Zoe McKinnon interview

Ringkasan

Zoe McKinnon competes at Chaos fighting championship this weekend I'm her very first fight. She took some inspiration from Brian Coyle, and hat partner Dillion who competes as a professional She talks about how it came about, her goals in fighting plus more

Transkrip (youtube_captions)

Kind: captions Language: en Okay, so another interview on fight week and I'm very very happy to have with me Zoe. She's a cool lady. It's going to be a first fight. There's a lot to go with her making it to this fight. The reasons why and stuff and we're going to get into that as well. First of all, I want to thank you so much for taking the time to speak to me. How are you feeling? It's fight week. How What's What's this feeling like? It's a new feeling. How does it feel? Um it's weird like in a good way. Um I have a new found appreciation cuz like West Dalon, obviously I've done this so many times with Dalon over the years and yeah, it's just tapering down training and everything. So yeah, it's it's been a journey this week. I can tell you that much. So you're feeling good. >> You're feeling good. You're looking good. You're just sounding good. You're sounding confident and you with like I said, you've got a new found appreciation for the fight week as well. One of the things that we were talking about cuz no massive weight cut or anything you have to do as well, which is when I usually speak to a fighter, I'm like, "Yeah, I'm starting to load up on about 20 L of water now and then the water cuts, I've been there for people." So that's at least at least you were able to manage it all the way through. Was that your plan all the time because you didn't want to have to have a big water cut or weight cut? Did you want When you started this camp, did you know you were going to gradually bring it down to that weight or was just kind of it worked out better than expected? It worked out better than expected. Um obviously for novice with it being same day weigh-in, I didn't want to have to even do a salt bath. I'm traumatized, okay, from all them salt baths with Dalon. I may not have done them, but um no, I just for me it was just a way to do it, see if I can get down uh through diet and training. And if I had to have done a cut, I would have done it, but um no, it's been easy enough. Like I'm very I'm very lucky in that sense. So, yeah. Yeah, so any fighters out there that are leaving the big cuts to the last minute, it can be done. You just have to to manage it before. Um, but talk to us, why obviously you're around you with Dylan obviously when over Dylan and he's he's been around for a long time. So, you've you've kind of always been around the scene. You're doing the cuts and stuff as well. What made you want to like just go I want to compete. What what was it that what moment made you want to compete? If you can remember. Um for me, I started um training in Rodney's. It was mostly just to get fit and lose weight. And the more I done it, like I really loved the sport anyway. Um but the more I done it, the more I fell in love with it. I was like, I actually enjoy this. And I had that chat with Rodney. Um cuz he didn't know I wanted to fight cuz whenever I had first started, I was like, no, I'm not fighting. Definitely not. But then I was like, do I do I have any more regrets? Like the one regret I do have is that I didn't start this earlier. Like whenever I was about younger, but hindsight's a wonderful wonderful thing. But um I was like, whenever I'm decrepit and old in a nursing home, I don't want to I I don't want to be sitting going, I wish I had done that. You know, I think everybody should at least give it a go at one time. So, yeah, that that was it. It just clicked for me. And I was like, Rod, can I? I was like, let's do this. So, Yeah. Yeah. I love that. I love the I love the fact as well that like when you go to gym, one of the things that you didn't even say there but I thought was he was never pressured cuz a lot of people when they go to gyms, they think you have to fight and stuff like that. You're a gym. I'm a gym that like for people at home that might be interested in in in getting into it but don't want to compete. Like the gym is mostly made up of people who don't compete in MMA or or in like on a team and the fact that Rodney Rodney for me is one of the coolest people around and I think him we've talked about this offline. Him and Norman Park and even Alan they don't get the like I've seen a lot about Alan now since he's since the last fight but it's mad that it took until the end of his career for him to start getting his flowers. Not a sort of way. I don't think it's Norman Park had a fant- I don't want to say he was eight five or eight three or something in the I want to say eight five in the UFC. You didn't hear much about him. You you I don't think he got the flowers he deserved. I've talked about Norman on on numerous occasions especially with the the KSW fights with Gamrot were unbelievable. And then Rodney doesn't get the but I think Rodney I think people have said that Rodney just does it because he doesn't he doesn't he doesn't want the flowers but I just want to say after that they don't get the flowers