Ucha Nadirashvili interview (Aug 2026)

news_summary

Absolute pleasure to have with me Usha Nadia Rajidi. I don't know. I'm not going to get that completely right, but hopefully that's close enough. Uh he's someone I've kept an eye on for the past while. He's 4 and0. A really, really good talent. He's fought in multiple different…

news_transcript (youtube_captions)

Absolute pleasure to have with me Usha Nadia Rajidi. I don't know. I'm not going to get that completely right, but hopefully that's close enough. Uh he's someone I've kept an eye on for the past while. He's 4 and0. A really, really good talent. He's fought in multiple different weight classes. It seems like he's finding his home now. It's going to be in lightweight where he fights next weekend against Ben Diro. How are you feeling? Thank you very much for t taking this interview. And how are you feeling? You're just under a week out from the fight. How what's what what does fight week look like for you? Hi Dave, first of all, thanks for having me. Um, I've seen your interviews around the social media, so I'm honored to be your guest. Um, so what what does fight week look like for me? Uh, to be honest, I've I've been putting in the work for the last couple of months uh waiting for someone to uh match me. And once I found out that I was matched for virtues, obviously you um pick up on the training even more, lock in the diet even more, and you're you're just zoned in even more. So, uh, I've done that for the past whatever eight weeks now or whatever, however long I knew that I I was matched and now it's just last week, so I'm going to taper off and I'm waiting to cut a bit of weight as well. So, um, yeah, the hard work is done basically. H I'm ready. I'm ready for the fight and it's just about making weight now and showing up on the day. So, >> yeah. No, 100%. And like that, like I said, cuz I was looking at you and I was at one of your fights at the Ferris fighting championship, which I believe was at middleweight. And then I remember going to Patty with someone for you and I was just like, um, he goes, "No, he's too big for him." I was like, "But he just fought a middleweight." And now I can see why obviously you were, that was day of weighing, wasn't it, as well? So, it's kind of like >> It was It was actually I don't know why it says middleweight on topology, but I've never fought at middleweight. Uh I think that was at like a catchway fight as well, the FFC or or FFC. >> Uh that was at 74 day as well. So um this Ben Daherty uh fight I it's super lightweight. So it's 74.8 kg and it's day before and obviously I've had a look at the I had a look at Ben. He's a bigger boy. Um, but to be honest, once he makes the weight, that's it doesn't matter at the end of the day. Um, I'm cutting down to that weight as well. So, obviously after this, I want to make I want to go and try make 70. Uh, I I should be able to make 70 comfortably. So, after that, then have a look at featherweight uh down the line when I before I go pro. >> Yeah. No, that's good. Yeah. So, like I said, I'll have to see that's thing with tapology. Sometimes things are right, some things are wrong. And then obviously that's where I would get the bulk of my information from. So I might even put in something about that myself uh to try and get a change to the catchway. But like you thought uh obviously you come from a really good gym. You have so many belts at the minute. You're on such a really really good run. Talk to us about the gym and what it means to you and kind of the run that your gym's on right now at the minute. >> Yeah, Hoola Martial Arts under Patty is phenomenal gym to be at. Uh there's everything that you you can ask for. There's high level grappling, high level striking, a lot to be honest, and the facility is one of the best in the country. I've I've been to a lot of gyms around the around the country up in Belfast, whatever. But I feel like I'm happy here. I have everything that I need to progress. Um, and it's just it's just a pleasure to be around uh this gym. It's a friendly environment. ever since I started. Uh we're like a little family here. So, everyone everyone's on board with has the same goal and yeah, a lot of coaching as well. Like there's a strength and conditioning coach, Simon, which is also my physio. Uh shout out to him. Uh he's been he's been doing a lot of work with me recently. And obviously Patty. Patty's great. Patty very knowledgeable in obviously ex UFC fighter and just plenty of experience in the gym. Gary Gary moved over Gary Rooney. So picking picking up loads from him and the other other boys, Abdo, Jordan, just too many boys to shout out. But it's a it's a lovely gym. It's it's a good environment to be around and I feel like we're just progressing and developing together. And I think that's what makes us so strong that we're growing together and we're at like the similar stages kind of a thing. And we have some leaders as well in the in the gym like Gary like he's he's