Darren Kirwan Vs Pierce Cunningham | Clan Wars Elite Series | Energized "The Face Off"

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What is up and welcome to the latest Energized " The Face Off" Show! Clan Wars 39 & 40 both go down on June 5th. We have Darren Kirwan vs Pierce Cunningham on ahead of their Flyweight matchup. Like, Comment and Subscribe for more Energized videos & Hit the link below to get the…

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Okay, what's going on, guys? The face-off is back. Rosco, introduce the fighters. Okay, fighting out of the blue corner from Shaolin MMA, Darren "The Dazzler" Kiernan. And fighting out of Yoda Martial Arts in the red corner, we got "Fierce" Pierce Cunningham. How we doing, lads? All right, I decided to both give you these nicknames cuz I couldn't find your nicknames anywhere. Uh we'll start off with you, Dazzler. What do you think of your new nickname? Yeah, I like it, man. Well, it's not new, people call me Dazzler for years. Like that's just a a name I got for years, so So, yeah, it's it's all right, man. Uh I'm Pierce. What do you think of "Fierce" Pierce Cunningham? I don't I don't know. Hopefully it doesn't stick. Well, look, lads, we we we've done a few face-offs before. Uh we want to thank you for coming on the show. Clan Wars is back next Saturday. It's Saturday the 5th. We've all been longing for, I'm sure you lads especially have uh I'm sure the whole country is as well as things open up a bit again. But uh we want to thank you for coming on and we want to make sure for the people that are tuning in next Saturday to make sure to buy the pay-per-view. We're going to put it down in the link down in the bio. So, make sure to hit it and uh support the grassroots of Irish MMA. Uh Ross, take it away. Yeah, so uh guys, I'm going to ask you these questions and I'm not going to I'm going to just pick one of you randomly to start off with so that you don't answer at the same time. Um it's not a preference thing. So, uh I'm going to start off with yourself, uh Darren. Obviously, you were very quick on Instagram to put up a a funny photo of yourself spanking Pierce. Uh what what made you think of doing that and what what was the what was the thought process behind it? Well, no, uh Pierce put up the story tagging me first. Oh, did he? Oh, is that it? So, but I know so I would go with pictures and don't go with pictures. So, I I just thought fair play to him. It was funny, like, you know? So, I just said I I want to laugh at me to me. So, I posted and fired back. You fire shots, I fire back. It's all good. Like And then Pierce, what what was your thought about him him not pulling out? Obviously, you were scheduled to fight before. Yeah, well he says he didn't follow it. Like I I don't know what the story is. We're meant to fight and I was there and he didn't follow it, but we didn't fight. So, you know, something happened. Um I just thought it would cause a bit of fun around the fight to call him a victim. It is. That's I'm not even going to lie, it is. It's it's promoting it. Like at the end of the day, the more people more back and forth you have with each other, the more hype you build the fight, the more people want to watch it, you know. That's the This is entertainment at the end of the day. That's it, like Sorry. Yeah. We'll be calling me in soon, like to keep the hype up. Well, look, the last time we had fights on they were scheduled to be like the main event and the co-main event. So, you know what I mean? We we have history of making these things. Uh tell us this, uh Darren, what happened with the pullout of the fight? Um I know I was ready to go. I was up there. I made my way. I traveled to Belfast. I stayed in Belfast that weekend. The show got canceled. Um I have a father too, so I have family commitments the week after that, which I couldn't That was unforeseen circumstances, like so I obviously I put like I didn't know the show was going to get canceled the night before, either. It's the same with every other fighter on the show. But I was there. I was ready to go as well, you know. So, so I my job was done as well. That that's fair enough. I'm also a father, so I can understand those commitments. Uh Pierce, what makes you think you're a better mixed martial artist than Darren? Uh well, think I'm training with probably on on the only the best coach in Ireland at the minute and uh also a good friend of with someone who coached him, Barry Robinson, who's probably one of the best minds in all of combat sports. Uh so, I was training with him for months and this will be my first fight out of this gym and I just don't I don't think there's anybody really decent at flyweight except maybe Matthew Freyne, so. And what about you, Darragh? What makes you think you're a better mixed martial artist than Pierce? Um I don't think I'm a better martial artist than anyone. I think that we're all different martial artists and we all have our own qualities and our own strengths. But I believe that I would I I Pierce won't beat me. I do believe