Ethan Sharkey Elite Interview

Ringkasan

Ethan Sharkey is an amateur fighter from Team Sanda under the watchful eye of Darren Sonik, we speak about his upcoming match on Elite fighting championship plus more

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Okay, so I have the pleasure of uh speaking to Eaten Shark today. He's going to be competing this weekend. He trains out at MMA. We're going to talk to him about the upcoming fight, why he got into MMA and how Fight Week's treating himself. Thank you very much for joining me. How are you feeling, bro? Fight week. Thank you for your time as well. >> Yeah. No, I feel good. Thanks for having me on, Dave. Um it's good. Just can't really complain now. >> And obviously with the with the day off weigh in, most people go up the way. Are you finding that a lot more comfortable than having to the the cut down to a lower weight? >> Yeah. Yeah. I'm kind of enjoying this week now. Stakes all week. >> Um what's the kind of like I think at obviously with the day of weighing especially would you I don't know what your thoughts are on it. Do you think people should fight in around their walk around weight or like obviously obviously after fight you got to put on a little bit more but do do you think there should be especially at the start of an am career much weight cutting involved like what's your opinion on it? It depends. Um I think towards the get end of your career you need to be you need to be cutting away because that's what you're going to be doing when you go pro at the start like that's why I got me MRI so I can fight down the south um do these same day weigh in so I'm not draining myself. Same like for activity like you need to be you can't be doing these big cuts every three or four weeks if like how active are you want to be you can't be doing them big cuts every week. >> Yeah. You know, like we seen it with remember Tony Fox made weight for was it G was it was it Kabib wasn't it? Then Khabib that fell out through CO and all and then he had to make weight cuz he still even though the fight was off a week or something wasn't it he still went and made weight >> and then had to do it again in two weeks and he was never the same after that Justin Gatesy fight. dope. I think especially at the start of your career, just focus on having fun, getting in there and learning things as well, cuz like you would have fought a lot before as well, go when you go into an event like kind of from novice, there's the MMA leagues and stuff. When you go into an event though, that transition as well, like how do you find that transition going into an event? But you fought on different promotions before, but I think getting used to like the event being there early is a lot different than the likes of national leagues. So do you what how did you find that transition from novice into amateur? >> Yeah, like I done the league. The league's great. I done the league two or three times maybe. Um I was a lot smaller and skinnier then. So I was making 61 for the same days. Um great experience. Then did a few novice fights on shows at Cage Conflict and Clown War. 61 the same. And then me last novice fight then I took that in short notice. That was at 68. That was probably the best I ever felt in any fight. just not cutting any weight. Then me la me amateur debut back down to 61 that was grand but then this one same day again up at 66. So based on how I was like novice same day wins I should be gone. Yeah. And the fact that you said the kind of late notice, higher weight one, you felt your best. I think that's I think I think as well a late notice fight, you take a late notice fight as well like that. You're not prepared. You're not thinking about it too much. You're kind of like you've got a fight in a few days like right grand and it's kind of just going to happen rather than the the long way out and thinking about the way and you obviously went in a lot fresh, but um this weekend you're going to be fighting down in Cork. Um, have you have you fought on de before? I can't know. Your first one was uh Cage Warriors Academy, wasn't it? And then you were supposed to be on your with Shay Cleland, but have you seen the cage that they have? >> Yeah, that's that's the main that's the main reason I want to fight there. That's size of that cage. >> Um, I think that's going to play into my game a lot better than Will Hidden. Um, like him trying to take me down. I have all that room like 30 foot cage, all that room to move around. Good luck to him. >> And like that as well that it benefits a striker. And do you find with the smaller cages you get one or two steps back and then like someone can go in you are you I I say you're relishing getting in there cuz man I've been in it and you know when I do at the end the winners I actually have to zoom in if I'm across the cage is actually that big. Um how did this fight come about? Did they contact you? Did you contact them? Cuz it's been just I think it's just under a year since your last fight. Um, obviously you're in Sand. Um, how did this fight come out? Have you been actively looking or did they come to you? Uh, Darren, >> they came to me back in I want to say March or April. Um, and I was struggling to get cleared medically to fight for a few reasons. I'm not really getting into it, but um, they came back to us then. They text Darren two months ago of it getting me matched and uh I think we were waiting about five or six weeks trying to get an opponent. I mean we probably went through maybe 15 20 names every day Darren sent me on at topology link someone new. I'd say yeah came back said no next day same ordeal and we were probably running out of names to be honest with you. We were looking at other shows then um but thankfully Yan stepped up. >> Yeah. >> Yeah. I like that. I have I do matchmaking for a show or I helped on the last one and I'm doing a lot more this time and I know how you feel because I would just say just say you're another opponent perfect just say you're both one and0 okay boat saving series sp similar weights whatever no like but it's why like I don't know people have the reasons and I'm not going to get into it but it is frustrating how was that frustrating for you wanting to get back in saying no no no knowing that you were saying yes to all these opponents. Yeah, like it was tough. Like I was in and out of camp trying to get ready to fight this year since probably February. Um, and then like we were originally looking at Cage Legacy, but that's not going ahead. So then we were looking at Evolution, but I don't think that went ahead either. And