know, I mean? Do you know what I mean? That kind of way. So, it's uh it's uh transactional, you know, like it works both ways. So, um but I know I I enjoy it and um you know, I'm like in that part of it, too. Like sometimes, you know, like my coach class or whatever, do you know? It's uh I suppose it's good it's good to it's good for them to get a different point of view as well and like I I have a good bit of experience now as well and hopefully um hopefully I have something to offer and they can uh they can use it themselves or whatever whatever it may be. >> Yeah, no, and that's good and it's good to get to see those and go back to those levels like you said, the roots kind of where you come through and and then you can you can really assess how far you've come. You've won titles like you've got big opportunities like you said, going over Cage Warriors Academy um over to Northampton. Like that's all well and then it can kind of put it you can kind of see, okay, I was fighting on these a couple of years ago and now look where I am and they can see that progression and be inspired by you. But another thing as well that you won last year as well, it was a very successful year for you last year. You did a civic award as well. Galway talks to us about how how did you even find out that you were getting that? And what was your reaction like? That's pretty cool thing to happen. >> Uh yeah, um somebody contacted uh my father and he told me. He told me about it. Told me a couple of weeks ago. To be honest with you, I I didn't actually pass much heed in the beginning. I didn't really I didn't really know like uh what the crack was or whatever. Do you know? I heard there's a there's a boxer from around here. Uh he had got one all right a couple of years ago. But there's a there's a few people that got them. Um but uh yeah, I didn't um I didn't pass much heed in it at first and then I realized like what it was what it was and you know, it was I think it was nice more from the point of view that like it Do you know, MMA is still like such a new sport I suppose and like in the world but like in Ireland as well, you know, it's uh it's only kind of common to the fore in the last couple of years. So, it was uh like being from a small gym as well and all that then to get recognized it was you know it wasn't just about myself either like it was about the gym and then obviously all the all the hard work that Kevin put into me as well. And then just MMA in general because like even that time like I know I think it's recognized now but even that time I don't think it was recognized as a as a as a sport so it was it's cool it's cool to be part of these things as well. You know to to to to get recognized for for achievements or you know I suppose. Any any any bit of any a bit of recognition that MMA can get and the gym as well you know it's it's all uh it's all good. >> Yeah look congratulations to you and to the gym and and like you said it's really nice to get recognized cuz like I said MMA as much as people love MMA and they think it's massive it's not it's it's still quite new >> Yeah it's still very small like you know like if you put it side by side with boxing I suppose you know like they'd have boxing on the they'd have boxing on the TV you know like it's they'd have they'd have teams going to the Olympics all that kind of stuff you know it's not Like sometimes sometimes people will be saying to me like oh where where's your gym? And I tell them they're like jeez I didn't even know that was there. You know? >> [laughter] >> It's I find I find one thing cuz I I went looking for a gym in the city center. I find one thing with all gyms they're very bad at advertising with signs sometimes outside them. I walked past a couple of gyms in Dublin and it was just like a little sticker on because you it could have been a shared entrance you know that there was a couple of businesses in or studios in there but I find them they need to have big big neon signs again here but look I'm really looking forward to fight I'm really looking forward to seeing how it turns out. It's potentially one of the fight of nights cuz like you always come to fight, Paul always comes to fight. I am going to let you go though. I want to thank you so much for your time. Is there anything you want to say before you go or anyone you want to shout out? >> Um no, I just thanks yourself Dave. Um you know, I always appreciate the interviews that you've given myself and all the other fighters a platform. So, a fair play to you and like I said, I appreciate that. Um It's just uh you know, all all the people that are are supporting me. You know, uh friends, family, teammates. Um Uh I I appreciate all the support always and you know, it's uh I'm in a I'm in a good position now. So, you know, I want to thank all them. And um my coach Gavin as well, all the time and effort he puts into me. So, thanks to all them. >> Yeah, no problem. I can't wait to see the fight. Can't wait to see how it goes. Thank you so much for your time and your time as well because I'd be nothing without to like see you coming on and then making this platform what it is. So, for me it's like you said, it's a transactional thing. Um I really appreciate you what you do and I really appreciate the fact that you you like what I do. So, on that note, thank you very much and have a good night. >> Thanks very much Dave. Appreciate it.