been truly amateur scene and now he's doing the pro thing in cage warrior. So it's it's good to have someone to look up to like that as well. Uh he's leading by example and it's good to have him have him there in the gym. Yeah. >> Yeah. Gary Rooney someone I really really like and you mentioned Patty as well and Patty is obviously an absolute legend within within the the country and the world in MMA and then obviously uh politics and all but we won't go into politics on this uh podcast. One of the things I did notice when I was at at Hulahan martial arts was everyone goes, "Yeah, it's a family gym." But for me that actually feels like a part of the community, like a real family. When I was in there, I was surprised at how many people were like mothers and fathers were in there talking to each other. People were popping in and out. It actually is one actually has a family feel about it. What's it like to be part of that community of his gym which is a bigger part of then the the the community just around its area? >> It's just the atmosphere, I think. Um, so it's like a it is like a family like you said. There's a lot of young young uh people training here, their parents training as well. And it's just everyone knows everyone kind of a thing. And when you win or when you lose, they're there to support you and they're there to praise you. Um, and it's just a good good environment to be around and I feel like it it helps you grow as a as a MMA fighter and as a person as well. >> Yeah. No, 100% 100%. But in terms of your MMA career so far, you've this is going to be your your fifth fight unless Tap Algae has left off. You're you're still undefeated, but to get to kind of have these fights, you had to start. What made you kind of go into MMA? Was Patty's your first gym? And why did you choose it? Like what made you get into MMA? >> Uh to be honest, I've always been like very competitive. Um just physically, I've done a lot of sports in my life. Uh from football, basketball, whatever, h bit of boxing as well. And eventually um my brother started or a little BJJ gym opened up near us in Cork. So we joined that. It's Oceananic. Uh shout out to them. And we I joined for a month before I had to move up to Dublin and my brother kept at it. So um my brother being the younger brother, I was like there's no way he's getting the better of me. So I have to join myself, keep at it. So that little thing of competing against each other is what what's also helping us to grow. um this fast and develop this fast in in in this sport. But yeah, I moved up here. Uh I joined uh jiu-jitsu gym. I've I with I had a main goal of develop my grappling before I got into the MMA side of a thing uh side of things and developing my striking down the line. Uh so I done I done it for a year. I kind of fell in love with it. I stayed on for like maybe a year and a half. H got my blue belt over there and then I was like, "Okay, now it's I'm comfortable grappling. and I understand it and it's time for me to make that switch over to MMA and I was kind of looking around on Instagram what gyms are near me and when I saw hoola martial arts obviously Patty being a big being so big in the community uh that kind of appealed to me uh that I could learn a lot from Patty so I just one day I rocked down to the gym signed up and I haven't looked back since. So um >> yeah, sorry that's I was thinking you had a bit of a cork twang on you there. I was just kind I it kind of it kind of put me off for a second. I was like I thought is he cork or D? But obviously you still have the little bits. Talk to us about walking into an MMA gym for the first time. So if there's going to be people that are watching this and might be kind of a bit nervous about going in as as anyone would be going in and then you go in and I find myself it's completely different to what people would perceive. Is there any advice that you you give to people that want to go into an MMA gym for the first time? Like how was your experience? What did you think it was going to be like versus what it was actually like? Or was it the same? >> Uh to be honest, I've been around uh fighters all my life. Um so I wasn't expecting it to be very scary or anything like that. So, and especially jiu-jitsu is so respectful and I've kind of developed and I've kind of grew confidence in that avenue in that avenue coming over to MMA. I didn't expect it to be uh drastically different. So, I was expecting it to be kind of more welcoming cuz I know all the fighters, they're they're probably the soundest bunch out out of out of the bunch. Do you get me? So, um yeah, the one advice I would give is don't be afraid to go in. Everyone's friendly, everyone's respectful, h everyone's humble. Uh they don't really have an ego, especially with a family gym like this. um they're more than welcoming and more than friendly enough to get to know you and kind of introduce you and show you around. Uh so I was I'm thankful that that was the case when I came out to