IRISH MMA PROSPECT BRIAN MANNING TALKS CAREER, BELTS, KNOCKOUTS AND MORE! | IN DEPTH | EPISODE 37

Ringkasan

Dave sits down with Cork Pro fighter Brian Manning for a chat about his career so far.

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[Music] Okay, so I'm here with Brian Manning, uh, recently crowned cage conflict champion, three as a pro, three knockouts. Um, we're going to go through his journey a little bit. I want to thank you very much for your time today. How are you? And and talk to us about how you've got to where you are now. Just talk to us about the beginnings. Hair work, man. Hair work. And I feel great, Dave. I feel great, man. Life is good and uh as you said I coming off three knockout wins on the first round and uh how did I get here man as I said just working hard grafting going through all the things I went through and and and coming out better on the other side so I'm feeling great man how are you I'm good thank you very much no I was I was at the show it was a fantastic knockout was a fantastic entrance as always the cannon the cannon they call me now yeah the cannon boys go on a fantastic show yeah it was a good show and then like the eyeball you're one of the few fighters that I've actually caught from the start of the MMA career It was Maga from uh uh Samsung as well who actually put me in contact with you and then I followed you since then. Um when you got into MMA like what made you used to box? So why what was why did you transition over? What was it about MMA that led you down that path? It was I always wanted to fight you. I always wanted to fight and like the first time was boxing and I was boxing. It was actually it was when CO hit and I was boxing up the Glen Boxing Club place in Cork and CO hit [ __ ] the club closed down and then John Mitchell was doing PTS up in MMA Cork which is down in Blackpool at the time and that's how I transition MMA. I' done a few PTs with John, done a bit of wrestling, a bit of this, a bit of that and just got hooked. Got instantly hooked. Now I was kind of fiddling between the two then trying to box. My my my plan first off was pro boxing. That's what I wanted to do. But as I said, I fights lined up, cover hit, couldn't fight and I fell in love with MMA and I never looked back. And then eventually I had to give up the box. Like as I said, I was trying to fill with two but I had to go for one, you know, it's either one or the other. you could you couldn't mess around with it too like you could double training and improve the boxing and then do your MMA classes in between and stuff but eventually only all rosette to MMA and that's basically how I got into boxing or got into MMA is uh over co yeah co co changed the course of a lot of people's life yeah yeah 100% but I was always a fan I was like co I always watch McGregor for years you know and that's the main reason I probably gone to [ __ ] MMA that half the country's done because of McGregor you know what I mean so like I was always watching it and there's I was keen on it, but I was boxing at the time and I think it just as I say, as I say, I always say everything happens for a reason, right? And this is this is why we're here now, you know. So, yeah, happy days, brother. It's working out very well. Yeah. No, I like that. A lot of people I think the generation that's coming through now is from Conor McGra and Nate Kelly from SPG is a great example. The guy who was at the press conference years ago and now he's fighting. Yeah. Yeah. Exactly. And then now everyone's doing it. Yeah. Now everyone's doing it and it is credit to him because if you look at the timeline he started what kind of 2014 really hit UFC so this is kind of the generation from that but you went straight into uh the nationals straight to the nationals. Yeah into into the deep end. Talk to us about that. Obviously you performed before or competed before but what was it like doing the first time on a stage like that? I I actually never competed no box. I didn't even compete in boxing. I never compete in any in any uh no in sports you know I like play rugby a bit so I play I play football and soccer physical sports but never never fighting so would have been my first um my first competition regards to martial arts or regards to any any contact sports you know but uh got a good win against was it Russell Brian the the first good performance the stand I I thought like my coach and Jack they would they obviously they knew I was you know, and I I was ready. Definitely. I I was certainly ready. I great I was going well in the gym with great takedown defense. My plan wasn't to jitsu. I didn't have much jitsu. Ju barely have jitsu normally that but my plan wasn't to was just to strike and not to [ __ ] um not to get caught up in the jitsu stuff, you know what I mean? But then obviously I was taken down the second day with Cameron Clemens and he took me down and what happened happened, you know? But then like as I said there, it was a great learning