Brian Manning interview

Summary

Brian Manning is a professional MMA fighter with a 6 and one record representing MMA cork he fights on Halloween night against Marek Bartel for Oktagon, after his last loss he speaks about his motivation and what this fight means to him He speaks about his plans for the future…

Transcript (youtube_captions)

Okay, so it's been a long long time, but my good friend Mr. Brian Manning, I have him back. Thank you so much for your time. You've got a fight coming up on Halloween. Fitting for everything that you do in in the lead up to the fight, and it's kind of fitting in terms of your original fight debut was actually supposed to be Halloween last year, I believe, but obviously there was an injury. How are you feeling? You're not long away from the fight. Thank you very much for joining me, but how are you feeling leading up to this fight? You look motivated. >> I feel great, bro. I feel great. I feel strong. I feel fit. Ready to go. Halloween night, bro. Halloween night. Destined to be. I couldn't go through my career, could I? I could not have gone through my career without fighting on Halloween night. At least once or twice, you know? Cuz I know last year was I got a broken thumb. And I think the Halloween actually fell on Friday, I think, if I'm right. So, maybe next year it will be what, Sunday, Monday? So, another few years it'll be Halloween night again [laughter] on a Saturday night. But I'm sure I'll do it again. But I'm destined to fight on Halloween night. I miss the [ __ ] Halloween. You know yourself. And I can't wait for it. I'm ready to go. >> And the initial fight actually wasn't supposed to be on Halloween, and then it was like I seen a post on your story, it was like fight's off, but I said off for [ __ ] sake, what's going on? And then I seen it got moved to Halloween. Whose idea was that? Was that the promotion's idea or your idea? >> But they they Jesus Christ. That was all down to cuz they they they it was me saying and them saying like a man there, we know what this fellow wants over there. We know what he brings to the table. Why the [ __ ] can we have another show two weeks before the Halloween show? I think it was just a thing on their end, but obviously at the time I was like happy to cuz after the last show, right? I took the last fairly Obviously I took the last terribly, and I was like, you know what? No. [ __ ] this. Next time I go out there, no antics, no entertaining, none of this bollocks. Just focus on the goal. Focus on on getting a win. That's it. But then they came to me and said, "Halloween show." And so look, if there's two fits and there's two [ __ ] fits and that much. And yeah, so now I'm back to doing I do. Do you know what I mean? I'm going to change, aren't I? I know I'm not going to change who I am. I was always going to talk talk the talk to him. I was always going to talk some [ __ ] That's the way it is. It's the game. It's the fight game. You know what I mean? And but I was going to retract a little bit from the the showman stuff. Just because obviously coming off a loss, I wanted to just get back to winning ways, focus on getting a win. A win only only that's important to me is a win. Nothing else. And as I said in Halloween came and I said, "Fuck this. We're back." Back to where back to me who was a wild coach and you'll see this one is I'm planning on tapping this all one. I'm planning on tapping that one. We're looking at the best one here. It has to be [ __ ] up. You know? It's Halloween night. And yeah, you're going to see. >> [laughter] >> It's It's It's I I can't wait to see. Obviously, we've we've known you a long time back here. We've been to How does it feel to go from from doing those entrances in these GA halls and and smaller venues to doing it in front of the crowds that you have at Octagon because man, 60,000 they had there recently. For me, they're the biggest promotion in Europe by by a country mile. How does it feel to go from the small places to to doing it cuz even when you done Michael Myers, I remember for Premier that time, that was one of the best. I think Nicky Kyle and C Shue or shout out has the picture of you looking in and Dara looking out and it's one of my favorite photos. >> Brilliant. >> Your journey to doing it in front of that many people. >> Yeah. It's a big It's a definitely is a big step up. Even when you're in the back, like and you hear all the crowd and you're kind of like, "Woah." Do you know you get that kind of rushy feeling? But to be honest like I was It was definitely a bit more surprising like walking over and then I was seeing a different crowd there. But I came from doing them so much. You know like people would a lot of people would struggle with walking out to a couple hundred people just just without any theatrics, you know? Never mind dressing up