Decky McAleenan interview

Ringkasan

Decky McAleenan is a professional fighter fighting out of Team Torres, he competes at cage warriors this weekend. bouncing back from two defeats he put himself in the win column again with a slick armbar in his last bout, he'll be returning to featherweight and looking to make…

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[Music] okay so another cage Warriors fighter Dey mcleen H you're a week out from uh at a fight just under a week out how you feeling how's the way cut H how have you been and thank you for your time no thanks for having me Dave thank you uh yeah we're this time next week it'll all be done uh the Water loading for the W cut it started today so uh W cut started yesterday you could say and then the water load starts today so all all going well so far and obviously it's going to be in Dublin again you fought in Dublin last time with the last fight you went in with the injury um you didn't want your leg leged H up you didn't want any of that stuff to be kind of shown for your opponent um how you feeling going into this one because I know no fighter goes in injury free but you had to I think you pulled out for the first time ever in a in a bout then after that on the of your team because we know you you going and scrap how are you feeling going into this one heal wise great H it was near enough like you could say what what footballers would call a preseason Jo like I had a lot of uh a lot of recovery a lot of reab H lucky enough the the injury that had done in h October time was uh it didn't need an operation JN so it was just rehab like so it was just uh it was one of them things that look don't like it was it was [ __ ] it was a [ __ ] time for for me and Michela we had stuff going on ourselves as well and then I think I hadn't trained and I came back that Friday I said [ __ ] I'm going get back and do a bit and then I picked up and picked up that injury then on the on the Friday which sort of [ __ ] me over then completely and I tried like I don't ever I could like a sport to try took no advice from anyone like try tried to do everything I could and Bluff my way through it but like I couldn't I couldn't left a bottle of water or a cup of tea off my bedside table like I couldn't reach at all for anything so uh the boys watched me Spawn I think they gave me like the benefit of Doubt for two or three spores or maybe one or two spores whatever it was H because they know what I'm like they know that I'll [ __ ] just suck it up and get through whatever and then uh I had to talk with Sebastian after the Spore and he had said that uh he thinks about don't think about pulling out and think about this and think of that and I just point plank just refused no J I'm going I'm taking the fight and that's that we we've said we're fighting so we're fighting and then uh I got a text message that evening they said that they pulled me out of the fight so U I think looking back at it now it was it was a smart decision looking back at at how bad the injury was sometimes don't like things coming and go and in the past Brave and quick but I don't even think I was punching by the time that fight had came around I don't think I could do that anything I wasn't back on the mats and that's actually telling true I think two weeks before Christmas or a week before Christmas was the first time I was actually able to get back on the mats and train so uh and even at that I was training very very light turning very lightly and it was more rehab work than it was actually been able to to do any kind of fight training so that was the sort of Eye Opener after being like look like you've done yourself Justice here you've done the right thing you were no fit state to fight like you know it's good you need your team around you to do stuff like that because like we all know you you'll go in and fight which then if you can't go in and you're not going to show the best version of yourself uh then potentially put yourself in more harm more danger and then which could lead to a longer time output since you've been back and you've rehabed it how's this camp gone is it is it more of the same how how much are you looking forward to this fight in Dublin because obviously you missed the last one uh yeah I'm buzzing for this one so I am to be honest with you H it's there off like H what i' for like I'm I'm back enjoying every aspect of training I'm back now like I'm [ __ ] loving Jiu-Jitsu at the minute loving loving grappling at the minute as as always Lov the strike like that's that's that was that's my bread and butter that's what I go to that's that's my main thing but uh I said this this Camp I've been uh really just having fun with the with the Jiu-Jitsu part of it with the grappling part of it Jo I'm enjoying all my training I'm just happy to go and and [ __ ] fight wherever the fight goes you know like it's it's one of them ones where there used to be like blocks know for me like I didn't want to do this and I didn't want to do that and here's another one that's going to do this here's another one that's going to do that there I honestly I don't care Jo like anymore I can I'm ready just to go and scrap like Jo I don't I don't have to [ __ ] worry about falling on the ground with my leg locked because I need an e operation don't don't like my body's obviously there's one or two small V injuries but like I mean I'm fresh like don't like there's nothing nothing serious there the body's body's feeling good and ready to go like Jo H there's been no no major hiccups no no no uh proper injuries as such jic uh throughout the fight Camp so I'm just looking forward that I you know and we're all looking forward to getting get when you get back in there cuz I remember being in the crowd for the double one when you pulled off the armar I think I said it time that was one I was personally invested in because of the the relationship that I have with