Abdurrahman Bouhadja interview

Ringkasan

Abdurrahman Bouhadj is an amateur MMA that trains under the watchful eye of irish MMA legend Paddy Holohan, he made a massive statement at Elite fighting championship with a finish that'll be up there with contender of the year. We speak about the fight prep, how he got into…

Transkrip (youtube_captions)

Okay, so I'm here with Abdul-Rahman. Abdul-Rahman? >> That's good enough, yeah. >> That's good. That's good enough. That's I got to practice this now for the next week for the next interview that we do have cuz I have a feeling I'm going to be speaking to you a lot more often. Um >> No worries. >> Uh thank you very much for joining me. Uh how are you today? >> Pleasure to have me. I'm good. I'm good. Obviously, um feeling good, you know. It's always the Wednesday midweek. Always tired in the midweek, but got to push through it. >> Exactly. Exactly. It's not about motivation. It's about discipline. >> That's right. >> You're after coming off you you fighting Paddy Holohan's gym, which is a fantastic gym. Obviously, we've seen the the >> Oh, no. For sure. For sure. Definitely. >> come out of there Shauna in the UFC. Obviously, Georgie I think is someone I think because he's not social media heavy and he's not out there. I don't think he gets the credit he deserves. He is a beast, bro. >> Well, I'll tell you from first hand. I spar him often and man, he's one of like he's one of those guys that you wouldn't expect to be so well-rounded and he is. Do you know? You see him a lot. See his grappling in the cage, but he has really really good striking as well. And he's a really nice guy as well. >> Yeah, he's he's an absolute gentleman and that's good cuz like that he doesn't usually use his striking. So, people go up to the feet and they go, "All right, we'll go here." It's kind of like pick your poison and they're probably going to be surprised and caught out when they when they do go to the feet because he doesn't he doesn't need to use it because his wrestling is so effective in fights, bro. Um you're coming off a big win. Like an absolutely monster finish. What a statement to announce it with. How do you feel about that win looking back at it now and about the finish? >> Well, looking back at it, of course, you can't deny that. You know, it was a good finish. Obviously, in a debut as well, which also made it even better. But, I knew it was going to happen. I knew like if I was going to win the fight, it was either by finish. Well, obviously, I didn't expect it to go past the first round, so when it did, kind of Paddy looked at me after the first round and was like, "Listen, we're one round down." I was like, "We came up here with the intention of getting him out in the first." So, I was like, "I even told Paddy if I don't get him out in the first, I'm going to get him out in the second." So, like the second I kind of switched, I was like, "Okay, I need to get him out now." So, I just I had to do it straight away. It was the first clean shot that landed in the fight as well. >> Yeah, I'd say Paddy was happy then cuz Paddy Houlihan's not like I love Paddy. He's We spoke about it before we came on. He's so animated, but he he loves the fighters and and that's why you see him so animated and I don't want to say angry, but animated cuz he knows what you're capable of and and obviously he reinforced that to you. Like you said this was going to the first round. He knew you were capable of it. So, did that turn the switch to say, "Right, this I have to do it now, second?" >> Definitely, definitely, cuz I I'll say like one thing I did underestimate his grappling a little bit. But, um it's like when Paddy seen that first round, it's just he was really unhappy cuz he didn't see that sense of urgency for me to finish the fight. So, he kind of had to remind me like kind of why I'm here in the cage going into round two. Like we're here to finish the fight. We're not here to just kind of just keep doing what we're doing, playing around, mixing up the positions and then just maybe get losing the decision or winning a decision. And that's not that's not in my head ever, a decision. Like I'm always looking at how can I finish the fight in the first round? And if I don't do it in the first, I'm hella like for sure going to do it in the if I don't do it in the second, I promise you I'll do it in the third. So, I'm always looking for a finish no matter like where the fight's at. >> No, 100%. It's good cuz like that that like when I saw that finish, I was like, "Wow, who like who is this? Like where did this go from?" And and it's good cuz new people come on the scene all the time. And when I saw that, I was like, "This guy is good." But, Um, to us about like that was your first amateur fight like a debut. >> Mhm. >> What was the What was the emotions and and stuff like that? Cuz you seem quite confident uh in your skill and your ability and what you're going to do. What was it like leading up to fight? Nervous, excitement? You tell us what how you felt. >> So like in all honesty like that camp that I had, so obviously I accepted the fight 1 month prior to uh fight day. And before that, obviously I was meant to fight Conor McCaughan