curve, you know what I like the nationals was a great learning for me because I went back to the gym even though I went to another losing skid and uh went to one and three but all these losses you need you need to learn you know what I mean you need to learn so national was a great experience but right into the deep end maybe maybe a bit bit too much too soon but it doesn't matter because look look where I am now so zero regret so I think all that happened for me to be here now you know what I mean yeah I think so too and and with the weight class you're in as well there isn't a huge amount there isn't a huge pool in the country as you found out trying when fights fall through. But you talked about there going into the nationals is fantastic for your first time and what you learned from it. Then you talked about the skid and then there was one night here in Cork and you done an interview after you beat Jess Paulo who came in uh to fill the main event spot against you and you you won the fight and we done the interview at the back end. One of the things you said to me and it really struck me was you got too used to losing. Yeah. Speak to us about that and what when did that change because you said in the interview you mean it changed because of that feeling. Do you get me? Because of that feeling. Like I saw I went one and three uh was it Mantis one and two oh no Chris McCarthy one and two one and three Mantis and then I find just Paulo at the time the best middleweight in the country the best middleweight in the UK and Ireland actually ranked number one in the UK and Ireland you know what I mean so went up against him no one thought I was going to win you know what I mean and after the Mantis fight I said this feeling of like I wasn't that pissed off like I was obviously I was I was upset about it man you know like but I too used to that feeling of like I should have been a lot m you know what I mean over a loss like that and I was like if I if I like if if these losses go on and go on I only I just brush it off or I just you know whereas I can't think like that if I'm trying to make a life out of this game I I want to be the best in the world you know I want to go somewhere with this game I can't be like ah it's just a loss or grand you know what I mean I have to take it more serious you know what I mean so that's what that's what I meant by I was getting too used to losing so then a competition or a fight against Jess Paulo and changed my whole career. Do you know what you mean? Changed my whole career hands down beating Jess Paulo beat because the confidence I got from that. Now then we went on to another fight with Fast but onto that next fight and then lost that fight. But I still think that it was a big change in my career. After that I went uh on a seven point winning streak. You know what I mean? Seven point winning streak. Didn't lose a [ __ ] round. Didn't lose a round. So you know losing those couple of fight lo losing the three fight skate and then the one this war losing them I think changed changed me completely like as I went back I corrected my mistakes I got a lot better in every department you know what I mean and especially the striking now you have seen the striking now pro in the pro game especially those small gloves but you know what I mean no one's going to take that right hand poan poor tan manning now we call him yeah but no one's going to take that right hand and yeah man [ __ ] um no regrets everything's going well Yeah, it was like that. That's one one thing I noticed. Obviously, you bet. Yes, Paulo, he was top of the pile like like you said. Um that would give you the confidence to go on like since you only lost one in your next few and you can see the visible improvements in my opinion whether it be the wrestling. Uh I think when you took people down as well, you're quite vicious as well. You had some good fights. You walked to a send and hug Kley. He hit you right there and he kept walking. What you credit that brother? What's your credit? Because not many people can take that shot from from Son. No, no one can take a shot at me. I know can throw a shot like me. Yeah. But I think the shin is something maybe maybe I look a lot of street fights ahead man. A lot a lot of street fights like you know what I mean? So maybe it's down to that. Maybe as I said I won a lot of street fights. I lost a lot of street fights. You know what I mean? I got I got Hton Cruz before you know this and that. Maybe so you get you got enough bait. You know what I mean? That you're going you're going to condition the chin or maybe just so much sparring maybe from coming from a rough boxing club. Every boxing spar is a fight. You know, it's not the way we we touch up here and stuff. Every boxing spare is is [ __ ] brain damage, man. You know what I mean? Cde island. Yeah. But uh maybe that or maybe it's something you're just you're born with. Same with power. Something you're just born with. I think I'm just born with with