they deserve and and it's a fantastic team there obviously you've got Dylan but go back to Dylan. What was his reaction when you wanted to fight? Um so he'd been at me for years and he was like look just go on and do the beginners and this is the thing just as you said like Ro- there was no pressure from Robert or there is people that does like sparring or just comes on to the beginners class or BJJ whatever and they don't compete they come in because they love the sport and as a as an unbelievable form of exercise but it's also teaching people self-defense and I think that's anybody need everybody needs to know a form of self-defense in this day and age but So I've been training for a while I don't know when I say a while I've been training for a few months and whenever I clicked and had that conversation with Rod and I had that conversation with Dylan he was like look if that's what you want to do I will support you you know um and I I to say like Dylan is so supportive like I'm grateful that way and I'm very lucky because not everybody can say that they train with their partner or run with their partner or their partner is pretty much been in the sport for as long as Dillon has. So no, he was very supportive. He was like So the shoes going to be on the other foot now and I was like, "Yeah." So So now he gets to feel what you've you felt for years as well because obviously you've been with me not that it's normal now you're always going to get nervous but he's going to have his first bout of nerves about you now cuz I would presume from from speaking to fighters that like that just say if they have one of their students they're more nervous when the student goes in. So imagine if that person is your partner. So um it's and then obviously he's got a fight coming up as well. So how's how's this week been with the two of yous? I'd say it's a bit chaotic. So whenever I whenever I said I'm going to fight um obviously you have to have that conversation especially with your partner whether they fight or not or if they're in the the sport. Um and we both agreed at that time that we would never fight on the same card. We wouldn't put that pressure on each other. Um and Dillon love he's fighting on the go home today. He fought for them at amateur and won the belt and everything and they approached him a month ago and I was like, "Dillon, I'm going to my fight's going to be over >> [snorts] >> so it's fine." And like um he's been great this week like fight week for anybody anything everybody can really it's you're you're tapering down your training and you're just trying not to get into your own head or anything like that and he's been honestly he's been brilliant and I can't like I don't know what else to say like he has been so supportive and he has been great this week. So even throughout the whole camp. So I'm I'm lucky that way, you know. Yeah, cuz like that cuz there's there's things that you're going to experience will be the first time and it might be overwhelming or they might be like they're they're they're unusual things that you've never dealt with before and obviously the fact that he's dealt with them like everyone is unique and everyone reacts different, but he will say like this is what I do. So so he he can help you through the process and then especially with it being his one, he's he's so tenured that it's just I say just natural for him. So he he has the time not to have time, but like he he's able to stretch himself out and do everything else as well, but once you knew you were competing uh did you set the like the cuz you we'll talk about your weight loss cuz there's been a tremendous weight loss and I want to say you're looking great as well. We were just talking about that. So did you have a target weight in mind to get to the weight you're fighting at or did you just come up with that over time and what kind of what what weight was the weight class you decided? Did you did you have the goal of losing as much as you have? Um no, I never had that goal. Like I just I wanted to enjoy the process. Like I wanted to eat I wanted to fall in love with working right and everything again. And that's one thing I've learned is like you have to be consistent like with MMA, what you put in is what you get out. Um but it was funny it was with Dillon that I had that conversation about weight class like what should I fight at, you know. And it was him that kept me right. You know, and I was like right well to get my first round right well we'll go for AA and he says no, I think that's I think that's you know what great and I'll work my way down cuz I want to do it healthily like and that's what I've been doing is just losing the weight healthily. I don't want to like round ash and lose all this weight and put myself in a worse position with like my Crohn's and stuff. So I'm just doing it the right way and he kept me right and him and Ronald, like, we had that conversation together, and it's I've just been lucky that it's came off, you know. Yeah, and now cuz cuz like that your your weight got like um we were talking obviously it's gone it's gone really well, and one of the things then you kind of like it's a good way for me to segue into kind of the