you and I was so nervous for that fight but um it's good that you obviously you're going to have little [ __ ] going in and out but one of the things about this card as well in Dublin does two of your I think I I might have wrong does two of your champions from your promotion that have gone on to it when you see EMR and Kieran go on to this stage straight from kind of your promotion how does that make you feel as a promoter does it validate in what you're doing how you're matching people because we've said before I think you're you're probably the best matcher within the country yeah that's that's what I started the show for I wanted to to be honest with you I wanted like a platform for our Fighters for like the team Torres Fighters because we didn't have one but as the show went on and we got maybe like three or four shows in you start to build connections with other teams don't like you start to build sort of things with with other coaches with other other teams and whatever else then you want to try not not that you help them out but you you give them fights that's that's worth fighting you know like there's a lot of there's a lot of Fighters that not that they only fight in my promotion but the whenever it's time to match you can be guaranteed like of these certain people coming straight to you and being like look don't get me on and just running past the coaches sort of thing like H there's like a core group of Fighters that are all was on the show uh and I I did as I said I wanted to start off as a as a building block for for the team Torres ones but then as it went on it just turned into like the top level amateurs anyone that actually want the scrap anyone that's willing to do like the test themselves in the amateur game uh it's a lot of where like the best amateurs are fighting the best best amateurs uh so it was only sort of what would you call it it was only like a matter of time before the amateur Fighters and turn pro and then get rather than me giving them like some someone that's not going to do them many Justice Jo like her like uh AMR could be fighting this girl on my show but she's not going to get the credit she deserves don't like being on a show one year compared to being on one of the biggest Platforms in Europe with kid Warriors same as Kieran kieran's you could have e this this by kieran's fight you could have easily took him over to fight him on my show but they're getting the rewards now for testing themselves for building themselves properly and having that that good background like yeah cuz because all the fights that you put together are are competitive fights you look at we spoke just before about Shane and Damen mcgan even though it was in February is probably going to be the fight of the Year depending on what else comes out after it and you've got a good few uh from tourists that are coming through Shay obvious been one of them wishing daily is someone i' I've really be impressed with as well so um but the show is a general is is fantastic thanks very much thank you that's that's the plan like it was it was always like a goal of didn't I have a I have a connection with cage Warriors like I've been with them a long time and love like that's sort of the model that my show was built around don't like uh no real [ __ ] no no real anything don't like trying to like hype this and do that there if the boys want to jump on and do an interview don't like go on ahead do that that's great don't like if they don't if they don't like just build themselves as at the lower level and and try and work the way up same as cage warries they don't make you do all these don't like publicity stunts and Jour like and all this here sort of thing like so uh like it started with Maring my goal was to build marching up to get him on cage Warriors that was the first TR to get him back to the bigger show that was the first person we got that done unfortunately it didn't go his way then uh there's a couple coming through it's just to develop them properly test them and then see where to go after that then yeah no and it's like I said it's a fantastic show other than the very first one and the last one I think i' I know I have been to everyone in between but is that a two-day wedding last time so there was no way there was no way I was making it up on a Sunday morning but um with that being said you've got the show you've got uh obviously you're a partner you're you're a father you you've got a lot going on is that hard to balance when you've got the show or as well and then you've got work obviously you've got trading you've got pts how hard is it to try and juggle all these things or is it just down to a good structure uh no it's down to being realistic I could be out doing I could be out doing hard work don't like I could be out doing proper yes it's stressful and it's hard to manage your time and stuff but you could be like I've done it whenever I was younger done it when I was 17 or 18 working in Dublin on the building site like we're up at half 4 5:00 in the morning on the road and then you're not getting CU of train down there you weren't getting home to maybe 11 o'clock at night you know so like that that was hard work that was hard you know like that that was uh realistically being out in on a cold building site actually having the the work from trying to as I said get up Drive stuck in traffic on this site do your work hang about for an hour or two go training in the evening and then drive back home to get straight in the bed to get straight back up again to go back down the road to Dublin no it wasn't that was hard work like that was that was was tough but H I enjoy what I'm doing jnck so that's what it takes if if I need an hour off tomorrow I'll I'll range my my PT so to get an hour off tomorrow if if I need to do something for the show you like I I'll tell M Jo I'll disappear for an hour or whenever I get into bed I'll set my phone for an