mad power and then I'm walking on that power as well. So, which is is going to be the can of Manning, you know what I mean? The cannon. The can of Manning. Yeah. So, yeah, that's that's that's [ __ ] that, man. Yeah. No. And like that you could see obviously as you're starting your pro career you've got the knockouts and that's one thing I was going to get to was the power because you had exciting fights. The one with Chris Karthy Chris McCartney Premier was one of my favorite. Yeah. Think of it like all these fellas in the clean. Remember just Paul was all clean. amateurs water got clean sending and they like I hurt them all like I hurt I boil them all bad just my reckless I'm only after getting used to like fighting with with composure now you get me like before in amateurs reckless fighter reckless know I got some big wins some big performances this that whatever but just give everything wreck the rest of the fight you know but I'm landed big shots and then I'm shooting stupidly whereas I landed big shots I should be composed, land a big shot again, I'm going to get the knockout. You know what I mean? I would have got it plenty of times over and over amateur. But as I said, reckless fighting style, inexperience, immature, and that's changed now finally. Thank God pro cuz I'd hate to go into pro and have to [ __ ] 15 minutes, possibly 25 and going all out and then [ __ ] the rest of the fight cuz you know that's when you'll get finished or or whatever, get knocked out, [ __ ] this, that I think I'm just more composed now. But I always had that power. Just wasn't IQ wasn't there in the amateurs for me. Not not not not not in regards to finishes or grinding out decisions maybe. But I could have finished a lot of people, you know, with the power I had and with with the clean shots I landed, you know. So yeah. Yeah. But now obviously the power obviously we can see that now with the the three first round finishes. Yeah. But throughout the career like you've got Aaron, you've got Jack here. Uh you talked about John Mitchell. Obviously, he's away in Dubai at the minute, but he's a big influence here. Talk to us about this gym and and what the likes of Aaron and Jack means to you and Jack coming back fighting especially. Was that a big boost for the gym? 100%, man. And Jack, they mean everything to me, man. You know, they they've they've turned me into into a different man. So, a different person. Even like I'm a better person now because of this game. I'm a much better person. I'm much more confident. You know, there's a lot of lot of differences in my life because of this game MMA because of grind and hard work and discipline. You know, unless changing my life for the better. I don't know what I would have been doing or where I would have been without doing MMA, you know what I mean? And uh major influences in the gym and uh great coaches and like what they're doing here in this gym is is incredible. Do you know what they're turning they're turning fellas like quick turnarounds. You go from you go through they go through the right system. They don't just [ __ ] fellas into big fights or whatever. You know what I mean? They go through even with me I'm like saying I fight cams that next week if I could you know I mean which I probably would you know just cuz like I just want to jump at things. I'm impulsive whatever but they're they they're turning your back and that's what I need. you need advice and they do it for the whole gym to go from novice to amateur or pro the right way and we spar the right way. Everything everything's everything's touch and everything's light here, you know? And that's the way to do it, man. That's the way to do it. And as I said, they're doing they're doing incredible work here. And it's some days it's like [ __ ] hell am I even improving because the next fell the next sparring is touching up or is out wrestling and is doing so well against. But it's just like they're everyone's getting so good. The level of gym is crazy where a lot of people are matched, do you know? And like it shows to other two boys now, but like they they were made in here. They were made in this gym. Janna and Paul and myself, Jack, Aaron, you know, and a lot of other coming through. Liam, Liam will make a pro debut very soon, you know. He's another killer, you know. Yeah. And you have Sam driver coming through, you know, and you you've Barry may be going pro soon. So, there's a lot of there's a there's a lot of competition in this gym and there's a lot of great fighters in this gym, man. Yeah, it's one of one of the gyms that I like to cover. It's one of the gyms I It's one of the best It's one of the best gyms in Ireland, man. And it's probably the best wrestling gym in the country. Do you know what I mean? the best world wrestling gym in the country now certainly you know what I mean we've been up against the cage man that's it you know that's a [ __ ] fact you know what I mean yeah you've like you've some fantastic fighters like