next topic I was going to get on cuz you mentioned it yourself. And I like the fact that you set nice realistic goals cuz some people can try and set too far, and then when you start falling short it uh the motivation kind of goes, but you you and you have had conversations about the the health issues you have, and you mentioned the Crohn's there, cuz if you lose a huge amount of weight and then put it back on, that's if even if you're healthy that's going to affect your body over time. Yeah. Um do you want to talk to us about the health issues that you have and how they may be obstacles for you if if you're comfortable? Yeah, of course, 100%. I'm an open book because I feel with Crohn's and colitis every case every person's different in that how it affects them. So, I and actually I had it from I was nine. Um and at that time it was only colitis, but it took them a few years to diagnose it, and then um tried everything, and I ended up when I was 16 I had to have major surgery. So, I ended up having a bag for a year. They wanted to do everything in one go, but because my insides were such that it was such a mess. Um thankfully everything's all keyhole, but um I was very very sick for a long time. Like, I've had feeding tubes and everything for a while a while whenever I was younger. Um you know, we were trying to find the right like treatment plan. Obviously, it's going down like the medical route didn't help, so I had to get surgery. Then I was 18, and I had it reversed. So, at that time I was like the second youngest in Northern Ireland to have my bag reversed. So, haven't looked back since. Um however, I did like during COVID, so that's whenever I actually ended up gaining a lot of weight. So, during COVID, they were they weren't seeing face-to-face, but I was on steroids constant to try and maintain a flare. Um, um, I'm now on biologics, so I'm immunosuppressed. Um, before anyone asks, I did get the all clear from my consultant to fight. Um, he's all for it. He's actually a friend of Phil's. It's so random. I swear it's such a It's such a small world. But, um, then I got diagnosed with uh Crohn's on top of that. So, during my undergrad of my or my undergrad degree, I end up having three emergency surgeries in the space of like 6 months. I kept taking like abscesses, and that's not prevalent in colitis patients. So, at that time again, I was just trying to get my health back and get into remission, and it was just a constant uphill battle. Um, and thankfully, I am in remission, and everything's going well. The weight loss has actually helped a lot with that, too. So, for me, like diet-wise, it's not it's not as simple for me as it would be for other people. So, like I have trigger foods that I can't eat because it just doesn't agree with me. So, I have to work my diet around that. You know, so like I'm As I say, I'm very open about it, and like if you want to ask me any questions, go on ahead, cuz if my story can help other people, then I'm all for it. Yeah, the food one is a big one as well, especially but coaches surrounded by fighters and stuff like that. Like you would see they they probably have nutritionists. I don't know if you ever would, but you cuz I know a lot cuz I've worked with one or two or I know like Yiannis or Sandi Holt who I know, they kind of do they personalize them for you, but there's a lot of people who just do, you know, kind of one-size-fits-all kind of stuff. Um so, that won't be good for you. So, what What are the biggest difficulties you've faced with what you have? What are the biggest takeaways you've got, um whether it be positive or negative? What are the things that make you go, oh, so this isn't great or, you know, What What are the biggest kind of obstacles you you face with this? Well, for me, like my illness has made me I had to grow up very quickly. Which I'm I'm grateful for. Like, it People would ask me, would you ever change If you could, would you change it? And I'm like, no, because it's made me who I am. Um but for me, a lot of the once I find what works for me diet-wise, it was easy. It was easy for me and I was able to work around that. And I was able to pick up things from Don, like obviously helping him through fight camps and diets and everything. And stuff that I would cook for him, I was able to cook for myself and I knew that it would agree with me. Um So, no, like everything that I've took away from it has been positive. It's definitely, as I say, it's helped me and it's helped um both of our illnesses. Like, I just Yeah. Yeah, it's Your Your positivity and your mental is what I like because I when when I speak to fight like a lot of fighters have the same kind of attitude. It's like, you have to think positive. But you could think, right, this is going to hold me back. This is going Whatever happens, that's going to be there. So, you need to be able to to work and live around it. Like, I was speaking to Paddy Holohan last week and obviously he had he was out for a while on two and he had to retire and he was like, I was like, how's that? He's just like, look, he goes, I had to look and see what I could do outside fighting positively that can affect people and affect me positively and then