back on EFC in December and I got a chest infection on the week of fight. So I had to pull out of that. And then I kind of had a bit of a layoff like 3 week I got a really bad chest infection like I couldn't even do any physical exercise for a good 3 weeks. And then even when I got back into training, I was still kind of I felt it. And then I kind of just had a little bit of a layoff where I just trained every day kind of for a while. That's what I do anyways. And then I had some teammates being like you're kind of lacking. I'm like, on what? I'm here every day and they're like you're not getting any fights. So I was like, yeah, it kind of kind of didn't piss me off but I was like yeah, I probably am lacking. So I I went and just literally looked at every card and asked for fights. And then I ended up getting a fight on EFC. So you always know that feeling when you get you know, when you get a fight. You know it's exciting, nerve-racking. But when I like got sent the match-up with Jayden, like I seen his the fight at the time cuz he was 1 and 0 um against Kieran Murphy and I was just I wasn't really impressed. So obviously but that's just me though. But Paddy seen it and he was like yeah, no we're beating this guy 100%. And then he ended up fighting 2 weeks after that. Like that's So like I think it was like 2 3 weeks before the our fight, he fought against Ryan Houlihan. And I was seeing that and I was like, why is he fighting like that close to my fight? I was It's must must be thinking like oh yeah, that guy is a a walk in the park. I'll just fight fight this guy, then fight that guy, then fight that guy." It's like, that's not how it works. Then he ended up submitting him in like 30 seconds or something like that. But, I seen the fight, and I don't I didn't think it was that impressive cuz he was like Ryan was tapping like way before the submission was even on. And I actually spoke to Ryan backstage, and he told me that it was kind of more of a panic tap than anything. So, I knew it. We knew it like straight away. And then, even after that, like it didn't shake my belief going into the fight. I still knew that I was going to beat him. And that camp, honestly, like it was a bit of a shaky camp um compared to the Conor Conor one. Like, that was a 2-month long camp. I hated it. A 2-month long camp was just not worth it. And so, I like this one more, but obviously, not every every camp's going to go well, but because I'm always training, if the camp doesn't go well, it doesn't matter cuz I'm still going in in great shape. Cuz like right now, I'll get a fight this Saturday, and I would go three five-rounds, and I wouldn't gas out. So, I'm always in shape all year around. Um I'm always in the gym, so going into the fight, that was my my mentality. It was like, even if it does go distance, like I have the energy to finish him in the third round. That last minute, I would still be moving like how I'm moving in the first minute. >> Yeah, and and that's good to to stay ready. And and I think fighters have to stay ready and stay trained all year cuz years ago, back in the day, Paddy probably tell you you could have got away with not being in the gym as much, not being there, but the the sport has evolved so much that everybody's in the gym every day. Every People could be training twice a day, three times a day, depending on if they work or or what it is. So, you've got the right from what I hear, you've got the right attitude, and you've got the right belief in yourself. Um but talk to us about joining MMA. What led you to join MMA, and why Paddy Holohan's gym? >> So, what led me to join MMA? It's actually not like I'm going to be honest. I don't have that much of like an interesting backstory, like like a villainous backstory. Like not really. Um so obviously life went on between the ages like I joined at 17. And I'm 19 now. So, I've only been training for 2 years. And when I joined it wasn't really me who wanted to join. So, at the time I was kind of like not like lost. I just didn't know what to do what I was doing in life really. I was hitting the gym. You know, I was on that whole like trying to get big or or to look good. That's really it. Still in school. And then I had a friend telling me like that he's going to go do MMA. And at the time obviously I knew what the sport was, but I didn't know much about it really. And so he told me if I want to go with him. So, I was like, "Yeah, sure." Basically and then I literally we we like didn't speak about it for a month. So, it was one of those things where you just talk about it you don't do it. And I remember texting him once and I'm like, "So, you said you were going to do that MMA thing." And I still have those texts actually. Um I don't know I screenshotted them the other day. And then he was like, "Yeah, yeah. Let's go." And then I remember speaking to him telling me that he has like his friends train there. They are now my teammates and friends. And I joined and the literally the first person I greeted me walking in was Paddy. And I remember seeing him and he just he was like I don't know. He was just so um he had so much energy. Yeah, and he was just telling me how great the sport was. And I was just