and making yourself look like a fool or whatever you're up there, you know? So I think it was a bit used to it in that sense. And then just it was a different thing. I had to walk like coming out to 15,000. There was a different buzz. There was a different energy. But as I said I was thriving off it. I thrive and even the booze I'm walking out and I like I could see through my little mask my the little [ __ ] holes in the eyes and the also mask, you know what I mean? And I'm cycling away. And even what I was listening to my coaches what we said on the way out we goes, right, never mind the pressure and never mind all the [ __ ] Enjoy the moment. You know what I mean? Enjoy the moment. So I was going to see what was going on. There was people sitting like that. The walk was longer than the fight there. So I was taking you in. That won't be like blowing manning over there. The walk longer than the fight, you know? And like cuz I took my time. I went nice and slow. I was looking around. You know what I mean? Just feeling that energy, feeling the crowd. I was even looking at some fans there and they they thought I was squaring off with some German [ __ ] you know? And uh yeah, but it's a it's a it's definitely a step up. But it's a lot of fun, man. And I love doing it, you know? So there's no pressure for me. I don't feel pressure at all in that way. I love it. I enjoy it. And I take it all in. And I got to do my You know on on Halloween night. >> Yeah, no. Cuz I remember watching it live at the time. I talked to Quigg just before from the old triangle. And we were like, [snorts] I wonder how this is fight's going to go. And we we seen you walk. It was actually Quigg who said to me, he goes, I think Brian's like he goes, just look how slow he is. Look how calm he is. Like he's he he's ready. >> said to me actually there watching the [ __ ] show a buddy of mine here Rashers we call him. Rashers and Lamb Chop. The buddy Rashers you know what I mean? You met him before and he said to me, he goes, he's watching the walk going he walked in he saw 15,000 people, right, full of a big mass that the sweat would sweat off of him in the space of 2 seconds. A big suit on me, right? And it wasn't no [ __ ] clip on clip on clip off suit. And he said, "I had to go after the mass to get all the beat and sweat off of me." >> [laughter] >> I'm built for this [ __ ] bro. I'm built for this. >> You need to invest in rip off shirts. I was actually going to say that because there's been plenty of times when you get there, you get into the stage, and then it's you're starting to unbutton and you put your your gloves on. And then >> That's what Bisping's going to do. Bisping's going to do that and he's going to be in a little tongue, his little poor ass suit. >> [laughter] >> And in terms of your opponent, obviously, I seen a couple of weeks ago it seemed like a bit of a bit of banter back and forth and he was giving it back and forth, but it seems to have ramped up now with the intensity of it. Was there something that kind of crossed the line with you or or him that he spoke when well, well, [ __ ] you. I'm going to >> Yeah, just he look, he's saying he was saying I was only messing about and whatever, like, you know? And now he's saying getting personal and stuff. Saying I don't take it serious, I'm a drink core, I'm a drunken trash, and I was like, right, so I'm going to take take it personal with this fella, do you know what I mean? Michael Jordan style. And uh then we just got into a few things and I called him out for what he is, a cheating rat. He's a steroid head. He's [ __ ] shook shook up his ass. And yeah, [ __ ] him. Cheating bastard. He called me out on things and saying I'm What is with the way he talks, man? You can tell chat GPT uh is doing the conversation for him. You know what I mean? Yeah, we don't want it to see you with the embodiment of obesity, yours truly. Shut the [ __ ] up, man. Shut the [ __ ] up, like, talking like that. And about his dealer's name, he's giving me his dealer's name, so he's practically admitting he's a [ __ ] steroid head, you know what I mean? [ __ ] clown, man. Thinks he's Einstein. He's nothing but a [ __ ] turnip. >> He obviously Yeah, with his record and your record, you both like to finish as well. Do you envision this going going the distance? >> No, I don't. >> What's your plan? I don't obviously not give away your game plan, but I'm I assume you're going back in. All your fights have >> is to [ __ ] him up. Break his [ __ ] face, break his will, walk him down. That's it. You know what I mean? Like this this Tim I know Dave, right? This is a [ __ ] must-win fight. Must-win for the trajectory of my career. It's like I have to I plan I have big plans in my career. I can't afford to take these No, I took a bump in the road last fight. It was devastating. It