that. On the night, like nothing against Pierce to be honest with you, but um I'm like I'm looking forward to the fight like cuz I actually like this back and forth like you know fair play to both of us. And we're going to find out that night who is the better fighter. Do you know what I mean? So, we can say this and that like and you know all this stuff like but it's going to come down he's going to test himself, I'm going to test myself, and it's going to be a good fight. I know it's going to be a good fight like and I'm looking forward to it but we'll fight we're going to find out who is the better fighter then, won't we? Do you know? That's the only way to find out. And Darragh, do you find the online back and forth actually motivated that bit more? Um Yeah I Yeah like I wouldn't really I never really would be up this like it but I just find it funny man. Like I enjoy it. I enjoy it like that. It's a It It does give you a bit more extra motivation though, I'll be honest with you. Um yeah, of course course like you know. Yeah, we love it as well. It's a challenge, you know? It's like you do it like you're sitting down and challenging each other or sitting down and barring each other. So, it's going to like it makes for entertainment and then and a good fight I think, yeah. So, I look forward to it. And Pierce, do you have that extra bit of motivation and do you think the winner of this will fight for the Clan Wars flyweight title next? Uh I don't know. Like there's a lot of good flyweights for the title. I think we just fight the best guys up front, you know? Uh like I want to I had something to say but I forgot it. Boxer was meant to fight him and then for private reasons the fight had to be pulled but hopefully I don't bump into meant to be some big K-1 fighter but he he takes everything to the ground, you know. Uh lads, obviously the last year has been absolutely crazy all around the world and um obviously the show has been pulled and then finally there is light at the end of the tunnel come next Saturday. How hard is training being there in the build up to this and like actually knowing that you're definitely going to fight? Like how how good is that feeling when you go into the gym everyday? Oh man, it's it's actually great to know that you have a fight but I've been training anyways. We're we're lucky enough we're lucky enough to have one of our mates from our brother's shed there. So we've all had our own little group in lockdown and we've been just working I haven't stopped working like we've been working constantly but obviously when you have a fight it's better because you have that more more focused more intense training, you know? But I've been lucky enough very lucky man. I know a lot of people out there didn't have that opportunity to train and it affected a lot of people like so I know I'm grateful for that like but I have been I've been training and grinding all through lockdown so it's just great actually have these fights coming back as well. As I say fair play to camera as well and all and all the fighters. Even fair play to like fair play to Pierce as well. I'd be great fight moments as well. Same time we're going with I look back and forth on all that as well but we're all martial artists in that end day. We'll test ourselves and we'll find out who's better man tonight. But it's fair like it's just good to be able to get back in there and really look forward to it like. Yeah. Yeah. Pierce, what about yourself? Knowing there's light at the end of the tunnel now? Oh, like I haven't I haven't changed training at all. I've been training the same for the past three four years. Been we train twice a day everyday of the week. So nothing changed for me is the training. And then Pierce, do you obviously you're 21 you're very young in your martial arts career. Is is your goal to turn pro? Yeah, it is definitely. And then what about you Darragh? You're obviously a bit longer in the in the tooth than Pierce is. He's only a young pup do you ever envision turning pro? I'm a grand dad. I'm a grand dad, yeah. No, I'm going pro. I'll be going pro, yeah. No, but that that that's brilliant to see and I suppose one thing that you can sort of take from uh sort of the pro ranks is that, you know, you have people like Glover Teixeira who's 41 going for a UFC title shot later on the year, you know what I mean? So, you have what, 9 years to get to get your UFC title shot. Man, I I genuinely feel like I'm only coming into my prime now, to be honest with you. I genuinely feel that. I feel like I'm better now than I was when I was when I was 22. I feel like I'm coming into my prime as a man now, to be honest with you. So, that's how I feel. And Darren, how do you envision this fight actually going? Obviously, I'm sure you visualize it and you see it going loads of different ways, but how do you see the fight going? How do you see the see the fight finishing? I feel like my way. My way. And do you do you think you'll get a turn on the feet? Do you think you'll take him down to the ground? What way do you