Paul Kierans interview

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Okay, it's my pleasure to be joined by Paul Gren. Uh he's going to be fight he's got two fights coming up. We're going to get to talk about himself, but we want to get a bit about his background. Number one, I want to thank you very much for joining me. And how are you today?…

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Okay, it's my pleasure to be joined by Paul Gren. Uh he's going to be fight he's got two fights coming up. We're going to get to talk about himself, but we want to get a bit about his background. Number one, I want to thank you very much for joining me. And how are you today? >> Yeah, I'm good. Thanks so much for having me on. Yeah, good. >> Yeah, it's I've had a couple of people on from your gym before, obviously Kyle Hy and there's been others throughout the years as well. And obviously you've got Kieran Clark there who I had a sit down interview with. He's like he's like a hero from from where you're going. Yeah, mental working in. Yeah. >> So, talk to us about yourself. Um, obviously you you're looking to be quite active. You've got two fights coming up, but talk bring us back to why you started MMA and what kind of got you into it? Did you did you cross over from other sports or was it always MMA? You explain to me kind of how how you fell into MMA. >> I was always doing sports like when I was younger. Um, I did kickboxing and karate when I was younger when for a few years, but um, I left and just went to football and Gaelic and just other other sports, but um, I ended up just not liking and not enjoying it as much as I did with martial arts. And I was in school and obviously I didn't really do any sports or anything like that. So me and most of my mates wouldn't we wouldn't try out for like the football team or the gay team or anything like that. And one of the teachers was like a big fan of boxing at the time and he knew a fellow down in a boxing club and he'd bring us down. And after going to a few like we'd go maybe once once or twice a month and it'd be only for like an hour or two but like it'd be still be good to do and after that I kind of just wanted to get back into martial arts and so one of my class was in SPG so I just joined from there and just haven't stopped since. >> Yeah. And it's also about SPG because obviously it's a worldrenowned gym. You're in dro with Paul with Paul who's absolutely amazing. Uh and you've got Kieran Clark there. We were speaking about Kieran Clark. >> Yeah. >> He's he's he's he's a hero up there and I have interviewed him in person. >> What about him? He's so nice. Like he is probably one of the nicest people ever. Talk to us about what was like what was your first day walking into an MMA gym? Like cuz some people do be quite nervous, but obviously you'd have you'd been with boxing and you've done other combat sports. You've done other sports before. Was it nerveing going in or was was it fine? And and talk to us what you was like when you got there and what got you hooked then once once you kind of started doing it. >> Uh I was nervous joining in at the start, but like after a week or two, like I kind of got along with everyone. Everyone in the gym is so nice to each other. Like everyone gets along great. And uh like if I didn't get something or if I wasn't doing something right like the coaches would help me out straight away. Like it was never it was never anything. They always have time for everyone in the gym. So it's just been good to be there like and in terms of obviously what like you look at Paul and Kieran and what explain to us what they mean to you as coaches and as mentors and and not only in because I I find that it's not only just for fighting but they can be kind of mentors for life or life advice and stuff like that. Do you get that from them and what do they mean to you as coaches and as people as friends and acquaintances? >> Yeah, definitely. Like um like I look up to most people in the gym, believe it or not, like in in different ways, but like to have Paul, Kieran Clark, and even my other coaches as well. Like you know, they do a lot for the gym. The effort doesn't go unnoticed. Like I think the results kind of speak for itself the past year like what we achieved this year as a gym. But um yeah, they've just done a lot for me. They've always helped me out, helped everyone else out and they're just they're just good people and they're they're humble as well. They're always happy to help. >> Yeah. No, they're really nice people and like you said, it's been a fantastic year and one of the people that have kind of come out of the gym into splashed onto the amster scene as well as is Kyle. Is he someone that is he one of your main would he be a training partner for yourself? H what's like and what's the buzz like in the gym when you are doing this well? Yeah, like it's good. Everyone like I'd say we're on a momentum right now, but like you know it's kind of the same all the time. Like everyone's in a good mood. Everyone just knows what needs to be done and gets it done. But um yeah, know me and Cole would be good training partners. Yeah. Go with them often, especially in sparring rounds and etc. when because you said you'd done the like the the boxing and uh other other combat sports before as well, but did you ever compete in them? Like was MMA your first time you competed like against someone else that wasn't? >> No, not at all. I competed in kickbox and all like a few trophies and medals. >> Yeah, bro. I I I I'm sure I I can barely see you. I'm that blind. I need glasses. No, no, no, no, no, no. It's me. It's not you. It's me. It's my eyes. I do need