Patty's gym. Um yeah, and within within a few months I was part of the family and it's been like that now since. >> Yeah. No, that's good. That's good. But in terms of obviously the fight coming up next weekend, your opponent, do you do much looking into your opponent as an amateur fight or do you let Patty handle that or do you want to focus on more yourself? What way do you approach an opponent coming up to fight week or or to a fight? >> Yeah, obviously like when I get sent an opponent or when Patty gets sent an opponent, uh the main the final decision goes to Patty. I don't really decide myself cuz as a fighter I feel like you need to have that as well that you'd fight anybody. And um I I I would fight anybody. So I just sent it over to Patty. H Patty looked over him and said, "Okay, yeah, he looks good. Whatever. We can take it." And um whether I look at it myself, I do. Uh but I I wouldn't be going into too much detail because it's only amateur and it's kind of like when you're new to the game, you don't really pick up on things that maybe uh experienced I like Patties would pick up on. So doesn't really matter. I just focus on my game, what I want to like my holes in my game and I just continue to work on those rather than trying to look for holes in his game and do what kind of he won't expect kind of a thing. You get me? So, at the end of the day, it's only an amateur fight and maybe down the line it is going to have to change cuz when I'm looking at some other vlogs from the UFC fighters, they're always um making a game plan and trying to match up the styles kind of in a way like Taporia Gachi. Um, just the way Trevor Whitman instructed Gage to land the shots he was landing against the Pora because his stance would be in a some sort of way is kind of the level of detail you probably need to get into down the line h when you go to the pro level. But at the moment, I'm only just focusing on my game and my holes and um trying to fix all that, >> you know, 100%. And I like that as well cuz as an amateur, you don't want to, like I said, you don't want to go out and try and stop what he's going to do or try and find holes there. You want to go out and establish yourself and stamp your style as okay, this is me. I'm here and this is my style and this is what I'm about. Because I think if you worry too much about what they're going to do and if you do that for every fight, you don't then develop a style or personal or or like a a fighting personality yourself. So, I think that is very good. But in terms of obviously you're not looking past your opponent, you've got that coming up which is a massive fight. Are you looking at anything for the rest of the year or are you just taking this one fight at a time? >> Uh, no. I um obviously I like to take it one fight at a time. That's what amateur is for to kind of experience this cuz I've I've had a I've had a time before where I had a fight coming up and I actually tried to book another for I had another booked fight after that. So it was kind of taken away from my focus on this current fight and I've kind of stopped to do that. But um obviously once the Saturday is gone I have I've been chosen to represent Ireland uh in the world championships in Georgia. So, I'm thrilled and grateful to have that opportunity. So, that's in November. Uh, so after this fight, I'm straight back into the gym, straight back into the camp and getting ready for that. >> Yeah. Know that's very good. And obviously I seen obviously Sean abandon would have been a huge person to do all these international tournaments years ago. So, you've got people that have gone through that system. What was it like because obviously you fought in in France there recently as well in one of your last couple of competitions. What was that like to go out and represent the country and be part of a team like that? >> Oh, unreal experience. Uh, very very valuable. I think just the whole experience of flying out uh making way to a same day weigh in as well. And uh it's just the stress that comes with like traveling and going into someone else's home and someone else's country and um weighing in on the day and there's some complications going down and the accommodation is not that great and it's just coming out your comfort shell for the fight whereas somebody's just hoping to car and drive to the venue on the day of the fight and it's kind of comfortable if you get me. So it was very uncomfortable on the day and obviously the uh my opponent was actually decent as well. So it was good valuable three rounds in the bank and um grateful for God to help me get that victory over there cuz uh really meant a lot for my confidence and just my experience as a fighter. It was very very uh beneficial and very uh good for my development. >> Yeah. No, 100%. One thing that I liked what you said there was obviously the the traveling like when obviously you see with like I said you've got Shauna abandon in your gym who goes to the youth. So every time she