Mel Mchaffy Artemis Fight Night

Ringkasan

Mel Mchaffey joined me to speak about Artemis fight night, her first venture into combat sports promotion with an all female K1 card that has 21 fights on the card. She speaks about wanting to stay involved in combat as it has drastically changed her life for the better, being…

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Okay, so I've got Mel McCaffy here with me who has her first show as a promoter this weekend. Artmas is an all female card. Um, very exciting. I'm going to be there myself. Um, thank you very much for joining me. How are you and how has this week been for you as a promoter as opposed to a fire? >> Hello and thank you for having me on. Um, where do I start? Um it's been um stressful to say the least. I always knew it would be and I knew this would be the hardest week. Um but yeah, it's it's next level. Um only because I just want everything to be perfect and I've seen my hard work and everyone else's hard work going into it. Um so it's just, you know, it's all of a sudden you've run out of time. Um and I just want it to be perfect. So it's been quite stressful. um probably for no reason, but yeah, that's where we're at. >> Yeah. So, you're you're just a couple of days away, so it's Wednesday now at the time of recording, so it's just three days away really. Um there's been a couple of fights fall out. Has that been stressful? Have you got people matched, rematched? Yeah, it's you know what it's with a a massive card. We've got I think it's 21 fights still and that was that's with a couple of people um you know pulling out. Um so it was never really an issue of fights not or the cards not going to be still or anything like that. For me, the stressful part is having to then contact a coach. And it's me putting my feelings of as a being a fighter getting this far into camp and then being told all of a sudden there's no fight. It breaks my heart having to think of them feeling like that. And then also on the the other side of it, you worry about the fight put out. Obviously, nobody goes out for no reason, whether it be injury or whether it be mental health or something out of their control. Um, it's it's just not a nice thing to deal with. Um, and then again, yes, you're missing a fight off your card. Now, I'm in the process. There was one um a fight of really looking forward to as well has fallen through, but um we're almost um sort of sorted with the girls having another fight. Um, but yeah, it's not a nice process. >> Yeah, cuz cuz obviously you've been on on the other side as well of like being a fighter, so you kind of know what it's like to if someone does pull out or or trying to even get matched this hard, but obviously with this event, you've made it really like it. I think it's fantastic. Like like I said, 21 fights. Uh, I've like a lot of shows might not even have 21 fights. the fact that you were able to get that many and even with the pull outs. But even though it's been a stressful week, how does it does it feel a bit surreal to know that this was just an idea once upon a time and now you're it's it's fight week. >> Oh, it's it's absolutely crazy. you know yourself, you followed my journey from I was very early into my own fighting career and it I've always at every stage been I can't believe that this is this is me doing this and this is like even bigger. There's been moments where I've woke up and I've been like, "Ah, this is wee buns. Let's get it done, you know, smashing it." And then there's been days I've woke up, can I actually do this? Is is like this is all down to me? Oh my word, what am I doing? But um you know there's we things and we moments that keep happening that like reassure me that oh my god this is me doing this and this is you know it's going to be amazing and everybody's going to enjoy it and it's doing so much for the sport. So it's very very very surreal but it's the start of something very big. Um so you know it's just amazing. Yeah, it's and like for the first time doing the promoting like there's been a lot of there's been a few media days, there's been a lot of content put out like you obviously ano had run that fit fights he's run that did you get any lessons or experience off him from running those shows to bring into your own show or has this been just kind of a solo thing or have there been people to help you out with certain aspects of it? >> I have. This has been all me. It's only me that's doing it. It's it's my show. Every sort of decision and everything that's been done has been me. But putting that like me actually putting the actions in. I would not be in the position or I would not be doing it if it wasn't for other people and my team that I have behind me. So yeah, Arnold's been a huge help. Like he has guided me every step of the way. He's advised me. He's a lot of the people I'm using um he uses for his shows. a lot of the the things that will the way things will run will be off the back of how he runs his shows. you know he is no he's been fantastic in um you know point me in the right direction and again he's made it possible to do and then I've obviously um have been on board and they have been so helpful with everything too and then the boys again in um Javan have been you know they've run and they're well sort of known and and know their stuff so you know it's it's me doing it but I I I have a good solid the team behind me that have made it all