you said there as well you've got Johnny you've got um Luis Brady who's another one L Brady coming up Jody McCarthy another be another killer one to watch they can't even get a [ __ ] fight I mean that's a good sign is it another little killer on the up you know and she's only 18 Han another killer 20 21 whatever he is my brother's on the up Charlie so got his first time win in in hostile territory you know, so they're all like the future's bright and then you have other younger lads, you know, you have Oliver and Jacob and and Jack Dy, all these young fellas coming up, you know what I mean? So, yeah, future's bright for sure for this. Yeah, and I know it's [ __ ] bright, bro. It's very bright for you, but one of the the big changes as well in MMA in the past year, past over 12 months, I think, is is elite coming into the frey in the Republic because obviously Cage Legacy isn't around anymore and there's not that platform for the Republic. Talk to us about elite what it means to you and especially for being in Cork because you travel everywhere six hours set like five six hours to show us what's it like to have it here and and find it's unreal like I tell you no it's we need more shows down the south so definitely by and even if they were up in [ __ ] Limrich to breerary an hour up the road for us an hour and a half or something you know what I mean which is that that'll be fine but having a car is savage cuz like it's 10 minutes up the road you know we jump in the car we're all out there on 10 minutes you know it's only it's only it's very close nothing like fighting your hometown you It was great fighting up in um up in uh Cage Conflict, you know, walking out as as Jay Snakes and this and that and whatever and the crowd there and everyone the car and whatever, but it's nothing like walking out the clock. Nothing nothing like even the one the show in December which wasn't obviously the busiest show because the time of year but there's nothing like walking. Remember I went for the joke and you were there for that weren't you? And that was that was some buzz man. Wasn't that some buzz? Like it was like a [ __ ] 10,000 in arena. You know, there's only a few hundred in the hall like but the sound and the screams and this and that fighting in your hometown and having a cork is is a must, you know, and the next one I know be in June be another big show. Who am I walking up to then? What's the problem with that? What's the problem about then? No, and that's something I want to ask you about was one of the things you're known for kind of like in the UK and as you grow up is people would see your entrances more. So, where when did that start and what did what brought that on? Cuz I remember when you came fat bast fight. It was the fat p that [ __ ] um it was something to do with that was so dark, you know. What were you saying about shade? I interrupted there. Sorry. What you said about shade? No, I was going to say when I sh No, no, you were you walked out to the Sopranos and then obviously you were fighting D. So it was D when you decided to do it and was a build up to the fight. The build up. Yeah, it was very dark and it just an idea just came into my head, you know, and I never even saw fighters walk out like this with masks on and this and that. It was just something that clicked in my head, man. I swear to God. And I was like, "Oh my, I have to get a mask for this for this for this fight." Like then I said, "Michael Myers mask be perfect." And I went straight into Amazon. I bought the mask, man. And and that was it. Then just on the build up to the fight is watching Halloween and Mike Myers movies and [ __ ] That's what I like to do before fights, you know, like the night before this fight in case conflict. I like to I like to watch Jason X or I like to watch me character and get a bit a bit [ __ ] evil minded before the fight. You know what I mean? I like to watch a joke or the night before the fight. the [ __ ] show in the May Cork show against Figrera. So that's what I do and and with start with war and then just built up went to send in the send fight was just with the mask you know and it wasn't a whole costume and then after send I said I'm get the full attire with the full kit you know then we came up with promos you know Barry and [ __ ] um my management alpha alpha fighter management reus we all came up with these promos and now here we are you know what's next like unlimited possibilities here for these these characters And then you know one of the days if I got to get to the UC right and I'm going to do a [ __ ] Le Murray I'm going to roll back the years do a Le Murray I'm going to be roll out in a [ __ ] we or whatever the [ __ ] they're call we and I have me mask I I'll have the whole app by and let me straight attack it. It's going to be done but it's going to be some buzz. It is good and I I thought that was an excellent way of marketing yourself as well cuz you got a buzz around you whether people have seen your