didn't go my way. I have my list of reasons why it didn't go my way. And like in the end, it it was his night. It was not mine, like. That's fine. We brush it off. We're back to the gym. We go again. This fight, whole different ballgame. This fellow is a journey, man. He's decent. He's good in a lot of areas, you know? A lot of losses same as Pucca, but I can't be losing these fellows. I want to claim my title top 10. I have to be beating these unranked lads, you know what I mean? So, it's very important for me to to go and get this win now. And I'll always give everything I have, my whole being, my whole heart, my whole mind. Everything I'm going to give to this fight. Absolutely everything. >> Yeah, is I looking forward to it cuz obviously that was the first loss that you did take. You took it very well as well at the time you and Pucca. You see after all that. Like cuz at the end of the day, once once the fight is over, it is all respect. But do you think that might be the case with this one that with how kind of intense it has been leading up to think there will be the good graces after? >> We'll see. We'll see. We'll see. I don't know. We'll see. We'll see how we'll see how things go, you know? I always have respect for fellows after fights, but like I don't know. We'll see about this kind of this this fellow seems a bit like a piece of [ __ ] so don't like the things he says about me. I don't like the things the things he says. So, yeah, we will see after we break his face, depending on how I'm feeling. And uh we'll see who owes a drink on. >> Yeah. >> [laughter] >> Will you be inviting for drinks after? >> Yeah, you know about that. If I smash a bottle over his head, that's what I'll do, yeah. >> Yeah, but in terms of obviously like when you went into octagon, you had that that finish where my god, I was showing showing my friends who wouldn't watch MMA and they're like you know him? I said I've gone drinking with this boy this like so. >> [laughter] >> We we we've I've gone out and I've met him after shows and stuff and he's the real deal. >> good and I can fight good. [laughter] >> Um but then obviously straight from that then you got to sign new contract. What was it like taking the loss because it was your first one? You'd had losses at professional or at amateur. I mean you had that injury. Do you remember when you bet Jess Palo and then the kind of the wheels turned. Um how was it? How did you take that first professional loss and and what did you take away from it? >> Yeah, what I took away from it is that I I need a lot of work on my grappling still, you know what I mean? I'm not quite there yet. I'm there in the striking and the thing is like Poohbear, I watched his fights, man. Well, you actually Do you know our game plan was right? Don't you We planned on just striking him. Right? And my trainer thought he go over more scenarios I go over in my head before a fight like the winning scenarios, but you you can't help but to reel in these thoughts of losing scenarios, too. It's just the way the mind is. And sometimes I was thinking if he drags me into a war, that's the only way he's going to win this fight. If he drags me into a blood bath. I watched his fights, he's he stands he gets beaten up a lot of the time, but he's able to keep coming forward and he's he's hacking, he was scrappy and he'd be full of blood, but I did not expect him to shoot hugging onto me. And like it was devastating to take that loss. Very very very disappointing. And it was a horrible feeling that I don't I don't want to feel again. And I know losing is a part of the game, but even like we were trying to me, Barney Scolly, we were all we were trying to enjoy a drink after and go up to the bar after, you know, what else could you [ __ ] do? And now it was just like I couldn't shake it, you know? It was like it just It was like a very, very bad depression. That's what it was like. And I surely don't want to feel it again. I'm after working my bollocks off since. My jits is after proving I'm after proving in these areas that I should have been improved on. Even the parts of in that fight, like like if I end up in situations like that in the last fight, you will see a lot of a better version of me this time. You know what I mean? You'll see more odds and see also. And yeah, it was it was a it was a bit of a pill to swallow as they say. And I'm back now and I'm ready to go. I'm ready to turn things around, get a win back at all cost, back on the winning back in back into the win column. And then look to be world champion. >> And and what what you've got I think it was a six-fight contract that that you signed just before the last time, wasn't it? And [snorts] within those six fights, I think that's quite attainable. >> I'm reeling in the contracts, brother. Reeling in the coin. I'll tell you that