then this one here was the main one we were looking at. And then we're looking at Gladiator as well last minute cuz we couldn't find anyone. But um, yeah, like this the one like >> Yeah. So, you finally got I'm glad you got as well. I'm matchmaking on the show as well. So, I'm going to get in contact with Darren so he can send all your names forward. I can't promise you fights because like I just told you and like you found out firsthand. Um it's it's it's not that easy, but I will try my best for you because I have great time for for Darren and yeah, Cage Ex going ahead and evolution. I was surprised at that cuz I was going to go and watch that and then I checked it last week and I was like where's all the post gone? Found out cuz there's so many shows. But as a as an amateur fighter, how do you feel with the amount of shows that we do have? Cuz there is quite a few, most of them up north, but there is some down south. How do you feel having this amount of options? >> Yeah, I know. It's really, really great. Um, I wish there was more down south, like very select few down south, but they're all up north, up Belfast. Um, a match for Clan Wars and then hopefully get on Gladiator as well in February. Um, and then maybe look like maybe chaos. Like I'm looking I'm looking to be active like >> Yeah. And like that. Have you seen the month of March? Did you see the post I put up? >> Yeah. Yeah. No, I seen March and that's that's busy. >> March, man. It's six weekends in a row all the way to April and then the show I'm matching for is at the end. So, it's going to be fun matching for that one. But, um like that you were saying about your activity next year. Like, are you looking to fight like that once a month, once every two months, something like that? Have you got a number in mind or do you just want to kind of take it one at a time? >> Honestly, I'm trying to make up for this year. Um like I aim to have about seven or eight fights this year. Like that might sound crazy, but that's what I wanted. Um that's the plan for next year. Like every 3 to four weeks, you'll probably see me in the cage. Hopefully. >> Hopefully. Hopefully. I like that. If you're ever stuck or looking for shows or need any information, just hit me up. I can't promise anything, but I can point you in the right direction and do the best I can. Um, with with the fight coming up though this weekend, do you study your opponent yourself? Do you let Dar do that or or what way does it work? Do you do it together or do you not pay too much heed to what they do and just concentrate on you? >> Honestly, now at this stage, I I actually don't bother. H I've probably watched his fights once or twice. Um, like it's mad because at the start, like me, my very first novice fight against Marty Mcgru, um, I probably watched his fight three times a day. I studied him. I knew what he's eating for breakfast. I knew everything about him. Um, and then it slowly gradually like I kind of just got more confident in my game, not worrying about what they're doing. And now at this stage, it's it's just whatever. It's I know he's going to try to take me down. Good luck. Um, at this stage, I don't think he's going to get me down. If he does, I'm comfortable on the ground at this stage. Like, if he's basing off my novice fights, different fighter now, different fighter. >> Yeah. And and I like what you said and a lot of fighters say that at the start they get too caught up in it and rather than saying I'm eating Sharky and this is how I fight, you're trying to tailor to someone else's style. But you kind of come out with that and and like you said if but if he watches your novice fights, if he watches his his his other fights, you know yourself how much you improve for from uh camp to camp or fight to fight. So you could be both completely different fighters from from the tape you've seen. So I think you should look at maybe basics, but too much into it, I wouldn't worry about it. But um with going down to court, you'll have to travel down early and stuff like that. Um but you've had to travel a lot. Does the traveling does the traveling do affect the kind of preparations on the day much or is it just kind of part and parcel of a fight day? >> No, I actually I prefer to travel um because it's like once you go pro after your first two or three fights, you're fighting internationally anyways. You're fight you're traveling to all your fights. Um that was the idea behind fighting in Cage Wires Academy. getting used to that fight week, flying, cutting weight on a plane, weighing in in a different country against a guy I have no idea like different roster of fighters completely over in England. Um, great show by the way. That was a serious serious show. But that's what I aim for like fighting like obviously I'll fight in Belfast, I'll fight in Dublin, I'll fight wherever, but I'd like to get that international experience. Like I'm coming from a kickboxing background. Like I fought Italy, Hungary, Amsterdam. Like I fought all over Europe. Um I'm used to traveling like cork that's only a we spin down the road for me now at this stage. >> Yeah. It's just like you're just dipping out for a second sort of a thing after after doing all them. And like you said, it's going to be part and parcel as you go. And I'm kind of looking a bit more into the K1 and doing a bit more interviews in that scene cuz I find it exciting and my tie and that's the one thing. A lot of these people like oh I traveled here and there and they're like this is just in the last like three years and they're like like you said Rome here and I said wow. Uh you don't see that as much with MMA but there's a lot more competitions in K1. Um but I'm going to let you go. So, I want to wish you the best of luck for this weekend. Is there anything you want to say before you go or anyone you want to shout out? Thank you once again for your time and this will be the first of many hopefully if you'd like to come back on and have a chat again. >> Yeah. No, thanks for having me on, Dave. Honestly, just shout out the boys at SA. Shout out Darren. Um, take me on, take me into the club, treating me like I'm one of their own from day one. Um, shout out to Jed Paulo as well. He's been helping me a lot for this camp. Seriously, can't wait to see him back in the cage as well. Um, he's a great fighter now. But yeah, that's it. Tune in on Saturday. >> Perfect. I want to thank you so much and I will I won't be at the show, but I will be watching and I will talk to you on Monday to see how you're feeling after. All right. >> Yeah, no worries. See you. Thank you.