hour and get that sorted so it's it's it can it can like take over a lot but then just that you need to just snap out of it then don't like every now and again so it's it's not that it's not easy but it's not hard yeah I I I get what you're saying I've been in jobs where you're up like that at that time and you're not home till late and it feels like you just sleeping it it feels like you go to bed you close your eyes you wake up and it's just the same old same old again but obviously I if you like what you're doing uh obviously with the show with the training with the pts and everything then like said it makes it a lot more easier as well and I'd say the day after a show is probably when your phone blows up a lot where people look like you said the core Fighters watching the fights and then wanting to get matched with the results they've seen the night before would that be right yeah that's right J I try now uh I try now to leave my phone behind don't like on the I go for breakfast or go for lunch or something with Michaela and then just try and leave the phone or either leave it in the car leave it in the house or do whatever and just go on about my business and uh and then worry about it then it's usually like the next night or something so like you're back at it again and know like you said I give it a week or two but then it's usually a day or two like Jo you're back back on it again like yeah because I'd say you're probably the the fights are probably going through your head then as well oh he'd be good with him he'd be good with him but in terms of yourself obviously you said you're going into this you're fully prepared fully focused um you're not looking past your opponent but like how active would you like to be this year now that you said you're feeling fresh your your injury free you're enjoying it again cuz I think a happy fighter is a dangerous fighter which is which is is good to hear so like how active are you looking to be this year because obviously you're one of the few people who does go abroad uh to the other shows as well so there's there's a lot more scope for you to get more fights this year yeah uh I I don't know see Michaela she's June at the start of August so she is so uh that's going to be a bit of that's going to be hard work so is now whenever whenever the new baby come comes so uh I'll just I'll get this fight out of the way obviously I want I want at least at least two to three fights this year but a time frame whether it could be like I don't know October December sort of thing depending on when the shows are uh late September end of November sort of like whatever just try and work something like that or if realistically if one show is only if one more fight this year is only an option then one one more fight after this is is enough then like I'll take it as it comes like but uh as I said that uh with her being pregnant her being June I and August that's after this fight that's my priorities then yeah no essentially because like that it's it's it's it's a it's a beautiful time but it's a time consuming it's a it's not time consuming but you have to obviously Focus all your energy around that so obviously that's that's the main thing but you had to finished the last time I would assume you're going to be looking for the Finish again do you reckon you'd be far away from a title shot maybe if you keep going in the same direction that you have been with your last fight if you get finish here maybe one or two more finishes yeah probably one or two more finishes after this to be realistic like uh I think what they what was they coming off two losses so so one win doesn't doesn't change the world like J that's the sort of problem with with a lot of Fighters now they expect ever know like there's even with dealing with the show people with negative records or low records luck and title fights don't like it's it's a bit ridiculous so what I I want to do is pick get this win get another win and then whenever I can commit fully to like next year I can be active I can Ratt like like two three four fights whatever it is then [ __ ] go this fight then a title fight like and then like take it from there and build and build and build get back the top our division like yeah yeah I like how realistic you are as well like that CU a lot of people like said they might have two losses one win and then think they deserve to get back in there for a title but obviously you've been around the game a long time where there was no [ __ ] it was like you really had to work to get into the bus position you're in and usually when that opportunity goes like I said it's not an easy road back in there and it shouldn't be because then if that was the case everyone would just be rematching it would just it' be a constant cycle but in Dublin you brought a crowd you usually bring a whole block with you uh of fans how does it feel to have support like that that travels with you cuz even when you do fight in the UK they travel with you there as well what it like having a a support system like that for you when you go to compete it's brilliant that's like as much as I I can't wait to B to bch the cage after this like after this fight that's that's my plan like to is it's straight in there's a full I've actually had to uh book more more seats out of the block because we filled the full [ __ ] section so I'm going to have few seats Jo like somewhere else then but uh having support like mine is it's I don't know what it is but it seems to be like there's a lot of people like me as such with no [ __ ] and just genuinely like I don't really care don't we've we've talk about this before you get what you see with me don't like people seem to either like me and get on with me and and support me or don't don't like there's no in between ground so like I'm I'm happy enough I know like there's no one coming here that if thing goes things go tits up then I'm going to patch on