fights or not. They'd seen your entrances you know the sort of way bits going around. They were very good very entertaining. Um, but like you've continued that. You've gone into pro. You've gone to 3 and 0. What's next for you? What do you feel is next for you? Like what's next, man? Is it's up in the air. It's all it's it's up in the air. It's up in the air. Octagon cage warriors. There could be could be [ __ ] combat global. But like what we're looking for really there's a strong stronghold with Octagon, you know, the way they build fighters, the way they love the walkouts and this and that, you know, fighting in stadiums with 20,000 people and what they're doing now for Will Flory and Fong and stuff. And there's other Irish fighters in the seat. Jack's fighting when I'm drawing. I think Jack is booked. I think he's waiting for a fight for the 26. So, who who knows where I go, but it's up in the air and something will be something will be finalized soon. But, um, yeah, [ __ ] So, yeah, we'll see. We'll see what where the next but yeah what I I was meant to say was it's up in the air but we're looking for a kind of contract where it could be three fight deal whatever but allow us to have one fight to fight somewhere else to maybe fight in Cork again maybe have one big Cork show or maybe fight in the UK or so one fight deal where I'm allowed fight outside you know so that's that's the kind of that's what we're looking at you know what I mean who knows I see EFC there in June it could be could be on the cars but we'll see we'll see yeah you Ruby and like that it is some some places do do contracts like that. So hopefully that will be able to get worked out and in the last 12 months less than 12 months you've had four fights right and treat them with being professional. Are you planning on staying as active as that? 100% man give me all the brain damage you can or I'd be giving all the brain damage bro. Yeah I swear to God man with that power ball be handing out ding out with CD I'll be handing out. Yeah and um that's my plan staying active. Staying active as [ __ ] you know. I want to fight, you know, like I have this thing where I like even people try try to tell me take breaks. I can't switch off, bro. I need to go. I need to go. Like, you know what I mean? And um I want to fight in April. I want to fight in [ __ ] June. I want to fight in July, August, September. I I'm going to have a lot of more fights the rest of this year, bro. I'm going to have a lot of more fights. But yeah, could be three to five, six fights. I don't know. I don't know, man. I'm just going to fight. Just going to keep staying fit, staying active, staying ready. I go into fights and keep knocking fellas out like that. I can fight again the week after, bro. You know what I mean? There's there's no problem. I can I can fight right now. You know what I mean? I can fight now. So staying active, stay staying ready, being smart in the cage, not getting sucked into wars and gassing myself out, being technical, knocking fellas dead, coming out fresh into the next one. Do you know what I mean? That's my plan. And uh yeah, it's going to work. Yeah. I I don't think you've even taken much damage if any damage at all in your program. couple of wars Ward and Chris McCarthy just two war two two wars they were you know but all in all I was grandoning a couple of weeks you know what I mean bust nose couple of couple of belts along the way but but look I I can take a good smack as well you know what I mean and going forward I don't I you know if I have to get into the wall course get in the water you know people are starting to think I'd say oh I want to see him tested you want to see him in deep ballers I've been in deep ballers I've been in the trenches a lot of times you know what I mean through my amateur career been in [ __ ] been in three round wars like you know and taking smacks and and a couple of concussions along along the way giving concussions also but like I I I've been in the trenches like so I can't wait for the test someone needs to come and test me you know I want the [ __ ] test and I want a good half fight and uh yeah it was supposed to be Shan McCarma but looked that whatever happened there happened you know what I mean and then your man Delma Silva like 16 pro fights right 16 pro fights against two pro fights but it looked like I 20 pro fights now who look more composed. Now, that [ __ ] was never knocked out in seven years, I think, or something like that. And he was actually in a win streak the last couple of fights. Negative record, but still 16 pro fights. No joke. And no one has stopped him like that. No one has stopped him like that. So, that's just that's that just sums up my power, do you know? Yeah. Plenty more to come, man. Plenty more to come. And I can't wait, brother. Like, like you said, you you were in the trenches with the likes of Dar Ward, Chris, uh, Sen and Jess, like you you were killers, man. All these fights, this is why I think