there like holed up like had no clue what was going on. No gloves into a kickboxing class. Like nothing. And I did like kickboxing the kickboxing classes for like 2 months and then I started grappling. Um upstairs doing jujitsu for like a month I'd say. And then months so a month into it Paddy comes to me and he's like you should do the MMA leagues. I'm like why? He's like uh you you you'd smash those guys up. I was like, oh yeah, sure. So, if he thinks so, then why why couldn't I? And I ended up answering that. So, that's how I got into competing. And it's it's weird. It's that's just how how it went. And then I did that. And she made like I'm the type of person where when I do something, it's either I'm the best at it or I don't do it at all. So, when I like you know when you have that first sparring session or that first time you roll with like a blue belt and a belt and you just get absolutely smashed. It's like I hate that. And I'm like yeah, that can't be happening to me, you know? So, um I just ended up showing up every day. Just stayed consistent. I kind of did spawn out of nowhere. Like people that trained there did tell me, you kind of did just spawn out of nowhere. Just showed up every day. And then now I'm fighting. And then that's basically the duality of it. And obviously some teammates left, some teammates joined. But like currently right now I have to shout out my boy Ucha. Just me and him. We're like we do everything together. Almost everything. Like we spar together mainly. Uh roll together. And we do all the drilling and pass together. So, I kind of found like somebody to just stick with. Similar way, you know, similar skill level. And that I feel like that was one of the biggest factors of my improvement. It was definitely just finding someone you can just do everything with. And then you just both improve along the way. >> Yeah, like someone that has the same kind of ambition, energy >> Yeah, yeah, yeah. Kind of >> that you constantly want to improve. And and it's good like that to find someone like that that you push each other to get better. And and like that you said you didn't have a big villain story, but I like the whys and the buts behind everything. And obviously you said >> Um >> that you you didn't have any directions. Do you find now since you joined you have more direction in life? And that has the discipline and and stuff bled into your personal life as well. Like you know that it's made you a little bit more organized, disciplined outside of the gym as well. Has that bled in or >> Um Listen, well I'll tell you something like I'm I'd be disciplined when I want to be disciplined at something. Do you know what I mean? It's And that's kind of everybody. Like if you really want to be good at something, then you will. Well I had like I did other things in the past, do you know, that I got that you have to show up every day to be good at at things. Like everyone must have done something before MMA where they probably failed at it. Like obviously a lot of people would say people went from football to MMA. And I did get that like showing up every day and I kind of I kind of did I got really good at things in the past and I didn't understood like understand what it takes to get really good at something. Um but like I'll answer your question like did it transfer to other things? Definitely, 100%. I think what the biggest thing that MMA has transferred to is keeping me relaxed in situations like let's say an interview or meeting someone new. Do you know what I mean? Like before I would be very nervous and would not expect I'd be anxious, a bit jittery. But after doing something like fighting, you know, and something like that would just be like in your head so small that you would never even be nervous in a situation like that. >> Yeah, I guess >> So that's what I'd say the biggest thing that transferred over. >> Yeah, and a lot of people say that, the confidence that it gives you. Cuz like a lot of people like when I ask them for interviews like oh no, I don't know if I could do an interview. I was like bro, man, you get into your shorts and you fight someone in a cage. And I'm like I'm the least scary person around. I would just have a conversation, but it just shows that it can help you in different ways and different things as well. So, um and then being in the gym as well, like with Paddy. Talk to us about uh Paddy cuz for me, you were actually doing something I was going to say there. You were talking about showing up every day. Have you ever seen the documentary on Paddy Holohan? >> Yeah, I did. >> Yeah, I watched it there recently, and I think it's one of the best things ever, 10,000 hours, uh I believe it's called. Um and just the energy I'm getting from you is kind of the energy he puts out there. Like, I doubt if I get smashed by someone, that's not happening again. I'm getting better, and I love that attitude. Um what was it like fighting on the EFC because they've got that massive cage as well? Talk to us about what it was like, the how the show was run, how much you liked it, and being in the cage. >> So, here's the thing, like, from my perspective as a guy who has never fought before on a promotion, I'm watching