see it going? that's like I don't know. I can't speak for Piers, do you know what I mean? I can't say what kind of fighter he is, but I feel like I feel like that he he I don't think he won't going to want to stand with me. To be honest. And Piers? No, I I tell you, he needs to watch that loose angle. Straight to the back. So, you think you're going to what's it called? Take him down, get get get his back? Yeah, yeah, get his back. I don't want to stand with him. What do you say? What do you think of what do you think of that, Darren? How How's your take on that? up, if he doesn't want to stand up, I'm going to put him on the ground then, isn't it? I'm paying for this pay-per-view straight away after this. And lads, obviously obviously it's going to be a big fight. It's going to be one of the first It is the first domestic show in Ireland in over over year. You know, if Clan Wars put on a few more shows this year, how many times do you both want to fight this year? I'll start with yourself, Piers. Uh I'll fight as many times as as I can through my goals and whatever. You know, if if if if medically I could fight every week, I could fight I could fight tomorrow. Like we don't We don't get into fight camp. We we train all year the same way. So. All right, the cos mad of the flyweight over here. What about your What about yourself, Dazzler? Uh I'd actually agree with Pierce on this one. We we agree on this one, yeah? Yeah. Uh I feel the same way, yeah. So what kind We need to find a a martial arts show every week for these two guys and that they're both throwing down. Uh would you would you Would you have no problem making weight each week, lads? Uh uh yeah, sure. Maybe a little problem after if I'm doing celebrations after it. But no, I'm only joking now. The celebrations will be hard after. Yeah. Absolutely. Um we'll we'll start off with yourself, uh Darren. Is there anything you want to say to Pierce before fight night? Um No, I just respect Respect at the end of the day, it's about respect. Like I have respect and we do all this and we do all that, but respect any fighter that gets in there. We're all warriors at the end of the day and may the best man win. And what about yourself, Pierce? Do you have anything to say to Darren? No, nothing to say. Like I talk about respect and all that. I respect him, but it doesn't really matter. He's a pretty solid fighter. Yeah. Doesn't change you getting in the fight, but I respect Lads lads, we have ourselves and obviously everyone tuning in and like we respect what you're doing. Like and everyone else who gets into the cage and competes and like we are seriously looking forward to this and like we we are looking forward to the fans allowed to enjoy the events as well. Is that right, Ross? Yeah, absolutely. Yeah, look, Clan Wars are doing something very very special. Um they're putting on two shows in the one day. Um it's great to have Irish mixed martial arts back. It's great to have a platform for so many amateur and professional mixed martial artists to show their work and show the work that they've done over lockdown. So lads, I must say really looking forward to your fight. Let's uh get this right up the card. I'm sure the pay-per-view boys will sell itself. Yeah, you can see you're going up the card. I'm very much so looking forward to this one. I think it's going to be an absolute banger. Do you guys know if you're on 39 or 40? Uh 40. Okay, 40. There you go. So you're So you're in the evening. Does that actually make a difference to you that you're fighting after 4:00 p.m. or 5:00 p.m.? Does that Do you have a preference? I don't, man. Any day of the week Any day of the week does he. Yeah, any day of the week. These These two lads Any place, anywhere, anytime, any man. No mess now, these two boys. Um Darren, we'll start with yourself. Do you have any sponsors you want to shout out? Yeah, I'd like to shout out to Little Collins CBD in Galway there. They're um really lovely people and they have a shop in Galway, coffee shop. They do a lot a lot of different range of products like oils, pastes, like very good treats, coffees, like and they're lovely people. So pop into them and have a have a look. And I'd like to thank Condition Nutrition, James Miller on Instagram. He's helped me with my nutrition and get down safely and safely and done my nutrition leading up to the fight and post-weigh-in as well and refueling. So thanks to them guys there. Check them out. Thank you. Yeah, we'll definitely tag them on our post after. Pierce, what about yourself? Any Any sponsors you want to shout out? Uh no sponsors here, but shout out Byron Francis Solomon on Instagram. They're Engine Combat Sports. Check them out. Nice one. Definitely will. Um so guys, thanks a million for your time. Like we said, this is going to be an event not to be missed. We will leave both the links in the bio that are in the description down below. Thanks a million for coming on. If you are watching this video, definitely make sure to like, share, subscribe, and as always stay tuned and enjoy.