possible. >> Yeah. No, I can't wait to see the show. Obviously Rachel and Vicky are at the top of the card. What was it like making matchmaking for you? Was that a fun thing? What was the experience kind of like? Cuz everyone has that in their head. Oh, you could do this, do this, but when you actually get to the stage of doing it, it's not as easy people like between getting back, people getting back to you and stuff like that. What were the kind of differences you thought it might have been to what it actually was going in? And how fun has the process been like making the fight like Vicki and Rachel? Is just a it's a banger of a fight. >> Oh, it's it is um it's been a very mixed emotions. It's it is fun and it's exciting when you know you've a fight there finalized that's going to happen and you know that that is going to be an unreal fight. Then it there's it's you know it's a great feeling. Um but the actual process of of getting the fight confirmed you're it's it's a melt. I I will not you'll know yourself. It's like banging your head off the table sometimes. Um purely like nobody's fault but you obviously you have an idea you have a person you have a weight. You then contact people and say, "Have you anybody this weight or you have such and such? Do they fancy this fight?" They you obviously have to go over the details. Um it's different. Obviously, when you're matching for MMA, it's it's MMA. He's novice or amateur or pro. Um but with this, we've got three, we've got K1, we've got low kick, and we've got oriental. So, you there's lots of details you have to iron out. Um and then you've obviously got the weight. So then you you go to one coat, you wait for that coach to come back, they'll have questions, you go to the other coat. So there is a lot of it's not just a case of will you take that bite? Yep. Will you take that bite? Yep. There's a fight. There's all the details to iron out and it is it's a long process till you can actually write down on a bit on your list that is confirmed. Um and it's frustrating. It's really really frustrating. Um, but at the same time when you get a fight confirmed that you know it's going to be an amazing fight or maybe someone um obviously I'm not doing this as a club so it's um yes it's the girls I train with and a few of them from hybrid have um attended my classes and have started training with me but they're not my my students. They're not my it's not my club. They're you know they're not representing me. Um, so a lot of them though, like it's easier when you you don't have that. But there's a lot of them I know and um I've been able to match with someone I know that'll be, you know, that's going to be a good fight. Um, it's not going to be boring though. You know, you know them, you know, it's going to be a really well matched um site. So, it's exciting and it's quite rewarding whenever you get get there. But um again, would not recommend. Yeah, it's like that's like and it could be myself isn't getting back in time to someone or you're thinking of someone else. It's just this people think right cuz I done it for the first time right that's it then I went I gave it and then I came back it was like nearly all was no I was like okay okay here we go we need to start looking at things differently but it's it's a really it's it's a really good experience doing it and how have you found all these new experiences and cuz you seem to have taken them in your stride uh you seem to be very excited you're put like you really want to put a spotlight on the girls how did you seem to have taken them very quickly talk to us about what these new ventures were like and going out to do the show. >> Um it's I've loved every minute of it. It's been probably the biggest most stressful thing I've done. Um but I have enjoyed it. Um I didn't for one second think it was going to be easy. I've I've obviously um seen and been close to shows being organized. Um, so I knew that it was it was never going to be easy, but it's something I really really wanted to do. I've got to um meet so many people. Um, and you can see how grateful the girls are. Um, even the likes of the media days and stuff. I just it's all about about them and making them feel special special and giving them the spotlight they all deserve. So, you know, it's been it has been amazing. And because I think it is so unique, um, obviously N's had our all girls Muay Thai show. There's never been a show in the north and there's of of this kind and it it's just so unique and people are just so supportive of it and it's great to see that the support and the excitement and the hype and you know it opened my eyes. I've been around the girls a lot more. Um, I've been up, you know, maybe it's up dropping tickets off and I've seen them training and it just gets me so excited. There's so much talent and I can't wait. I think um unfortunately people are like, "Oh, women fighting. Who wants to see that?" Um but when you actually look at the talent and the skill of some of these girls, I think it's going to be an eye opener for a lot of people. >> Yeah. Yeah. Know it is good. And like the like all the feedback and stuff I've been hearing off people, you've probably seen the Chlo interview by now as well. She was very supportive of it. And it there there is a place for it cuz like that you've got so many fight you've had so many fights you still have so many fights. And the fact I wouldn't have even thought