fellas in cage are cage warriors there. They might have 10 fights they get getting paid a couple hundred, maybe a grand or two. Not a bean compared to what I'm getting. And that's early days, brother. That's early days. You know what I mean? Stab them. >> [laughter] >> But in that time frame, it is quite attainable. And when you look at Steve to say Will Fleury for example, what he's done in the octagon, even though you're you're both fighting at the same time, you look at him and go, "Well, look what he's after doing in short space of time." That There is scope there for the likes of yourself, Reim Pong also, who who's coming back from a loss as well. And there's nice eyes gazing there. When you look at those those those fights, you do you think right by the end of this I'm going to be the world champion by the end of my contract? >> Yes. Of course I do. Of course I do cuz I look at the top 10 I think I I can beat these lads, you know? I look at them. I see who's at the top, Jacare Souza and that. even this fellow Flory has fought. And for him to have done this in in such quick time, my mom was talking to him. My mom was My mom was chatting to him. My mom was talking about him. My mom was saying that like he's been in the game a long time. He's a vet as well like at the same time as an active an active man. And I learned a lot from him and I like to take inspiration from what he's done and try to do what he's doing. You know what I mean? Get to those title fights and then I'll put two fair away. I'll knock those Swind in devastating fashion. You know, Swind the rage, Swind highly up there. He won his last fight, too. Swind and finish Battle. No, I just I don't know all [ __ ] I lost his leg the last fight and I took the last decision last. And now I get a big win here now. I'll go and knock him out in the first round, knock him out bad. That's two and one this year so far in the in the UFC season, I'd say. In Octagon. And two knockouts won't be a bad year. I'm going to show for December 29th, show for someone ranked. Right, December 29th, I'm going to knock Battle out, show for someone ranked. And we're very close to the title fight. You know what I mean? >> Yeah, I was thinking >> these lads, their their specialty is [ __ ] chumps. [ __ ] them. >> Tell us what how you really feel, Brian. I [laughter] know that's why I love that because it's just unfiltered, unedited. It just comes straight out and you say what you feel. But December 29th, is that the 100 show because I seen there's a lot going on? >> It is. Octagon 100, I think. Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, you're banging. Yeah, there we are. You have the sauce. >> Um >> Octagon 100 in Prague and you know what? Will Flory Shall we win? He is fighting on December I think December 29th. I'm pretty sure it's not actually announced. But I'm pretty sure he he he could be on the December 29th card. Could be. I know there's a talks of it or something? And I know what Dennis's story is. He's on November card. So, yeah, look, the Irish are active. And if I get another card with Florry, that would be insane. That would be sick. And I would take over. Of course, for what he's done, of course he's going to be main event. All home to be main card after big win against Battle. Climbing up climbing my way up the up the ranks, up the steps, up the ladder. And it'll be great way to finish the year. No Christmas dinner and stuff, but who gives a [ __ ] when you get a big win? Who gives a bollocks? So, I live for this [ __ ] I don't live for Christmas or Christmas dinners or whatever the [ __ ] I live for the stuff. I love it. And to finish the year three and one would be a brilliant [ __ ] year with a record of eight and one, and the sky be the limit. >> Yeah, no, 100%. And one thing you said that I liked there as well is cuz I spoke to Will and Dennis separately. Oh, no, together one time, and they were saying Dennis's plan was he wanted to do lightweight, welterweight champion, you middleweight, and then like have Will as light heavyweight and heavyweight champion as well. Uh taking home taking home all the best. Would you like a card where where the three of you are on it? And then possibly four with obviously Jack Maguire, you've got Richie Smallbone as well. I'm not sure what his contract situation is then. Do Do you think there's scope to bring Octagon to Ireland? Or do you think it needs a couple more kind of star like couple more champions, couple more stars kind of >> Maybe couple like couple more big wins from us maybe. Like Oh, I think it would be a huge setup show, definitely. I think it'll be a massive show there. Like you see the way this this arena is only what they did the last or 2 weeks ago. It was only here or three or so, 60,000 crazy numbers, crazy numbers, you know? And then you've uh you've you've uh 15,000 every week, every couple of weeks. 