fighters fight from third person, like the person either watching them from your TV screen or watching them from the stands. So, do you know what I mean? And then being there in first person, it didn't feel real. And obviously, like, you just pull up, you just see a big ambulance outside. You just walk in, you just the the tension in the room is crazy cuz there's like a big cage, people fighting, people screaming, loud music playing, people getting hurt. And obviously, like, that's just from my perspective what I'm seeing. But obviously, like, I was just so prepared and nothing phased me like walking in there. So, Paddy was like, we walked in, obviously you feel the tension straight away, whether you're fighting, whether you're just there to spectate, or whether you're just there to support a friend, you're going to feel the tension in that in that venue straight away. Even in a competition, you feel that tension. Don't even know how to explain it. But Paddy was like, yeah, so this is it. And I'm like, so that's it. So, I walk in. I'm like, so this is it. Like, it didn't feel any different to just being at a local competition or getting ready to have like a really hard spar with one of your teammates. Do you know what I mean? And then so EFC like great promotion. Definitely like I would really love to fight for them again. And your main man Barry is really sound. Um same thing with Adam. So fighting in a big cage I'd say like I got in there and obviously the walkout was weird as hell. Like I don't even know how to explain that. And then getting into a big cage it didn't feel like I am in a big cage. You know what I mean? It still felt like I'm in a cage whether I'm in a small cage or a big cage. It definitely makes a difference but it's like it makes a difference but people think like oh that cage must be so big. Like yeah but let's say small amateur cage two two steps back and your your back's on defense. Big cage five steps back your back's on defense. Do you know what I mean? So I I like the way um you can move around more and kind of be more dynamic with your striking. But I think it doesn't make a difference for me whether I'm in a small or a big cage cuz I don't really walk backwards much. Do you know what I mean? Um so yeah that's basically it. Like I think EFC definitely a great promotion. I'd love to fight for them again. Um in the future hopefully in October. Well I'm I'm still looking for fights right now. Like I'm still Akuma is one month away. I'm still trying to get on that. Um same thing with Ayewoa like whatever promotion I can get on I'll just I'll just fight for them. Like I just can't wait to do it again basically. >> Yeah yeah I'm >> Why wouldn't you after after the finish you had and the debut you had and >> I like what you said there about the cages cuz a lot of people go oh the big cage this whereas obviously you're looking at the cages as the tools at your disposal and you will use them appropriately to what you need to do in the fight. Whereas a smaller cage or bigger cage five steps or two steps you're going to have that in your mind where I can only take two steps back if needed. This is what's going to happen and sounds like you've mentally prepared for what you're going into. But as an amateur fighter you're talking about Akuma, your fighting championship, you've got a league again, you've got Cage Warriors. There's so many. How does it feel as an amateur fighter to have this many options? Cuz Paddy will probably tell you, you didn't have these options a year ago. >> Yeah, he always says that to me. He actually said that to me on the day as well. Yeah, no, he was he always explains like what what it was like for him back in the day. So, we're having so many promotions, um it's just cool to have be able to just like choose from different promotions. Like one might have a bigger cage, one might have a smaller cage, one might look more professional. Well, for me, it doesn't make a difference. For me, a fight's a fight. Like I'll fight somebody in a flipping football field. Do you know what I mean? As long as it's an MMA fight, I'll do that. But, I don't really mind kind of what promotion I fight on. But, it's cool to have options, definitely. From what Paddy's explaining it, sounded like I don't even know. Um from what he did back in the day, that didn't sound too fun. So, at least you still have like as an amateur fighter, you get to take off the shin pads, and you basically get to fight at a promotion. I remember like after that fight, I remember some friends that don't fight would text me be like, "Are you a pro fighter?" I'm like, "Nah, not pro fighter yet." Cuz it looks like it from somebody somebody else's perspective, basically. But, it's cool. It's cool to be able to get in there into a promotion, um into a show, and and fight in a show. Like And to have the option, obviously, I'm blessed for that. >> Yeah, and like that, it sounds like it's mad cuz I speak to a lot of people and they talk about nerves and stuff. And you sound like like the cuz one of the things about fighting is it's not just the the fight on the day. Like I said, you go into the event, you've got the cage, you've got the tension and stuff. And and a