at one stage during my MMA kind of doing MMA until now that you would have been able to make a full card with that many. I didn't realize there was that many. And was it the sparring day that kind of opened your eyes and then was able to help you match people as well because you're able to see their weight, their ability uh and stuff like that. It's It's something I've been told a lot would never work. Um I was told that I would struggle to get so card and um by more than one person. Um and I think obviously that's why it's never been done before because nobody's actually had um the guts or the you say the ball to to actually do it. Um and you know you know me well enough now um because you've obviously followed the journey and we talk quite regularly. I don't like being told I can't I'm not able. Um so it's early on as well I've always as we've said in chat before with my own journey having to drop weight categories and realizing there's not enough women and realizing how amazing it is for women that want always want to get more people involved. Um it was I organized that barn day and it was actually you're probably talking couple of weeks before um I had mentioned as a joke that it wasn't a joke. It was like a joke said as a joke but something I've always wanted to do that I would love to do an all female show and it was actually to be in Savannah. He's like do it. Why don't you do it? Like look how many women you've got coming and how many girls you've got coming. Just do it. Um and here we are. Um but it was that was an eye opener too. I knew organizing that and I knew up at that barn day. Um when I I looked there was actually a picture I think Nikki and just stood and I'm just like whoa. Um I was just looking at all these girls and thinking look at the talent and look at the amount of girls who are here. I need to do something. I need to this this needs to be bigger. Um and here we are. talk to us about because like it's gone so well so far. Where did the idea come from and why did you want to do it? Was it influenced heavily by your own journey and what combat sports has done for you? >> Yes. Oh, absolutely. It was all I had the idea before. Um obviously I I started quite early on um the female only classes for like I I begged Arnold to let me um but I didn't have to beg. He's always been very supportive. Um, but he allowed me to be sort of like a beginner's female class to get them in. Um, it started sort of MMA and then it's ended up sort of the striking side of thing with kickboxing. Um, and I just I am I just I'm never nothing ever is enough when it comes to talent. um my way of dealing with my maybe my my own mental health is by challenging myself. Um so I knew that I wasn't going to be fighting for much longer. Um it started with obviously just doing I was going to do the the interviews on that page um on like a girl and then it just that was never going to be enough to satisfy me or keep me bus keep my mind and my head bus. Um, so it just I don't know. It just I always wanted to do it. I just never thought I finally just believed in myself and was just like why why not do it? Um, I mean I sat down and I obviously looked at the numbers, what it would cost, what would it would entail. Um, I never obviously it's never been a money-m thing for me. It's it's not what's driving me uh to do it. It was all about like can I put on a really good show and not obviously lose money myself. And when I I looked at at the numbers um and saw it was possible and I knew obviously I had a massive support from the people around me um like um it was a no-brainer. I had to do it. Somebody was gonna have to do it and I wanted it to be me. >> Yeah. And you've done so well as well. Like I just think it's I think you kind of overlook yourself sometimes and but like like you said you can't believe this can't but it's mad to think that from that journey when you first went in so many years ago that you would end up doing this and I think what you're doing is fantastic like said the feedback is really good. One of the fighters on the card is actually your daughter as well. Talk to us about that. >> Oh my Yeah. So, it's her first decision fight she's done um like an exhibition. So, she will be Oh, it's going to be that's probably my biggest stress now. Um I have decided as well. It's been very difficult um and I'm so proud of her. Maya is um 12 and she's just started secondary school in the last like for the last few weeks. So for her to go for a first proper sort of camp um and start a new school and you know cuz all of a sudden we're having to keep an eye on her weight which is something it's in itself I don't I'm not a fan of it's awful. Um it's I'm so proud of her the way she's handled it but we have had her moments. Um she's obviously at that age now. Um, so there's been times where I'm coaching her and um, when she's born, I could be coaching her as I would anybody and she thinks I'm getting it because she's getting upset. Whereas if Arnold stood beside me and says the exact same thing, it wouldn't be an issue. So it's that mother daughter hormone sort of. So we decided a few weeks that I have. Yes, I I I have been sort of doing our conditioning pads and stuff like that with her, but um I am leaving it to the boys. Um I'm taking a step back from cornering her. Uh which is going to be it's going to be a strange one. Um but I don't think I'd be any good to her either. I think that's been