glasses. But um so obviously going in and competing in MMA, did it feel any different from kickboxing? >> Oh, completely. Like um completely like I did it when I was young obviously as I got older and kind of went back into SPG. I wasn't as like I wasn't anywhere near as fit like but um yeah, it's completely different. It's there's so much different like ways to fight. There's so much different techniques and all. It's a big It's a lot harder than kickboxing or boxing or anything like that. Like it's it's all of it together. You need to be good everywhere. You can't just be a one-sided fighter. >> Yeah. Cuz cuz like that obviously I think like with kickboxing and boxing I think you have to be like you have to be so good at those areas and that's why it's really hard sometimes if someone gets so good to try and beat them. Whereas in MMA like you said you could fight a really good striker but you could be a grappler. Like there's so many different variables in it. >> Like you said nowadays though everyone it's the MMA fight as well. I remember years ago you used to be a striker versus grappler. You we you're you're seeing it now that you're trained as MMA fighters now, not just a certain discipline. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Um like when I went to the gym, it wasn't like my striking was like anywhere near as good as anyone else's. Like everyone if anything like I got the head kicked off me for ages when I was in SPG. But um you just learn a lot off the lads. Like as I said like it's completely different. Like it's you need to be good everywhere. It's not. You can't go into an MMA fight as it's just a kickboxer. You can't go into MMA fight as just a wrestler or a grappler. Like, it's it's not going to work. Like, you know, you need to be good everywhere, >> you know? And like I said, when you went in with a kickboxing background, your striking might have been good, but there's other things you need to look out for. It's cuz if you're kickboxing, you just you you know, there's there's no shot coming. You know, they can't clinch, they can't put you against the they can't clinch up, they can't take you down. Whereas, >> yeah, >> your striking could be so good as a kickboxer, but >> yeah, >> you factor in, you can't just stand there and go, "Right, I'm going to throw this, this, this, this, because you're going to get taken down." But >> in terms of competing, uh, what was it like like your first time competing in MMA? Was it was it nerve-wracking? Like, was it was it nerve-wracking? Was it nervy? Or is that that I'm assuming that's part of every combat sports when you made that walk? Do you remember what your day like your first time fighting in MMA was like? >> Yeah, I do. Yeah, it was a Yeah, I was nervous, but um at the end I knew it wasn't that serious. It was only my first fight and I trained hard enough for it. So, you know, I was kind of up for anything. So, I did I didn't really I didn't really care about the result as long as I did what I planned out to do. So, I didn't I didn't mind. It was good. >> Yeah. Cuz like that it's it's it's all a learning process. I think especially at amateur and obvious and stuff, people sometimes take losses a bit too hard. And I think I think if you're going to lose, it's going to be an amateur. And Ken Car's going to kill me because I always bring him up as an example. >> He was 12 and 10 or something. And look, what was he now? I know he lost his last fight, but he's 12. Was he 11 and0 before that? Was it 11 or 12 and0? >> I can't I can't remember, >> but he went he went on the streak. >> He was undefeated. Yeah, he was on a big run. So, it just shows if if an amateur take the don't take fights that are lopsided, but take the hard fights, take the fights that no one wants because look at what he's done. He fought like all of these end up being champions as well. >> Yeah. I I wouldn't I wouldn't show scrap. I've kind of just taken everything like anything that gets offered, I'll take it. Like, you know, it's all about experience at the end of the day, you know, like I'm not going to care. I don't want to be I don't want to be some undefeated amateur and cherrypicking my opponents. But like as much as it would be nice to go in the feed, I don't care about enough. I just want all the experience I can get. >> Yeah. Cuz I think it was Arthur Loboff said this years ago. He said, "It's not your amateur career that's going to be on your gravestone. It's going to be your pro career, you know." So make those mistakes at amateur and take those take those hard fights and take the take the uncomfortable fights where you're not >> not all the not all the time obviously, but Joe I Jordan Bradshaw someone I look at his last five or six fights he knew he struggled with wrestling. though he lost the majority of them, but he then he went into pro and then Jordan turned into the wrestler, which really surprised me, but it just shows >> like he took those losses for the benefit of his pro career and I know losing isn't easy, but he knew that was a gap that needed to be fixed, but you have a fight coming up, I want to say, cuz they did change the date. It's now the 29th, isn't it? >> Yeah. Yeah. >> How are you feeling for the fight? Um, obviously that started and all. >> Uh, do you cut much weight leading up to the fight? You cut much weight the week the flight or do you fight kind of close your walk around at the moment? >> Uh I'd say I kind of just fight at like my walk around like it's not really a big cut for me at all. Like I've kind of tra like trained here and fighting. I've fought loads of different weight classes. I kind of know my body and I know what weight I should fight at