I'll see he became coach and stuff like that. And I think that's one of the things that I I'll take away obviously from this conversation is your mental strength. And what do you put that mental strength down to? Like, is there anything in particular how you were brought up? Just or or or or what is it that you put down? Cuz a lot of people will feel sorry for themselves. We don't know them. Not that we don't know them in the fight game. If you're not positive and looking forward, you usually kind of fall behind and out of the fight game in a sort of way. Yeah. People would feel sorry for themselves. What made you just go, right, this is it. I have to deal with it. Like where did you get the mental strength from? I have a great support network, so I'm very lucky in that sense. Um my sister actually have Crohn's. We're lucky in that way. My brother's he's fine, but it's just my sister she would have Crohn's. But for me, it was the way that we were brought up. Um you know, watching my mom like my mom I I don't want to say that about their mom. They're like one of the strongest women I know. Um but for me what got me through especially a lot of the dark times um with illnesses and you're like in hospital not for weeks on end. It was like months on end back in the day. For me is there's always somebody worse off than yourself. But it's okay to feel sorry for yourself. If I like whenever um I got diagnosed there with the Crohn's as well as the colitis, I was like I I'll feel sorry for myself for a day, but at the end of the day I have to get my big girl pants on. I'm just going to have to deal with it. It's not going to change anything. Um and that there is other people there's people worse off than me. But I had to come to the realization that it is okay to feel sorry for myself, but not to dwell on it and use it to my advantage and do something positive with it, you know? Yeah, it's it's like one of the biggest things that I learned and I remember it was always when I was working somewhere. It's like you said, it's your resilience being able to go, okay, this has happened. But how you react says more about you than the actual thing that happened. Like if you have a bad day at work, I think that's what it was. I had a bad day at that new job and someone I came back in I had a really bad day and the second day he goes, I want to see how you reacted today. Because if you didn't react good today, cuz I was only on probation, you'd be gone. But the fact that you would badly have to come in in your super today, that's what it's about. And a lot of people A lot of people, like you said, what I don't like is I would tell someone that I do have some issues going on with me and him. And he went, "Jesus, I feel I don't feel like, you know, Jesus, you've got a lot more going on." I said, "That doesn't mean your issues aren't important." Like you know, just because you might view these like I said, there there are people less off than us, but you you can't feel sorry for yourself. Like I said, don't dwell on it too long. It's like when fighters lose a fight and I said it's someone important as I shouldn't really say cuz I don't fight. Is it a coach said to me, he gives them 24 hours to soak, to to have your thing. And then, if it's on a Saturday, then he wants you back in the gym or they might let you not come to gym Monday then, but come back in Tuesday. Have your little feeling sorry for yourself. But, if you cuz if you had won, you'd be straight back in to gym. So, you need to do what what what winners would do. So, no, it's it's good that you've been able to find a way around it. But, looking forward to the fight now cuz obviously it's only a few days away now. And I'm actually going to be commentating on fight which is actually kind of cool. Yeah. How does it feel obviously Chaos is the longest running promotion in Ireland. I love the two boys. I have great time for them. I have I've done a I've they've done a lot for me and I've done a lot for them over the years. And I believe I'm the lead commentator on it now. So, um I'm really excited. How does it feel to be performing on Chaos? How did that fight come about? Did you actively like did Chaos come to you? Did Rodney put your name out there? Or if they if you can't talk about that, that's fine. But, how do you feel about competing on the show and how did it come about? Um so, I was um going to be matched with Rebecca at another show that was maybe running in March, but it off it fell through. Um because obviously at my weight the weight that we're fighting at, it's harder to get matched. Um which is unfortunate um cuz I totally off topic, I actually think some women women fights at well are really being absolute scrap, but anyway, I digress. But, um, whenever I said to Rodney, obviously he put my name forward, and then it was, um, whenever the fight had fell through because of the show falling through, then Chaos came up, and I was like, well, I'm happy to go if, you know, Rebecca's happy to go, so yeah. And that's how that came about. Um, how it is, like, I've worked Chaos, obviously, with, um, the Cut Team and everything, and I've worked Chaos whenever it was the Alpha Project there, too. But, it's great