I'll be a mess trying to give her water and my hands will be shaken. Um, so I just I want it it's hard to know the best for her, but um I have taken a step back from um being coached and I am I'm going to let the boys do their job uh with her. Um but yeah, it's it's it's mild that she's now like I love it. Um and she loves it. I wasn't sure. Um so she did a like an exhibition a demo site um few months ago and until that point I I wondered does she only do this to have something in common with me? Does she actually enjoy this? But when you saw her face when she was in doing the exhibition she just loves it. So I knew then that this is her is not just doing it to please me or to have her come with me. Um, so she actually um I'm a lot I'm an emotional person in case you didn't know, but she as part of her homework um she has to write a do a poster on a good citizen. Now it could be anyone that you it could be somebody famous you know like Mother Theresa or somebody like that or someone you know. Um, and she actually put me so she she put me down as a good citizen and has said that I um I'm always willing to help people and that I help people learn to defend themselves or to get fit in the gym and that I am I have my own show and it's going to be an all female show. So, the fact that she's proud of that, it it's just that's I feel like that's me completed completed life. Yeah, cuz I I was there when you had that moment in the cage as well and that was it was it was such an emotional moment uh with your daughter then this is just so heartwarming to hear this sort of stuff as well and as a parent you'd always like to think that but to see it actually there to know that it's there that they've they've actually put effort into it and stuff it it gives it that that better feeling but yeah it's going to be a nerve-wracking one for you for that fight as well. Um, but obviously you've got the the title fight, which is a very very good fight. Was that just a no-brainer to to make that fight when you knew you were making the card? Was that one of the first fights that came to mind? >> I always had in mind that I wanted great. Um, the reason for this obviously is just she's been there for my journey. She was my first novice MMA fight. She was my first amateur MMA fight. she's, you know, she's been through every bump in the road as have I with her. Um, and it just felt like she she's just smashing it. She's just she's just doing so well. She's so happy and she's just thriving and I just wanted, you know, I wanted it to be part of the journey, her be on it. We didn't at the start it was no, there was no title fight or anything. it was just she has to be on the card, you know, if I'm doing this she is K1, she needs to be on it. Um and then um I the more I got I sort of got chatting into ISKA about the possibility of titles. It was actually two titles now. Originally it was going to be a different title and it was going to be a tournament. So it was going to be um sort of four girls who fight each other and then the winners fight each other on the same night. Um but then plans changed um and we were able to get a different the title she's fighting for is um oriental rules. So it's slightly different and there's you know it's slightly different in the sense of there's um a little bit allowed. Um so there's more to it than that but that's just in simple terms. Um, and then everybody has been from I I did a lot of research and I put out um on the social media, who we want to fight, who should we have on? And I would say about eight people put in the the Vicky and Rachel fight. Anybody I spoke to were were like that that's going to be some fight when it happens. Um, both girls himself wanted the fight. So whenever I was able to to get that going um and it was confirmed and now it took a while obviously we had to confirm that we were getting a title and then we had to make sure that they were both people that were going to be fighting for the title were um you know they were not qualified but like they were they would be um they were good to to go for it and uh yeah it it happened and I was absolutely United. I didn't know Vicki at this point. I just had seen her sort of sooner obviously heard of her on the scene and I knew they're they're both just top of the the they're getting there with the you know if you talk about Irish amateur K1 they're the names that are up there. So you've no idea. I was excited about it then but I've got to know Vicky quite well now. I obviously already knew Rachel. Um, and I there's just two great girls and there's two very talented girls. So, you know, it's obviously it's main event for a reason. It's going to be some fight. Um, they both worked incredibly hard. They both want to win. Um, so, and you know what, they both at this stage obviously who turned up on the night, but they both deserve to win. So, you know, it's a brilliant fight. And then we we we do have another title with a cadet. Um I'm really excited for that title as well. It's oriental. So with two girls, they both train Muay Thai. They're doing the oriental rules. Um again, they've actually fought each other before. It was a crafting fight. Um so this time they're fighting for a title, too. >> Yeah. No, it's good. Like so many things are coming together. Like the way you said you wanted Rachel because she was part of your journey. Then you got to tighten and then just by chance these two girls who