or whatever. But um yeah, it's not going to be a hard cut or anything like that. It's just going to be a good experience. Excited for it. >> Yeah. And I think like that I know obviously as as time goes on you get closer to pro to if you if you want to go to lower weights that's the time to do it. I think for the first time amateure novice and amateur have fun and stay at your walk about you walk away but >> this like the way like you've seen have you seen what people are like away cuz you we've seen them on the UFC they look like skeleton junkies. >> Sorry not that but you know what I mean they're gone. Well you do know what I mean but like they do. Joe, they're all gaunt and stuff and I don't think that needs to be done at an amateur level at the very start. I think it's get in there, have fun and and learn more your technique as well. But obviously you got that and then you're obviously going to be fighting uh abroad as well over in Scotland. How did that come about? And how exciting is that to be so early into your amateur career and to have that opportunity? >> Yeah. Yeah. Amazing. Like I've you know it's going to be it's going to be class like I can't wait. um like as we were talking about with opponents and all like he's as far as I know he might have a fight booked or not I don't know but he's 2 and 0 at the moment and he's a lot older than me probably a lot more experienced but I couldn't shy away from a scrap you can't call yourself a fighter if you're not going to fight the fights so if anyone if anyone was to do it you know I definitely put my hand forward and take it so that's what I done >> yeah no that's last and you know what that's really good for as well and it's kind of goes under the you're getting it so early and as well >> the travel and stuff because when you go pro so and I'm going to say to you when you're at these shows that are around Ireland now relish them while you have the chance while you while like your family and friends can make it cuz when you go pro you unless big shows come back to Dublin it's going to be or up north it's going to be hard to to come back but getting to travel are you excited about traveling to another country for that like what was that like when you going away um >> I can't wait >> um and is it just yourself on the card over in Scotland at the minute or are they getting more on or is there more currently booked for your gym? Do you know? >> Uh I think it might just be me, but you know, I'm not too sure. I might maybe one or two lads might do it, but I I think it's just me for now anyways. >> Yeah. And in terms of the show strike, I know guys who went over and they're fantastic show, fantastic lads to deal with, but >> in terms we're going to we're going to loop back just to obviously your next fight. when you do you prepare for a style and a fighter or as a young amateur fighter, do you just like to work on your own game rather than trying to worry about what they're doing? >> Uh like I think a lot of people in the gym all obviously have their own stars like and uh I kind of go with the same r same people each time we spar and like you have wrestlers in the gym, you have people that are real big into the grappling and then you have people that are just real heavy with their striking. kind of get the best about worlds. Like, so I'm kind of just happy enough just tipping away and taking off everything then leave leaving something untouched. Like I don't really focus on myself. I just every time I go into it, I just know what to work on. Like I have my weakness. I have my weaknesses and I have my strengths. So I just kind of I just kind of brush up on everything. I don't leave anything like untouched. >> Yeah. Know that's good. And I like that that you just go and you do everything yourself because I know a lot of fighters that they go and they look at the opponent and they're trying to stop what they're doing as opposed to implementing your style announcing you as a fighter to the world or to the country. Do you know the sort of a way? >> And I think that's that's the best way to do it. But you're looking for more activity of the I think strike is in November, isn't it? Is it November? >> Yeah. Yeah. November. Yeah. >> So that'll probably be the end I'm assuming for you for the year because there's not going to be many. I think there's one show in in December. Are you looking to have another one or do you think that'll be the end for the year? And what does your 2027 look like in terms of your levels activity that you potentially want? Not that will potentially happen, but what you looking for next to yourself? Are you looking for activity? >> Uh, I just think I think I might call it a year with the fights in November. I might do a jits comp if it comes up or something like that, but I'd say I'd say that probably be my last fight. Um, yeah. I'm just like I I was meant to fight a few more times this year, but the fights just didn't go through or I had opponents pull out. But maybe maybe I get matched with them again or I can fight them again next year. But for now, I'm just focusing on what's ahead of me. I'm not really trying to plan anything else. >> Yeah. No, that's good. Yeah, cuz like that sometimes if you look too far ahead, you're looking too far ahead of the people. Your most important fight is always your next fight >> because you overlook that person. I know a fighter who did it. They overlooked someone. They thought they were going to they had a big contract apparently or a big opportunity after if they bet this person and in their head they hadn't won and then they lost and then had to start from scratch again. Had to go and win two or three more fights by