Leah Callaghan interview (August 2026)

Summary

Leah Callaghan

Transcript (youtube_captions)

Okay, so it's my absolute pleasure to have joining me again Miss Leah O'Callaghan. We've seen her fight on I've seen her fight personally twice. Very exciting female fighter coming through the novice ranks at the minute. She's going to be fighting Chloe Chloe Keogh coming up at Vertice Saturday week. How are you feeling? How are you Thank you very much for your time. >> Yeah, I'm feeling good and thanks very much for having me on. Yeah, I'm feeling good all round. Yeah. >> And then obviously your last two fights you've done very very well and we we've loved having you on the show. And how's it been for you trying to get matched because we we were looking for November and we were finding it hard to find girls in and around that weight especially with novice because there's no real records. Are you finding it hard yourself to get matched? >> Yeah, it was it's actually very hard to be honest. I thought it'd be more active in the start of this year but it didn't go the way I thought it'd go. But cuz I fought last in November so it's been a bit of a gap like between and I thought like once I got them two fights gone like I'd be like rolling but it's actually just not like that at all. So, yeah. >> It is hard cuz like that cause like there's no like obviously for like to say Sarah we can go to Tapology and have a look at what females are on Tapology but there's no kind of database for novices is the problem so you have to go around to individual gym by gym by gym and then trying to get them back is is a bit of a nightmare. But you had two really two really good fights going forward causing a bit of damage going back home on the bus. You bring a bit of a crowd with you as well as well. >> I'm going to have them. >> I go back. How do you feel about coming in getting the match and and bringing your your family and friends with you and actually getting another fight before the end of the year and hopefully we can get you some more. >> Yeah, I'm hoping to get another one after this one but yeah, there's actually loads going this time. I've cousins flying over from Liverpool and all to go to the fight so it's going to be so funny. >> That's How does it feel cuz that's like that's a long way to travel and times are tight in in like for most kind of ordinary working people at the minute. That like that's massive to have people fly over from Liverpool. How does that make you feel as as a family member and an athlete to have that support coming over from another country? >> Yeah, it's it's mad. It's like cuz you don't really deep it but then when you do deep you're like that's mad like they're actually cuz like the tickets aren't cheap. They're like expensive and then the travel isn't cheap. Everything like if it cost a good bit of money especially to fly from Liverpool so I'm like so grateful. I actually haven't even got to like speak to my cousin Jack cuz I'm like I'll just get the fight done and then I'll talk to them after but I'm like I just think it's mad. Like I'm like look at me and they're all flying over from Liverpool. >> It's it's good to have that support though because like that it's at times you see fighters that they they might not bring but I've noticed you always there's always a corner when we were at Rad that you could just knew I said that's Lee and and Sarah's and then obviously you competed on the same cards. But we uh we're coming up to this fight like do you are you looking at the opponent and and looking at what she does or are you just concentrating on yourself as a fighter and stamping your mark as a fighter in the fight rather than take looking at her or do you study her? >> No, I nor- normally I just do me to be honest. I think when you get caught up in looking at like how they fight you can like you can get too caught up on them and not in your own game. Do you know what I mean? So I just try to focus on myself and get the best out of myself and >> [gasps] >> literally get me going. >> Yeah, no I think it's much better that way because like rather than worrying about someone else you're always worrying about what they're going to do as opposed to like showing your style and kind of putting your stamp on it and showing who you are as a fighter. Uh but in the lead up obviously it's novice so you have the same day weigh-ins. Do do you do much of a weight cut or do you kind of walk like fight kind of near enough your walk around weight or or I wouldn't say >> This one Yeah, I normally walk around like 61 62. And then I'm fighting at 56 this time. So it's a bit of a couple it's not like it's not much really like and then I had a bit of time to to do it, like. I went to America and all, and >> [snorts] >> I was there over there, like, and everybody thought I'm like not eating anything. I'm like, "This is all right." >> [laughter] >> But I've had time to do it, so I'm actually glad, like. >> Yeah, it's better when you start dieting out cuz you don't really want to be doing workouts and stuff like that. >> wouldn't know. I wouldn't want to. Especially time day weighing, you'd be dehydrated then going