were kind of top of the pile in K1 hadn't fought each other and now they're coming to fight each other on your show as the main event for an oriental title. Just kind of it's like things have kind of aligned for you as well. Obviously you you've done hard work but things have come into place as well. Um we're only a couple of days away. So like what's your feeling today? Like are you the next two or three days do you think are going to fly? Is there any issues that you think you might come across or do you or do you just play it by ear and see how every day goes before the show starts? >> Um I I hope that we're over the any hiccups. Um I hope that they're sort of over with. It's just going to be a lot of reassuring to have everything done. Um, anything really that can go wrong now is out of my hands and is um sort of relying on other people. Um, which gives me a lot of anxiety. But no, I'm I'm you know, it's going to be every time the phone goes, I'm going to be worried it's a problem or that it's someone pulling out or, you know, it's going to be some something that I have to find a solution for. It's fine. you know, this is this is the week. Um, but I'm I'm starting to get excited. Yesterday, I felt ill. Yesterday, I um I could have just gone to bed, put the covering over my head, and said to y'all on Sunday, but we're a bit more positive today. And I'm excited, man. You You've no idea the how great these fights are going to be. And it's just this is obviously my first time ever doing this. Um it's everything has been completely new to me. Yes, I've sort of worked on the shows on Rap and on shows like obviously they're animations shows as well. So they're totally different. So I've kind of I've had to every step of this journey of this show is my first time doing it. So it's like it's hard because you don't know what you've forgotten. You don't know what you've you know you're learning as you go. Um, and it's not the type of thing that you can sort of mess up. It has to be right. Um, it's first go, it's first impressions. Um, a lot of people have put trust in me. I've come from nowhere. Um, I haven't got kickboxing background. Yes, I've got martial arts background, but I've not been in that kickboxing world. It's my first time working with. Um, I've literally just popped my head up from nowhere and been like, come and be on my show. Um, so everybody's put a lot of trust in me, which is great. And I just want to do, you know, I just want to make people proud for being involved. Um, or I just want to show people what I'm capable of. Um, because it is it's only the start. It is only the start. >> Yeah. You should be incredibly proud of yourself for someone to do it the first time. Like I said, all these things are new to you. Like you might have had an idea, things that you might had to, but all these things are new and you've handled it so well. You've got all these fights together. You've got all these girls together. You've created a lot of buzz with media through yourself having the the day uh down in Dublin, the day up north. Like I said, I always say to you, you always need to give yourself a pat on the back for for this is just another step in the journey and I can't wait to see what Saturday is like cuz I'm obviously going to be in the venue as well. Um I'm going to let you go, but is there anything you want to say before you go or anyone you want to give a shout out to? Obviously, I just want to thank everyone that has even, you know, there's been a lot of people have done a lot for me. A lot of people have put a lot of effort in. They've gone out their way. They've given me advice. They've put trust in me. They've given me stuff. We have people that have um Miss Fight Lab has been unreal. They've um helped the adults out. Um but I just want to thank absolutely anybody who who's supported, who shared a post, who's liked it. Um, and then obviously the fighters, they this is about them. So, I'm just so thankful and grateful that they have all jumped on board and that are going to be fighting on the show and making it because it is it's all about them. It's them that this this is about um and without them it wouldn't be possible. >> Yeah. Know, like I said, congratulations on what you've done to this stage with the fight and now with the show and you I think you're in you're creating something special here as well. So, I can't wait to see how it goes on. But we'll just go get this weekend and out out not out away, but we'll get there and we'll enjoy it and then from there enjoy your Christmas or enjoy the rest of you and then I'd say we'll see what day you will have shows next year. But yeah, it's been an absolute pleasure. >> Sorry. >> One in the diary in the diary. >> We'll not talk anymore about that. We'll leave it at that. We we well we'll come back and revisit it after because I'm planning on speaking after the show as well to kind of look back on the show and and how you feel and the kind of emotions and kind of stuff as well cuz it's been a lot of work to get here and I want to see how you view I won't do the the week after I do maybe two weeks after so you can kind of let everything settle and process everything but like I said you should be extremely proud. I can't wait to see you again this weekend. I can't wait to be in the building for and I can't wait to be a part of it. Thank you very much and I will talk to you on the weekend. >> Thank you. See you then.