11,000, 20,000. They're always for notice days. So, why can't they do it in Ireland? There's no MMA is big in Ireland, you know? They all know Octagon. They sell out these cards or these but I think it would absolutely sell out in cage warriors to be honest. It would like cage warriors sell out maybe a couple of few thousand as well. Obviously they do in Ireland, but I think if if if AEF got a bigger arena, they would sell out of sell out of they would sell out you know. And if we got myself, Will, Dennis, Jack, Richie, and then if there's maybe one or two more in the in the meantime are signed, and if they could use also UK people from the UK, you know, across the pond they could they could do they could do that and you and in the UC with with uh UC London they bring the Scottish on to win and stuff and they bring other fighters on to wait they can do the same with with us. You know what I mean? It would definitely generate more numbers cuz if there's English on the card, it's only a trip you get a [ __ ] boat over, you know? And there'll be a lot of fans supporting their fighters on those shows. And uh yeah, I think I'd love if there's another show. Another couple of big wins would set something for us. And uh yeah, it'll be unreal. Next 2027, you know what I mean? 2027 AEF in Ireland will be a [ __ ] banger show. Imagine all of us there daily with something to press conference talking bollocks. [laughter] >> I can I can only imagine it. And like you said, you can bring people from the UK. There could be like that independent contractors or people who aren't signed at a free agency as well. Like you look at >> [snorts] >> someone who you grapple with Jordan O'Neill seems to fall out. His fights seem to fall out every so often. If he got get get get a fight with >> Yeah, if he fights with if he got on the card or something like that, he could be on You know, they could be There's There could be people who don't like to travel, but this game they're going to travel in in the end regardless. Everyone everyone's going to the UC, everyone's going to One Championship and all these like you're going to be traveling, you know, so people like cage warriors in Ireland they all want to keep a handy go up the road to Dublin or local. I know that makes sense doing away, but you're going to have to travel eventually. Why not take the take the big opportunities, you know what I mean? >> Yeah, yeah, and I think so because you'd rather be traveling kind of like earlier on into your pro career and getting used to it rather than cuz like if you're going to be traveling over during the week or stuff like that, they're not things that you want to be going into like every obviously every time you fight is the biggest fight until your next fight, but you don't want to be 10 fights in and having to deal with this and not being able to deal with it properly and then it affects your performance, but there was a couple things I wanted to ask you. Ariel Helwani shared your entrance on Octagon, yeah? How did that feel? Because obviously Ariel Helwani's been around for a long, long time. He he's massive. When you've seen yourself on his page on his YouTube, what was that feeling like as a person and especially like we spoke, you only started a couple of years ago uh to to being at the heights and having him share >> That was [ __ ] sick, bro. That was [ __ ] sick. That was like That was the stuff of dreams, that, you know what I mean? You know, like walking out, like just being in my own like honestly, like these are things you dream about, but at that point I was a dream about, you know? And like normal people would dream about like you can never imagine like walking over cycling out, for [ __ ] sake. Oh, my fucking's falling here, sorry. >> You're all right. >> Cycling out. All the 15,000 there, you walk you would cycle out, I you talk [ __ ] to this [ __ ] Sweeney's [ __ ] chinny, you talk [ __ ] to him. Everything is on a build-up, pressure's on. It's all in the line. You have to show it show that you're you're about it. I go in, I [ __ ] chin him, first round, vicious knockout. His head is bobbing on the [ __ ] floor for about a minute. And then you finish the fight, everyone's talking about you. Ariel Helwani, could it get any better? Could it get any better? Ariel Helwani's talking about you. He's walkout was unreal. He got a [ __ ] first round knockout. Knocked the guy out. I'm on the biggest MMA show on the [ __ ] planet. You know? Unbelievable It was unbelievable to see that. That's why it's pinned to my Instagram and it's going to stay there. >> [laughter] >> I can I can see And I think there's more to come. I think this I think the next fight I think the same thing could happen. >> Not exactly the same way, but very similar cuz I'm going to make some