in, like. >> Yeah, it's quite dangerous as well. I know a fighter who went in and because obviously the fluid in your brain is one of the last to kind of uh replenish, and he got knocked out really badly and said he couldn't remember the whole day, so >> Really, yeah. As you were so dehydrated. >> Yeah, cuz there was nothing to protect the brain once he got >> cut on on the on the day? >> It was cut on the day, yeah. >> On the day it was fine. >> Yeah, it was cut on up like it was cut on up the night before he'd made it, but like you just don't have like he wasn't high on the card, either, so it was so he >> I feel like for a man it's a little bit easier as well cuz girls obviously have like time of the month and stuff, so it's a little bit harder to like know. Do you know what I mean? Cuz like we could You could be 2 kg lighter, and then that happens, and then you're like 2 kg heavier. So like I feel like men have a little bit more of a like How would you How would you put it? >> It's not a spanner in the that's a spanner in the works. Like I talked to >> Yeah, yeah. It's a little bit more smooth sailing for a man than it is for a girl. >> Because like that you can predict when obviously it usually would come at certain times, but like that it can be thrown off because a fight could be thrown off because of weight cut. And then like you said, I think Emma said she thought she would lost a load, and then she woke up and she was the same, and she was like, "What is going on here?" >> Yeah, it's mad. >> it it it throws everything off. But you said about being in America, I actually forgot about that cuz I'd seen your stories at the time. Talk to us about the America. Obviously, we you went over for the MMA Awards, and it was the Conor McGregor fight. Talk to us about that experience. >> That was mad. I got to train in the PI and all. It was mental. I was like walking around, like, "This is crazy, but it's mad cuz like I feel like I came home like I feel like when you when you like think about things you almost feel like it's like out of reach. But then when I got to go over I was like, this is actually so like like capable. Do you know what I mean? Like I was I was looking at Shauna and I was like, I actually was in awe of her because I was like, all her hard work and dedication over the years has got her in this position and not only her, she can bring along like all of us and we're like able to take part in that. I just I came home really like I was like really like ready for this. >> [laughter] >> I was like, this is great. >> [gasps] >> It's good that you >> got that experience of like going out there cuz I seen you met the likes of Paul Tan who I can only imagine is a giant in real life when you when you meet him. Um but it's good you got to experience that and see and the fact you've shown it in your gym that you can see it's achievable. Like I remember 5 years ago when I started I watched one of the first shows I went to was her and Sinead Dyer and the two of them are now both in the UFC. >> Yeah, in the UFC it's mad, isn't it? >> And like that Max Lally is doing really well on Cage Warriors. So like it is there and it is it is achievable. So when you came back from that were you like, right, okay, yes, this fighting thing obviously is hard getting fights, but you can get there once you put in the hard work and dedication that's that's all it is. >> I think like I was a little bit like nervous going over cuz I didn't know how I'd like take the whole thing. But then when I went over I came back and I was just like that's mad that that this sport can get you to there. Do you know what I mean? Even just looking at Conor and stuff like just like it's mad this sport and all that you get some stuff like that. It's like mental. >> It is like all over the world cuz I think Paddy put it up. Some lad from Colombia had sent a message. I read your book and Paddy was like, Jesus Christ. >> Do you know what I mean? It's mad. Even me, I remember like last year, this is mad, really. But, I was in a pub and I was on holidays in Spain. I was in a pub and someone came up to me and was like, "You're that girl that said I'd cause a bit of harm." And I was like, "No way." >> [laughter] >> I was like, "That's mad." It was gas. They ended up being friends with uh Gary Rooney. And I was like, "That's mental that they just knew me from that one thing." Like, it's mad. >> Well, it's a very good thing. I really like the saying and I think you >> It's mad how it just came up. Me and Tasha were just messing one night. I think we arrived in Belfast and we're sitting there and it's just really quiet and I just went to Tasha and I goes, "Well, we're up to cause a bit of harm." And she was like, "Oh my god." And we just kept saying it and it just became a thing. It was gas. >> Yeah, no. I I like it. That's your slogan. That's what you should do for every fight. I think it's nice and catchy. But, how do you feel to like I said, it's been a struggle kind of to get matched. How does it feel like you're just about a week away from fight. How excited? What kind of emotions are you feeling right now? >> Do you know what? I just take