Paul Keane and Michael Cronnelly interview

Ringkasan

Paul and Michael are fighters from Galway in Conriocth MMA under Kevin Moran, they are competing at the immaf world championship in Georgia We speak about representing Ireland on the world stage, the experience Michael previously has as them and Paul heading into his first immafs

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sense. Yep. >> Perfect. So, I have Mr. Michael Connley back with me and I also have a new addition to the show, someone who I'm going to have on again and have a longer uh conversation with, which is Paul Keane. They're both over at the IMFs at the moment or you're in Georgia. The IMAS going to be starting this weekend. I believe it starts tomorrow, but I think you'll be fighting Saturday. I'm not sure. You'll find that out. But how is it over there, Michael? Obviously, you've been there before, but you're there obviously with a teammate. tell us what it's like to to have the teammate with you. >> That's good. Like um jeez, it would have been a boring flight now only for the two boys with me. A bit of entertainment like so. Uh but yeah, no, it's a good old buzz around the place and we're raring to go. So, >> it's good. >> Yeah. So, and Paul, how is it obviously been over your first time? um you've got your teammate with you which kind of makes things a bit easier as well I think when you go with someone you know cuz when you're going into unknown Michael's been there kind of done that sort of a thing um is easy does has that made it a little bit easier to go over and how are you feeling about the competition? Uh yeah, I' I'd say it has in fairness. Like it's uh it's definitely good to have him here and uh I'm I'm just really excited to be honest with you. You know, I've wanted to do something like this now for ages and you know to have the opportunity to do it as class like. So yeah, I'm just I'm just really looking forward to it now. Taking it one fight at a time and hoping to put in some pretty good performances. >> Yeah. And before you actually got on this, you text me. You said you were going for food. Obviously you've got the everyday way and so are you making most of having the food now? Because obviously as you progress, you have to weigh in every day. That's going to be something that's going to be new to to yourself, Paul. Um, >> yes. Yeah. >> Has Michael given you any tips or stuff like that? And have you gone in at higher weight classes actually than your usual ones because of of of the day of weighing or what weight classes have you both gone in at? >> Uh, so I'm going in at middleweight and uh, yeah, Mike's going to help. I'd say I'd say I'm [ __ ] wrecking his head now with those questions at this stage. >> You're wrecked my head anyway. But um yeah, like Wade is in a pretty good spot now at the minute to be honest with you. So it's not it's not something that's going to be like a massive concern, which is good, you know. Um a lot of the prep was done before coming over here. Like it's just kind of about um making sure nothing goes too wrong like you know. So it's just it's just watching things really and being smart. Um Yeah. Yeah. >> And Michael, what what weight have you got you gone in at lightweight for this one? >> Lightweight for this one. Yeah. Uh yeah, I don't think I make 66 now every single day. But um 7 Yeah, 7 grand. Like it's it's fine. It's the same thing as ball, you know. We're we're just keeping on top of it. >> Yeah. Cuz like that make weight every day isn't isn't doesn't sound like the most fun thing to do. So obviously if you're doing that big cut, that big cut is for like end of amateur professional, it it takes too much away and especially in a competition like this where you need to be at your best. um being over there, how have you found the country and how have you found everything so far? Have you even got to see much? >> Uh it's been pretty cool so far. Now, we haven't done an awful lot of venturing yet. Uh like fairly wrecked after the flight and everything. We didn't get in until about what was it like 4 in the morning or something? >> Morning. We were wired as well. So, we for ages after that. >> Cool spot though. Yeah. >> Yeah. and and Paul for yourself those micro what does it mean to represent the the country and represent the flag in a competition like >> yeah it's a huge honor like it's it's an absolutely huge honor like I remember when I was younger I wanted to represent Ireland in boxing I used to do a bit of boxing when I was like 13 or 14 and um you know the path kind of changed a little bit and I ended up in MMA but like to be able to do that now and to represent Ireland is like yeah it's definitely something I' it's a massive honor like Yeah. Yeah. And to be able to have all the support and everything as well from friends and family back home, it's it's been great. Yeah. >> Yeah. >> Yeah. And Michael, you've been on you've been on a bit of a streak and we've talked about you how I feel you're you're overlooked and I think not underrated, but I think you're overlooked. I think your skill set is is up