knockout, by submission to get to where they did get there eventually and that was the biggest thing he said to me was I overlooked him and I thought I was going to beat him and get that whereas now I just focus on on what's ahead of me. But talk to us about the benefits of martial arts that you've got. So if there's anyone out there that's thinking of joining martial arts gym and people who do join, you don't have to compete. People think that it's it's just full of fighters or or competitors. Most of the gym is made up by just ordinary people who do jits and stuff like that. So >> yeah, it's just a community. Yeah. >> For people who want to join, what what are the benefits that you've got from it personally yourself? If someone was on the fence to join or not, what would you say to them to to maybe ch sway their mind? Well, it's it's different for everyone, but in my side of things, like I definitely I like I I definitely just changed my my direction what way I was going and I definitely have a lot more respect for people that fight and I kind of just I'm I'm a lot more disciplined on the foods I eat or what things I do. Like there's a lot of things that have changed with myself since joining it. So, I'd kind of just say if you want to improve yourself or if you want to step outside your comfort zone, you'll kind of find you'll find more about yourself, you find out about yourself more if you go and join a martial arts community. >> So, that would really be it. Like, >> yeah, cuz like that you're put into deep water. Sometimes you're tested. Yeah. >> Really see what you're made of. Do you do you feel see the way you were saying about being disciplined and eating the right foods and all obviously do you feel that see like the discipline and structure? Does does that bleed over? Does that go over then into your personal life? Do you think then like cuz I know people said they were wild and then they joined the gym and all of a sudden they gone from being wild to being >> Does it help you in your personal life? Yeah. >> Uh I was Yeah, definitely a lot more different before I joined. Now obviously I was still young but you know I was a long way away from where I am now. I'd like to think. So it's definitely changed me as a person. Definitely made me look at things a lot more differently. But um yeah, like it's just it it just does a lot for you, especially with your mental health as well. Like I know a lot of people say like it's the hard it's the hardest thing to do and like losing horrible or the weight cuts and injuries and setbacks are horrible and etc. But I've went through it all and like I wouldn't change it for the world. Like it's the best thing ever, I think. Like I I love it to bits. Like I love this game. Like >> Yeah. Yeah. Know like like you said, you have to take the good with the bad as well. the like you said the weight the injuries these are all part of the game and one thing that you mentioned about mental health I was talking to a girl yesterday morning >> and she was in a foul humor and she's a fighter I won't say who it was >> and then she messaged me sent me a voice note at like 8:00 and said I wasn't going to go training I went training and the mood changed has that ever happened to you where you didn't want to do it you're not feeling good and you went to the gym and does it refresh you and make you feel good once you finish it and going I'm glad I came here tonight instead of sitting home feeling sorry for myself >> yeah definitely Definely definitely like when I first joined obviously I wasn't amazing or anything like that but like I'd be having the worst day ever and this is only when I started now so like obviously I'd say I was getting the head tedd off me but like I'd have the worst day ever and the first thing I'd want to do is I'd want to go to school or if I was in work if I was in work the first thing I'd want to do is come home go to the gym in college or whatever it was the first thing I'd want to do is just go to the gym like it was it's changed my life completely. >> Yeah. You know, it does. And I just want to say you're very pleasant and structured and a very nice young man to talk to as well. And I want to just commend on that as well >> because especially for people at that age as well, like when I was that if I was if I was the other person now, I was completely different. I probably wouldn't have sat down and done an interview like this and you're very patient and the way you've conduct yourself, I'm I'm very impressed with I must say. So I just want to say that. >> Thank you. >> Yeah, I've really really loved your story so far and I I want to see what the future holds for you. I want to thank you so much for your time. But before you go, is there anyone you like to shout out? Do you have any sponsors or anything like that? >> Yeah, I definitely like to thank uh Faze by Sibs, CT Motors, DHM Garden Services, and Alana and Carla. I am I am fitness, you know, and Cooney's bike care. Every every single one of them have done a lot for me. So, what they do and especially my coaches and my teammates and my family and everyone that just supports me, you know, and yourself as well for having me on. just thank you all so much for talking to me and getting this fight build up and the support everything. Thank you. >> No problem. Thank you very much for being on. It's been an absolute pleasure. Like I said, I've like the way you've conducted yourself through the whole interview process as well like that. It felt like it feels like that you've done loads with them. So, best of skill coming up with the fight coming up and uh enjoy the rest of your day, pal. >> Thanks so much. You too. Thank you.