everything like each step at a time. Like, I try not to overthink it. I try not to like I just I just take it as it is. It's so weird. Like, people do be like to me, "You're so calm." And I'm like, "Yeah, I know." Because I just feel like this is what I'm meant to be doing. So, like, do you know what I mean? >> Yeah. It's good that you've got that now as well cuz a lot of people it takes them a while to get that calmness, especially at novice. And especially like there's a lot of like with females like I said, it's hard to get matched. So, when you see it matched up, usually people are mad excited and the emotions go up and down as well. So, it's good that you've got that kind of cold cold demeanor. But, we're not not looking past your opponent. But, are you looking to stay active towards the end of the year as well and try and get a few more >> Hopefully. I'd like to go amateur towards the end of the year, I think, if if that's possible. Like, if I can get matched right. If I can't, then I can just get matched for a novice. A fight's a fight. >> And there's obviously the IMMAF's in November as well. Is that something that might interest you? >> Do you know what? I actually went to a few of the lads from our gym or after getting picked, I went to it, but I didn't Well, I wasn't sure if I wanted to do it this year or I wanted to get a few fights under me belt and then go. Do you know what I mean? So I kind of went to figure it out and I was like, I think maybe next year I'll be more ready for the IMMAF. >> Yeah, and especially especially if you're not getting matched as easy. You know when you go to the IMMAF, people aren't going to pull out like unless there's like a real weight issue or injury or something. You know you're going to get matched and obviously Shauna's Shauna's a good example of that. She went out to all these competitions and she fought. >> Shauna was telling me she was that. She just She was like, "When I was amateur, I used to just text people on Instagram, 'Hi, do you want to have a fight you?' And I was like, "You're mad." >> [laughter] >> That's what they had to do years ago. >> I like maybe I need to take a leaf out of her book. >> You might do cuz I I remember a lot of the girls, Sarah and Leah and Carrie Ann Vernon, that's how they like cuz people were trying to match them and they just text each other and say, "Hey, like we can't find anyone to fight you." >> Do you want to jump on this now? >> And then it's And then they're they're best friends after. It's absolutely That's what I love about the sport. Like how do you feel about the female scene at the minute? Obviously Shauna's a big influence and inspiration to people. You've got people like Eimear Darcy, Danni McCormack, obviously Ash Gallagher's there. How do you feel that it's look cuz it is getting bigger and bigger. Like it is hard to get matched, but years ago you'd only see one female card on on a show, but now you can see up to four or five sometimes depending on the show. How do you feel about the scene, the female scene? [snorts] >> I love it. I just feel like it's growing bigger and bigger each time and I feel like for me like I have such a good like circle that I'm always in with the best. Do you know what I mean? All my rounds are with all like I try and last week we were in a session, I think it was with me, Sarah, Kaya, and Amy. And like I sometimes I do be like it's mad because these are all like big names in the sport like and I'm just like training with them, so it's it's great, like. >> Yeah, no, it is a You talk about Amy Amy Scully, was it? Or >> Yeah, yeah. >> Yeah, she's going pro soon as well. That's another And she She I love her. She's She's unbelievably nice and everything. >> I'm glad that it's all good, isn't it? >> Yeah, no, she's she's one to watch out for in the future. But um I'm going to let you go. I've really enjoyed this conversation. Is there anything you want to say before you go or anyone you want to shout out? And I want to wish you the best of luck in the fight. Hopefully I'm going to be there. Hopefully I'm going to be at the press conference tomorrow. I don't know if you're going up yourself. >> Yeah, I'm going to go tomorrow as well. Won't be shy now. >> Just I released it I released I released this Monday, so if you can cover it all I released it Monday, so no one no one sees it, but >> Yeah, sure. I'll watch it. >> Is there anyone you want to shout out? And thank you very much for your time. >> Yeah, I just want to give a shoutout to obviously me coaches, me teammates, anyone that helped me coming up to the fight. And a big shoutout to me sponsors. They've helped me a lot. Um Oakwood Management and Kitchen Day prep me meals for me. And Killer Carpets. And also DNA Blands. They're my new sponsor. >> Perfect. They're they're essential now for fighters coming through, even at our level, novice, amateur, pro, because as there's no money in MMA until you hit the big leagues and >> Honestly. >> It's uh like that. It's It's It's a passion thing. But look, I'm going to let you go. Thank you so much. I've really enjoyed it. Thank you again. And uh best of skills. >> Thank you. See you later.