there with the the featherweights within the country. Like you're like you're up the top there. How do you feel going into this with the the opponents you've beaten within Ireland and you know what the talent level is like in Ireland that you're bringing your talent over to face there. How do you feel going into it with the streak that you've kind of been on? >> Uh yeah, I'm feeling good like uh compared to we say the Worlds last year like I had a pretty good run last year. I was 2 and one. Um that obviously gave me a lot of confidence going into the fights uh locally in Ireland and the UK and stuff. And uh then obviously the results were very good on them as well. So um it's all just been breeding confidence the whole time, you know, um over the last year, since the last Worlds. And uh yeah, I feel like I'm in a good position now um in terms of skill development since we'll say the last time I've been here and uh the success I've had as well. So yeah, I feel good now. Uh, I can't complain. And like just the opportunity to represent Ireland again, it's always a good feeling. >> Yeah. Know it is. It is up there like that. I don't know if I'll ever represent the country for anything, but I can imagine it would be amazing if I did. Um, but you've got you've got quite a good team over there. I've seen because I actually looked for the list of people. You've got Ben Martin, Henry Le, you've got Jordan Scully who you with earlier who I think is fantastic. He's kind of like a professional at the IMFs now because he's been to so many of them. Um, >> right now it's his birthday by the way, so wish him a happy birthday. >> You here? You had your time. This is their time. Yeah. >> But yeah. No. So Jordan Jordan's been there and obviously he can he can give advice, but like what's it like being over with a team like that? You've been Matt and Henry Lea. H you have more I can't think off top of my head, but you you've got a very good team going over there. And have you got to meet each other all at in one space at the same time at the minute or were you still just kind of feeling yourself and get used to the place? >> Um we uh we all went training there say a few of us. Uh not the whole team now but uh yeah there's a good buzz around the place like and it was nice to to go and train and have a chat and stuff like that and uh yeah everybody's ready to go now. Uh it's just a matter of getting in there. Uh it's nice it's nice to have a have a team as well and we're all kind of close by like they're only five minutes up the road the rest of them and you know we uh we can do probably we'll probably do another bit of trend tomorrow and stuff meet each other and whatever. So yeah know it's it's good uh it's good. >> And when do you know when exactly you'll be fighting because obviously in different categories they have like more competitors or less and sometimes it means you might not fight for a few days. Do you have an idea of when you'll be fighting yet or have those kind of things taken place yet? No. I think it's tomorrow, is it? >> Uh tomorrow they're doing the draw. Tomorrow evening they'll release the brackets and stuff like that. Uh there's my division isn't full full. Um there I think there's like four spaces for a buy like so there's probably a good chance that I'll be fighting Sunday because I got seated. I'm the number four seed in the division. So uh there's a high possibility there that I'd probably be fighting Sunday. But uh I'd say the lads will probably be fighting Saturday. But we'll find out. We'll find out tomorrow. far and we know but uh as of now like myself I'm I'm prepared for just see what happens. >> Yeah. Know you're you're ready anytime Michael anyway so you're ready to go and pause the same as well. But look I got to let you go. It's been a nice brief chat. I just kind of want to see how you're getting on over there. We I want to wish you the best of skill to Bob. It's a big weekend for Irish MMA in general. We've got Cage Warriors. We've got the IMS. We've got >> three or four people on PFL as well. So it's going to be a busy weekend for me. I'll be on the phone and I'm actually doing commentary a show as well. So I I don't know how I'm going to manage it. But look, is there anything you want to say before you go? Thank you very much for your time. It's been a pleasure. Like I said, I will get uh a longer more detailed chat with both of you after and we can look back at the review of it and how you found it, the positives and negatives. So before you go, is there anything you want to say? >> Yeah. Uh yeah, I just uh I suppose all the friends and family want to see this. I just want to say a big thanks to them for all the support and teammates back in country. >> Yeah, >> same thing to them. It's great to be here. >> Perfect. 100%. And Jordan, I'll see you as well. Best of skill to you. So, yeah, look, best of skill this weekend, lads. I'll be in touch over the weekend or once your fights are overh and see how you are. Yeah. So, it's been an absolute pleasure and enjoy the rest of your day. >> All right. Thanks, sir. Cheers. Thanks.