if For me, it feels like a full circle moment because I'm fighting on a show that Dillon has fought on before. Um, so yeah, like I'm looking forward to it. So, yeah, couple days out. Yeah, it it it's exciting, and then obviously I'll speak to you when I get cuz I'll be up there Saturday morning and Sunday, so hopefully I will get to see you before the actual fight takes place, but one of your colleagues in the Cut Team has done the Alpha Project, and he actually fought on the same show. Has Brian given you any advice or words of wisdom leading into this, or is he just doing being Brian and doing himself? Do you know what? I have so much love for Brian, um, not only because everything he's taught me as a cut as a cut woman, like everybody in the Cut Team has taught me and and guided me and everything, and but Brian has took time out to come down and train with me and everything, and and it was actually I was like, do you know what? He planted that seed in my head that I could fight. Um, watching his his last fight, and I was like, I could do this. If I put my mind to it, I could do this. Um, and I was I was training at the time, and yeah, and then it was after that I had the conversation with with Rodney, but for me, Brian has given me advice that was more the advice he gave me was like enjoy all your first, you know, you're not going to get these first again. Embrace all. Um Like he's been great. He's He's Brian is great. Um so yeah, no, he's coming down and don't listen to him. I don't punch him in the face. I did, but I don't know. Yeah. Yeah, no, I love Brian and like that most of the times I've been talking this week, but you most times when I go up he he actually I stay with his family with Jess. Um and like that he's always I remember interviewing him going into the after party and that's what I said if this could change someone's view and then isn't it funny now this is a full circle kind of moment for me doing interviews for people going in is you were the person that he potentially inspired to to go in. So maybe we won't put this in cuz it might give him too fat of an ego. >> [laughter] >> I told my ego to shut up anyway. Um because before my fight was an ice never happens like I'm just letting you know that you have like you have inspired me to that I can do this, you know, and like that's one thing I'm not afraid to tell people if they have inspired me to do certain things or you know, that I look up to them because they deserve the recognition for it even if it's just from little me. Um I like telling people that. Especially with within our scene, you know, within our MMA scene. Um so yeah. Yeah, no, I've I've been seeing him there on Saturday and I like what you said about him cuz people in today's day and age people are obsessed with celebrities and the influencer and this that and the other. And the real people who are inspirations are the people within the scene like for me Paul Redmond and Phil Campbell cuz of what they do. Um Paul got me into commentary. There's one person I really look up to on Cork, O'Leary. One leg, massively overweight, went started jiu-jitsu, and he's competing at late in order for the disabled and stuff. Now, they're real people who inspire like Like, the the older people like said you've had all health issues, there's been good times, there's been dark times. And it's normal people like that that are around you that you can relate to. They're the ones who actually are inspirational, I think. Like Shawn was like I can't remember like 20 stone or something, lost his leg, amputated, had to get like a sports one. And now he goes to jiu-jitsu all over the world. Like you know, whereas he could have just sat at home and felt sorry for himself. And that just shows the different the different changes. But in terms of of fight day, obviously you've been there with Dylan, you've been there as a cut lady as well. So, do you think cuz a lot of fighters have the first time when they're going they don't know when to warm up and do this and do this, but you kind of know what times you have to get your hands wrapped. Do you kind of have a your plan in the head of how the day will go until the fight? Like what time you start doing things? Obviously if it like one's gone a bit longer or just just finishes, that might speed up or slow down the process, but you have a plan in place because of of the familiarity with the day of a fighter. No, I haven't a plan because for me, and I said the exact same thing to Brian whenever I was chatting to him on his podcast, I'm just taking it day by day, you know, um and like I'll keep my morning routine as such, but Rob, as I say, Rob May, he'll keep me right. Um and like there's a couple of guys from the gym, so well Neil and Naya, um is fighting on the cards, so we're all going down together, so we'll like we'll be fine um in that sense. Like I'll I know that's like whenever you're chasing fighters to get their hands wrapped, I plan to get my hands wrapped ASAP. Um so then that I know I can get myself ready, get warmed up. So yeah, but that's what Don Funny Don had said to me about that. He was like, "Look, you'll find your own wee routine for fight day and that's what you'll stick to." So