noise. >> And and that's one of the things you've been quite good at and cuz cuz obviously when you came in and I talked about this about you and Dennis especially because a lot you would have came in in kind of your late 20s and a lot of people go you know you know these kids are starting from 10 and stuff like that. But if you look at the way you and Dennis have managed your careers and now you've made a noise but you've talked you've you've talked the talk but you've walked the walk as well. For anyone who thinks that it might be too late to get in, what would you say to them? >> It's never too late. It's never ever too late, man. You know I started at 25 and 31 now and I like my career has been very very very good. You know what I mean? I had a decent amateur career. Couple losses, who gives a [ __ ] Learning. I'm having a very good professional career. You know what I mean? I'm making a living out of it. I'm making noise and getting noticed. That's all within 5 or 6 years. Just like my other advice is that you have to work on other things, you know? And you have to like try and do things to stand out in certain ways, you know? You also have to put the time in. You know I used to stand out and do three times a day. Three sessions a day, twice a day, three times a day. You have to break your bollocks, right? And you have to commit everything to it. Obviously you can have a job with it as well. You know that will work too, but if you want to really take it professionally and go to a different level, I think all eggs in the one basket that would be my advice. And as I said, do things to stand out. Everyone's a fighter, you know what I mean? Everyone can can be everyone's like everyone's a fighter. Like they have the same thing, the same walk, the same patterns, the same interviews. Do different things that will stand out, you know? Be the odd one out. That's that's what will get noticed. That's what that's how you will make more money. That's how you will get more opportunities, you know? And you could start this game at 30 and you could [ __ ] fight professionally by 35. It's just about putting the hours in, how you look after yourself. Look after yourself and and go you know, I'm not the biggest advocate for looking after myself. I like to get do [ __ ] up [ __ ] after fights, too. But not as much as I would before. You know, when I'm in camp, I'm serious about things. I'm training. All my my diets are right. My training's right. My recovery, I'm living the ice baths, living the saunas, you know what I mean? I take my supplements, do all the all the right things and you'll never know where you can go. It's never too late to start anything. >> Yeah, I think one of the things I used to that was your entrance is like that in a GAA hall and you're you're coming out and a lot of people were like, "Does anyone Does anyone Has anyone seen this this this lad?" Like people who wouldn't even know MMA kind of seen him and I worked with. >> Yeah. >> Right. We're like, "Have you seen this lad?" I was like, "Fucking I was down at his fight like a couple of weeks ago." >> Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. >> And you really did and then obviously Dennis done it by Dennis's Dennis called people out. We won't go into too much about what Dennis done as well cuz Dennis called out a lot of people done a lot of things. But look, I'm looking forward to the end of the year for you. So obviously you're looking to go in and you're looking to to finish him and then you're looking to have another fight for the end of the year then kind of speed one through. But I'm going to let you go. Is there anything you want to say before you go or anyone you want to shout out? >> No, just to shout like a shout out to my team, MMA Cork. And my guy out. Alpha management, Barry. Barry and Scully. And what we're about to do. We're This time two weeks we'll be getting flights to [ __ ] Munich and we're going to do it again. Germany is our second home. Let's [ __ ] go. Brutal man is back. Back to winning ways. The size of me. The shape of me. Two lump hammers, bro. I'm going to put them through that [ __ ] two bastard's head. >> Every Every time you talk, I'm like, "That's a clip. That's a clip. That's it." Well, look, I'm going to I'm going to let you go. Thank you so much for your time and uh obviously we'll be watching. I appreciate your time as well and the support you show me as well. Anytime fights come up, you're always texting me, "Let's get on. Let's get on." >> Exactly. And this is the first time I'm doing this first interview I'm doing since before the fight because I know I'm going to be doing plenty more in the next couple of weeks. But this is the first time I'm back. I'm ready to go. Let's go, baby. >> Perfect. Thank you so much for your time and enjoy your evening. >> baby. Come on, baby.