lot of people don't seem prepared for that. But, it didn't seem to faze you, which is really good. Cuz a lot of people talk about being nervous or you know, the crowd. But, especially when you're fighting a hometown lad as well, That that can get to them more or people in the crowd where you seem to be as cool as a cucumber going into that into the whole thing. But um is did you have a number of fights you'd like to get before the end of the year? Like obviously you're trying to get on a Kumar. I'll have a chat with Steve and see is there anything that can be done cuz I have a good relationship with Steve. Um and like that I'll keep an eye out for fights for you now as well myself. >> Appreciate it. Yeah. >> I'll try be a little a match maker and see if I get you some fights. But do you have a number you'd like to get or you just going to take it as they come? >> No, so I don't have a number but I'll say this like I'll take as many fights that I could. So if you could give me a fight every week and yeah I'll take a fight every week. >> I love that attitude. I love that attitude and cuz like you said Paddy we talked before it could be three months apart before you could get a fight. The rules that were made it was mixed between amateur and semi-pro. It was >> There was no cage. He was telling me there was no cage and I don't even know how it He was telling me there was no cage. Instead of flipping it's in like a one of those you know a school indoor like uh what do they call them? One of the school indoor gyms just mats placed all over the place. Some mats on the wall and that's basically it. You just go in there you just fight. I was like damn. And um yeah no so like I don't I don't like putting numbers to myself like when it comes to anything in life I don't be like when we're making money I don't want to be like I want to make 10K by the end of the year. I don't want to have I want to have six fights by the end of the year. Why? Because circumstances change. Um like if I go to training today and flipping snap my ACL then I'm getting zero fights this year. Do you get me? So if I don't want to put that like pressure on myself and tell other people I'm going to get this many fights this year uh because circumstances change and you know it can never happen. I just tell myself I tell people I want to fight as much as I can and that's basically it. Like what there's how many more cards? There's definitely going to be a card every month. I'm going to try and get on every one. If I can't, I can't, but if I can, I can. That's basically it. >> Yeah, there's going to be there's a whole some like I I want to say we've about 10 shows between the Republic and Northern Ireland as well. And they're all coming up. You've got Akuma, then you've got September, October, there's like maybe three, November, I think there's at least two, then December, I think there's one or two as well. So, like you've the option of maybe fighting depending on uh if you can get matched maybe five, six times to to but obviously like that just take one at a time. >> issue. Yeah. That's the issue. So, it's getting matched, okay? So, obviously I'd love to fight as much as I could, but getting matched is a nightmare. Even getting matched with my no fights was a nightmare. And imagine now. Do you know? And then imagine I beat a big grappler now. And then it's just like in fact I'm in good luck in a fight after that. But um Yeah, so I'm not going to stop basically. Like it's like you see that fight I just had with Jayden? That is like 1% of me in all honesty. Um like do you want me I'll tell you why. That was the first clean shot that landed in the fight. I basically showed nothing. Do you know what I mean? Um just to show like if you put me in there with someone a bit more higher level I have a lot more to show than just one right hand. And my my tools, my grappling uh my kickboxing, everything. I feel like I am very well rounded 100%. And I just can't wait to show it. Can't wait to just get in there and do it again. >> Hopefully hopefully we can get you matched with Akuma and like that. There's there's there's there's a whole small shows as well and and then going into the future, but from speaking to you you sound like a very grounded level headed intelligent young man especially with the answers that you've given me. It's been an absolute pleasure to speak today. I'm going to let you go. Um is there anything you want to say before you you or anyone you want to shout out? and I really appreciate your time. >> Uh no, no. I think everything was said very well. But, I'd love to come on here again, of course. You know, it's fun speaking to you, and uh definitely if what whatever shows you're commentating on, I think you know exactly what to say before I walk out. >> I I think I definitely will after this uh after this conversation. And yeah, no, I I appreciate that you enjoy being on with me. It's an absolute pleasure, and I and that means a lot to me when I hear stuff like that from fighters. So, thank you very much for that compliment. Um I'm going to let you go. Um have a good evening, and thanks for your time again. >> man. Thank you so much, man. I'll see you again. Take care. >> Cheers, pal.