the back go [ __ ] unlucky that you actually care like where a lot of people want all these fans and want all this [ __ ] extra support H I know I've got a good Core Group around me and uh be forever grateful for them you know yeah cuz you can have these all these fans and all these extras but like you said at the end of the day if you lose a lot of them end up disappearing but you seem obviously you've got a loyal fan base we've heard them and and not only that when you when you fight in Dublin because you're well known uh obviously throughout the country and because the lot to fight when I was at the show uh where you got the arar there was a lot of amateur Fighters a lot of Fighters that would have fought on your show and and stuff like that do you feel all that support from not just your fans everyone else and how does that feel especially during a walk out yeah it just the the last one honestly did feel different that was the first time fighting now at home from from I've had the show Jo like and it's you can't of lead from the front Jo like set an example and [ __ ] Jo like someone that if if someone wants to look up to someone or something don't like just he's doing it right don't like he's not a dick he's not a Gob [ __ ] he's not anything he's just he's there CU he enjoys it and he's taking hard fights and he's trying to like I'm trying to build a path for for ameters to come behind them trying to build a path for the the lower level Pros to make their way up don't like on the bigger shows so like it it is it as I said it did feel different and like it was a genuine support there weren't people just cheering because you were AR do that sort of way that's that's what I think felt different it was the first time fighting at home with that that kind of crowd like yeah no it was good and you mentioned something there that obviously Shay Cleveland we talked about as well he's talked about you're someone he's looked up to ushing daily as well how does it feel when you started your career obviously you wanted to go out and fight and do this how does it feel when you when people look up to you like that and aspire to be you and and they kind of they look at your character and not model themselves off you but like you said you want to lead from the front how what what does that feel like to actually have people to look at you for kind of guidance and to Aspire to to do what you're doing uh that that that could be up though probably one of the biggest driving forces now like is I I've known personally what it's done for me what what having that figure to look up to in the gym with being Damen Rooney what don't having him about was like someone that sort of if if I want to do this I have to do that if I have to do don't like and really commit your time and effort to something uh so like that is one of my I would you say main driving forces is to show the boys like I know at this stage like we've been realistic we've talked about the UFC and stuff like that them things are gone now but uh just showing the buys that [ __ ] dog ignorance and hard work will will get you where Jo like gu it might get you to the you might mess up an opportunity or you might miss an opportunity or luck just might be on your side that time but don't let them them sort of things break you don't just keep the head down and get stuck in and hopefully then if it doesn't if it doesn't happen for me maybe something rubs off on the RAR sh aen oan don't like any of the ones coming behind the younger Lads we mafew Oscar reper that's in that's the Europeans Z like if something that I've said clicks with them or something that I do in the gym clicks with them and sort of pushes am on away but then Happy Days that's that's a big win for me yeah it's mad I think that comes obviously as you get as you get older as you get further into your care career and it's not something people expect going in obviously fighting is a selfish Sport and you only think about yourself and it's only kind of like when you see the effect of what you do and say has on this younger generation then you really think right you need to kind of put your best foot forward here and that's what you've been doing but um I'm going to let you go I can't wait to see the fight next weekend I won't be there as media because it was too late for credentials by the time Ron got back to me with his days off um so I might be there drinking again so we can do an interview after it if you want the next day later on in the day I'll probably be hung over but um is there anything you want to say before you go or anyone want to give a shout out and like I said I want to thank you so much for your time cuz like you said I know you started water loading and it's going to be not a miserable time but it's not going to be an easy time for the next few days so I appreciate you jumping on no no wors at all no just as as normal everyone all the sponsors all the all the people coming down that P their they're hard on uh hard on hard earned money to come down just to watch me fight for a bit of support thank you thank everyone so and yeah after the after the show we'll get another interview uh the last time though [ __ ] you I was in a rush and ended up I was CU i b me and M a book to go to be for the next morning and I sat all my clothes out the pack and then just sat them beside the bag and didn't pack the bag and the way on I went the next I forgot to pack my bag because of the interview soed so but no [ __ ] it h definitely we'll get an interview as soon as you want after the fight and um thank you thank you thanks for having me on yeah no it's always a pleasure it's always have a pleasure to have ch it's always pleasure to talk to it not even just about the fight and about the show about anything You' you've been there whenever I've needed you as well so I really appreciate that and I will be watching you next weekend thank you let's go let's go