fights, she's traveling now. Yeah. So it's good to get used to it because like when you're cutting weight, same day weigh in, it's going to teach you these things. Okay, I make sure I have this this time cuz the first time you're going to forget something or something's going to be, but then it gets you used to, okay, so I'm not going to have all my home comforts here. I need to know exactly what I need to bring, especially with like a liquids on planes as well. You can only bring certain amount or even research when you get there. Do they have these items that I may need? So it is really, really good. So, I can't wait obviously to see you competing obviously further down in November as well. But in terms of next weekend, how are you feeling about the fight? Uh how do you feel before like the card is absolutely banging? Uh to be I was looking at and I was like, "Oh my god." Uh uh it's a really really good card. How does it feel to be on that card with the amount of talent that is on it? And what do you make of the amount of shows and talent we have in the country right now? That's a loaded question, but I'll start with uh how I'm feeling about being on Virtuous and I think it's a great promotion and just I have um after a kind of media day yesterday in Dublin that they held and it was very professional, very organized. Uh everything was very well put together kind of a situation. So we we showed up and it's kind of like when you're giving a presentation back in school and everyone's listening. It's kind of similar. times as I said I want to experience all that the fight game has to offer so I'm ready when the time is time comes that I have to actually start doing these media media things so it was a good experience and um I'm whether I'm looking forward to the fight obviously next Saturday how I'm feeling about that fight um I just to be honest I want to just go in there and show what I've worked for so show my game fully. I hope that I'm able to display all the things I've been working on. Um, and just use the experience that I've gained over the last four fights to display who I am as an MMA fighter and uh kind of make a make a statement make a statement. So, going into Georgia, my confidence is where it needs to be kind of a thing. and whether and your question about the talent. Uh I think Ireland at the moment is up there with the best in producing the highest level caliber of fighters. Uh whether it's in the amateur scene or the professional scene. Uh and I think obviously McGregor has a lot to do with it. me and Gary um just there yesterday and there's a lot of boys on on the scene that are very high level and very motivational and they teach a lot and they they give back to the community and Patty being a great example of that as well. >> Yeah. No, 100%. And like that Ian Gary I watched I actually stayed up and watched that fight. I don't really watch them that much and whatever people say about Ian Gary and his personality that that lad is an elite fighter. Um, he looked so good last night. But look, uh, you've got a lot going on over the next few months as well. You're someone that I think we're going to have another chat, I'd say probably around the November time as well before you go away. Uh, I want to wish you the best of skill next weekend. I'm not going to say I'm 100% going to be there, but I would like to be there. I'm going to let you go. Is there anything you want to say before you go or anyone you want to shout out? And thank you so much for your time uh, today. I really appreciate it. >> So, thank you, David, for having me on again. Um, obviously shout out to Bua Fer. Um, and shout out to Patty. Shout out to all the boys in Hoola Martial Arts. All the boys in MMA Cork. And um, who else am I forgetting? Simon, I already gave him a shout out for putting all that work in me. Um, and yeah, if there's any sponsors, I don't know if I'm able to say, if there are any sponsors or any businesses uh looking to sponsor my trip to Georgia and just support the journey, uh, obviously send me a DM on Instagram. It's nua. Again, thanks for having me on, Dave. And, uh, hopefully I'll see you next week on Saturday. >> Perfect. Thank you so much. What I'm going to actually do now, cuz the sponsors are essential, I'm going to cut that out into a little clip for you if you want and we can throw it up onto Instagram today and try and get that ball rolling and then the interview will be out, I'd say, tomorrow. But I can get that out for you as soon as possible and then hopefully we get some sponsors on board. But look, thank you very much. Enjoy the rest of your day. I've really enjoyed this conversation. I'm pretty sure we're going to have many more. There's going to be a lot more titles coming your way along the way is from what I'm looking at anyways once you just stick to with Patty and the and the game plan. >> God willing. Yeah. Thanks again, David. >> Thank you. and have enjoy the rest of your day, pal. Thank you. >> You, too. Bye.