yeah, I haven't anything sort of planned or I just know that I'll be getting my hands wrapped ASAP. Actually, it's not as if you can show on people that that you know that will do it for you as well. I I think they can Sorry, go ahead. I was going to say you don't want Jess running after you get your hands wrapped. Yeah, you'd be you're on her shitlist then for a while, I'd say. But actually, funny enough, after a wrap, I was on my way home and you know Morgan who won the title again. Max when he came out, there was no one there and he was in the garage. Do you know uh is it Bellingham? Bellingham? Uh Bellingham on the way back down just past the garage and I went in, I needed cigarettes or something. And I walk in and I there he is at the counter. Your man got his and I said, "He goes I came out and everyone was gone." He goes, "But Joe, what it was I think people wanted to do interviews and he's a little bit shy so he kind of stayed out of everyone's way and he was probably taking in the moment as well." But it was a little fun interaction and Joe, a nice interaction for me to have outside of the actual show and because we I probably talked to him there longer than I probably talked to him in person so at a show. Um >> [snorts] >> but you've got I think going in because they say you're not going to have a plan, but you kind of you're so familiar with the day that I think it will just kind of fall into place. You know where to go, what to do and because you've worked at the shows, you're probably going to be familiar with the layouts and and stuff like that. But for going forward, obviously you want to take this fight. You've you've done like I said, the fantastic weight loss. Like are you looking to go really active after this fight? Are you looking at another target weight? What are your kind of goals with fighting? Um yeah, I do want to stay active after it. But we're going to Thailand so Um, we're going to Thailand in June, so I don't plan to take any fights until after. I do have a show in mind. Um, but for me, I want to like a goal I even set myself even before the fight was announced or anything. I want to get myself naturally back down to about 72, 70-72. Because I want to make my way down the weight class like if I take a fight at welterweight, so be it. I would like to fight at lightweight and then hopefully fight at featherweight. Um, but like if I can get myself down to 72, I'd be happy I could do a cut down at lightweight or featherweight. But definitely I do plan to be more active after this. Like I'm not going to make a career out of it, you know. I'm doing it because I enjoy the sport. Um, so yeah, no. We'll see what happens. Yeah, no. And I like that you're doing it cuz you like it, you want to do it. And Like I think if people go in with like I'm going to try to make a career. I want to make it and there's a lot of fighters out there that pay and I do agree with the fighter pay as well. But there was one coach who said to me when I was having it, he said, "Like people 5-6 years ago should never been getting in thinking they were going to Like Conor McGregor, Jon Jones, Conor McGregor was a one off. He's a one off. You're not going to have another one of him. It was just the right time, the right place and everything to But people need to understand as a fighter, you you like you look at like what did Paul you say he made in 15 fights or something casual was 9 grand? It's like that. Yeah. Like Tom Aspinall >> maybe nine fights nine fights maybe, but still. Yeah. >> [clears throat] >> Like there was um, as an interview that Tom Aspinall done on a podcast and that like I I even have had these conversations with people that maybe don't follow MMA. A lot of people have this pre misconception that there's a lot of money to be made, but they don't realize that the guys and the women that are competing are doing it because one, they love the sport, but two, it was never It was never about money for them. Yes, the money's nice. It's a nice bonus. It's maybe not enough. But um like a lot of these guys are out money. Um if they're not lucky enough to have sponsors or if they need an MRI, if they need bloods done, um you know, like Tom Aspinall said that in the podcast, he was like he was so close to giving up because he was getting himself into debt and he was he was like, "But I love the sport so much." And then the he got the break. You know? So, a lot of people need to realize that a lot of these guys and girls that are competing are doing it because they love the sport. And they're And they're And they're paying for a lot of the stuff out of their own pocket. Yeah, especially yeah, amateur. Like you see amateurs and amateurs are going to gym at 6:00 in the morning, going doing their 9:00 to 5:00 or whatever they may be. Some of them are building sites, some And he's been out of He might kill me. Well, he Everyone knows if they watch his his Instagram. Um like he fights for Cage Warriors. He's fought for PFL, LFL. Like he's Oh, I can't He's going to kill me. I won't I don't know his record off the top of my head. It's like 10 and 2 or something like that, yeah. But he's still in Ali's manager. Like So, he's still working in Ali as a