amateurs should take the hard fights. Obviously, it once you're at that level because it's only going to benefit you going forward. There's no point trying to pass [ __ ] an amateur career and you can see what it's done for you in pro. But look, I'm going to ask you two more questions. I'm going to let you go. One of them is three-part question cuz it's about three fights. What's your favorite finish? Uh your favorite fight most it could be just anything whether it was exciting or just something about my favorite fight in the past or favorite fight like your your own favorite fight that I had. Yeah. That you had. All right. All right. All right. So that's the favorite fight. Favorite knockout and then one you learn the most from. Right. So favorite knockout has to be is either a straight right or as a [ __ ] over. I say a straight right. There's nothing like a straight right hand. Do you know that knockout was is like a [ __ ] was like crack. You know what I mean? It was like a [ __ ] drug. I'm addicted. You know what I mean? Like connecting. Boom. Big shot. He's knocked out. What a feeling. You know what I mean? So straight right hand has to be the best knockout. Uh my favorite fight um favorite fight does have to be a war performance. I think just Paul fight. Yeah, piss Paul fight had to be what a performance you know what I mean? Just completely out boxed him, shut him down first round out wrestling him beat him at his own game and what a performance you know I mean that was complet a good one. I don't want to be disrespecting Jess if he sees this or whatever, you know. Jess is phenomenal fighter, great future, but just the way he's such a top talent and I was able to make that one so one-sided, you know. So, that had to be my favorite fight. And uh what was the last one? Uh one you learned the most from that you took the most from. It could be win or loss. Doesn't have to be one or the other. The one I learned the most from was I suppose probably probably the war fight. Yeah, probably the war fight. just the way that went then and the way things even though we didn't really wrestle that much. But yeah, I'm probably the war fight man. So since I lost that fight, I went on a seven point winning streak. So everything I was doing wrong, I kind of corrected, you know what I mean? And uh yeah, every loss I learned from every loss. Like I learned a lot from the Mantis fight more jits and I learned a lot from the fight with Clemens and stuff. But yeah, probably the one that stands out probably the wall fight. Yeah. Yeah. And like now you know I'm gone here and he's still down there and it's it's just funny to look at. Hey D to step down for me. How about that? Huh? But like I can see I'll see him soon. We we'll see what happens with that one. Obviously we're looking forward to seeing where you're going to go with with the options you have. And it's good. And maybe might not go to cage warriors, you know, like like cage warriors might like go to octagon. So like we there's a lot of fights to make in cage warriors for sure. A lot of fights also to make octagon. You know what I mean? There's there's fellas there. There's some good middleweights there and uh they'd build they'd build me well, do you know? So maybe we're just going to sit back and look at all options and and see where we go, man. See where we go. And you're right to have obviously a management uh crowd in with definitely I need to be advised brother and the most impulsive man of all time. I I'll accept any fight just like that, you know, and then next thing I have 10 fights in front of me, you know what I mean? So yeah, we um the last question I want to thank you very much for your time, but the last question is when someone hears the name Brian Manning in relation to MMA, what do you want your memory to be or what you want to be the first word? Oh, you're a superstar, brother. A [ __ ] I want to be a legend, man. I want to be just known as a [ __ ] just a man who gave it all. Like, you know what I mean? I gave it my all to this and I put the work in. And so just just don't give up on your dreams, man. And if you want to chase something, [ __ ] chase it. Like I'm proof of it. Like, you know what? I mean, look what I'm getting. Like people if they're thinking they can't do this, can't do that. Just put the work in, man. Like, it's not going to click straight away. But don't give up. Don't turn around and walk out of the gym. And I never going to get there. Don't have that attitude. And I mean, I still have days when I'm like, "Fuck sake, can, you know, I shouldn't be getting beat by him or this and that." And then I just have to leave go that ego. Strip yourself for the ego, man. And just and just keep coming back. Keep coming back, bro. And and uh things will work out. You know what I mean? Yeah. Know, it's been a pleasure watching you, like I said, from the start to now. And I'll be here for the rest journey. I want to thank you so much for your time. Appreciate it, brother.