supervisor. I don't think he's the manager, but like he still has a full-time job. And I worked in Ali. Ali's not Ali's hard graft. And he's a pro fighter that's still having to work. And Andy, so I'm not picking on you I just cuz I love you. We're really good friends. You're the first one that came to mind, but it just goes to show he's a full-time And like Mighty Mouse, you'll see I think he was still working in a factory. And then he became champ. When when became champ, like even at the UFC level, you it's it's not there. And I think, like you said, if you love it, you don't need You need money to live, but you don't need a huge amount of money. If you're doing what you love and you enjoy it and you're going to the gym and there is go going on, you can open your own gym after fighting and this That's fine, but people need to understand that you're not going to be millionaires. And I think the conception perception because of the likes of Conor and they probably see a lot of money in boxing that they reckon there's a lot of money in MMA, but we know that there's That's what I'm sad because knowing what these these fighters, they're athletes. Like, when knowing what they put in to the sport, knowing what they put in to training, knowing what they do for weight cut or to make weight for a fight and everything, I It's sad whenever they don't They're not getting paid what they deserve. And especially when you look at like the money that Conor Benn got for signing with DAZN, right? Or as you say, Conor McGregor. And I think as you say, a lot of misconceptions about that. And it's the fighters do need to get paid more. And as as you say, even if it's enough to live. Like, look at the price of Let's not even start on the price of petrol at the moment. >> [laughter] >> Well, we've had two weeks of protest down here. I That's right. You know, it's especially in this day and age with the price of living and the price of everything and or the cost of living, should I say. Um But I think there should be more support for coaches and fighters alike. Um you know, because these coaches are putting so much into their their fighters um and to their gyms. Not just because um I'm doing it because every coach you come across loves what they do, or they wouldn't be doing it. You know. So, definitely I I coaches and fighters alike need a lot more help in that sense. Yeah, they definitely do. I'm glad you brought up coaches cuz I have them in the last couple of interviews. Coaches don't get enough we were actually saying that earlier but um like Rodney has you as a fighter. He's got Dylan. He's got a host of fighters. So, whereas a lot of people will focus on okay, he's always doing this. That's fine and then obviously you'll get all the credit if you win but then sometimes though if when people lose people go oh, the coach maybe didn't change. But the coach doesn't get the credit when they win and they could have I don't know how many fighters I say Rodney has 12 profile I 15 I don't know. That's 15 different personalities, 15 different styles he has to do. 15 different game plans he needs to come up with. And that's just his pro fights. Then he's got 20 amateur fighters. People don't realize they said and they're not becoming millionaires out of this and in some cases they're just kind of they're just kind of getting by. So, I think there needs to there does need to be stuff in place that fighters and coaches alike can just enough to live but like at the minute I said it's so the gap has gone so small that a lot of people like normal working class people is like you see it down south now like 15,000 homeless now. You everyone seems weeks away from being homeless at this rate with the to know cuz you lose your job you can't pay your rent for a month or two you're gone. So, but look you're going to be fighting this weekend. I'm going to wrap this up. Um I can't wait to see the fight. I can't wait to commentate it's actually going to be a pleasure to commentate on it because we've we talked so much outside. Um is there anything you want to say before you go and anyone you want to shout out and thank you so much for your time and I can't wait to see you win person on Saturday. Definitely you're very welcome. I just want to say a big shout out to all the guys at Next Gen. Not anyone in particular because they've all helped me every single one of them has helped me in some sort of way. So, and I do want to give a big shout out to Rodney because at the end of the day I wouldn't be doing what I'm doing if it wasn't for Rodney and the beliefs and everything that he's instilled into me. So, big shout out to Rod. And of course Dillon, can't forget my Dillon, but yeah, everybody at Next Gen, all the the guys at Inside Out Care as well because they have been amazing through it all. Um thank you very much for having me and miss you all on Saturday. Perfect. I'll see you then. It's going to be a great fight. Hopefully I get there early off so I can can see you before we I actually have to sit down. But look, it's been a pleasure and I'm glad we've got this done. I will be out tomorrow. So, yeah, enjoy the rest of your evening. Yes, you too. Thanks. Stop Why you want to stop recording?