Ricardo De Araujo interview

Ringkasan

Ricardo is an MMA fighter training out of team Torres looking to capture the clanwars flyweight championship against Nate Kelly this weekend we talk about his entry into MMA, his progression In a short space of time plus much more

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Okay, so I have Ricardo Diarujo who's going to be fighting on Clan Wars. He's someone I've wanted to talk to a while. I've watched him fight. He was actually supposed to fight on on Wrath for a title before I met him at the show. Obviously, we were all disappointed we didn't get to see you then. But you're going to be fighting for a title against obviously Nate Kelly on Clan War. So, you've got a big promotion. You've got a bigname fighter. Um, you've earned the right to be here in such a in such a short space of time. You've really ascended through through the ranks. Um, how you feeling, bro? Fight week, title fight, big opponent, big shot. >> Yeah, bro. I feel good to be honest. Like all week like camp's been going good. Like camp was eight weeks. I was in holiday at the start of September. I was still training away. Even though I was in holiday, I was doing runs runs and then just lifting weights and all. And then when I got back home, I was just straight into camp. And camp went so well. like and the fight week I just can't wait for it you know >> and obviously you've got a good few fights now like I said you you've kind of made a splash on the scene and you've you've been quite active how do you manage fight weeks now compared to just say when you you're first doing am because every when it's new is there a lot of things you picked up along the way that helps you prepare for a fight week now because I know you're going 100% and then you just have to shut off how do you manage that is that hard to do >> I don't it's Not really. Like it's like obviously when you have that eight weeks, you sort of have to go say like go hard four weeks and then you reduce your train down for the last four weeks. So it's it's easy enough, you know, once you get the hang of it. >> And and with the weight cut, do you cut much weight? Because you seem quite happy. Um a lot of fighters, if I was talking to at this stage, they they're quite trade. Do you have much weight to cut? And and how do you find way cutting? >> Yeah. See, to be honest, bro, it's I actually don't mind uh making the flyweight like I feel like at the same time I feel like um I'm getting heavier. So obviously like once you get older, your body develops so you just keep getting heavier and heavier and it's obviously it's harder to cut down. And but at like right now I can make flyweight easy like but I'm hoping to fight a banttom next year and try it out and see if it works out better or not. I need to I need to talk with Decki and Seb to see if I could fight a banttom or not. >> I I think so cuz you see like that there's a lot of fighters that I would have watched that were 16, 17, 18 and as they get older your body it's just a natural thing. it starts to fill out, you start to get bigger and and because you're at the lighter weight, >> it's harder to cut that much more. Do you know the sway? Cuz if you're trying to cut six or seven kilos compared to what size you are, if it's a welterweight, that's percentage wise, that's very little compared to to you. And obviously, you need to make sure your your health is at the utmost important, but you can make flyweight now. And that's the main thing is it's it's a really stacked division. Um, it's a really exciting division. When you look around, and I'm not asking to call anyone out or anything, but when you look around at the people in your division, obviously you've got Nate, you've got Peter coming up next month. We'll talk about that another time. >> There's so many good fights out there. Like, when you look around, you're like, man, there's so many good fights I could have. How do you feel as a fighter having one that many options as for opponents and two having the amount of shows that we have? >> Oh, it's close, bro. Like, see like in Ireland, like there's so many flyweights. Like, I just love it. like I like I'm glad I'm I'm a flyweight, you know, and like there's so many as you mentioned like Nate, there's Ben Mahan, there's Peter, there's uh what do you call your boy Thomas Corgan, there's so many. And then Kevin Walsh, I forgot to mention him. He, you know what I mean? They're like top boys. Like that's the people that the ones that I want to fight cuz like see for me I I like I want to fight with the best an amateur before going pro. Like I don't want easy fights, do you know what I mean? So that's how I I want things to be like to happen like >> Yeah. It's someone you mentioned there Kevin W is someone I quite follow. We actually tried to get him in last minute for you on Rap but I think he was away cuz it's it's the same as with with Rat coming up. I think the Nationals are on and I think it was the same that weekend but he's that's a really good fight. That's one we did try to make. >> And like there's so many good people out there. Like I said, Ben Mattton who's made a splash. Um, but you talked about obviously uh Deky and Seb going up the way and you're in Torres. You've got Shay Cleland who someone I think is is an absolute fantastic fighter. What's it like training with the likes of Shay who's so high level? You've Kieran Brady plus so many I could sit here naming them for a while, but what's it like being in Torres at the minute? >> Oh, it's class like ever since I've joined team Torres. Like I've I only joined team tours about uh maybe two months, two or three months now. And um but I've went to team tours like last year and all but I was only going to down for sparring. But now for the past two months I've been going down flat out five, six times a week and I've been getting hard times over there like see getting rounds with Kieran Brady and Sha Cleland and then we Oscar as well. He's only about 15. He's giving me hard time as well in sparring and all. So, it's it's a lot harder like and that's what I need in camp harder rounds, you know? >> Yeah. 100%. cuz especially when when you're in certain places and you're in there for a while like if me and you were training for 2 years when Isa you know the zags you know a sort of way whereas you're being confronted with different styles different positions different uh uh kind of styles of fighting and that's good and what I liked is what you what you said there I want to kind of circle back to that is you want to fight the best people and you named a couple of people there as well that that are very high level I think your attitude is right because I think you look at the people who have fought amateur A lot of people Kieran Kieran Clark's going to kill me because I keep bringing him up, but he's one of the best examples. He was 13 and 10. So he was nearly 50/50. He's 10 and0 now in Bellator or PFL. Like >> yes. >> Do you like if you fight these people at amateur? You've probably seen the high level amateurs and they go to pro and they fight people from other countries and they kind of they go through them. Do you think that the level here is so high that you if you fight them going into pro, obviously that's that's in in the distant future. uh that you'll be more than ready because you're fighting these level of guys. >> Oh yeah, definitely. Like obviously when when you're fighting like like most people would most people in amateur would like fight like h like having easy fights and then once they go pro they get like slapped. But like I don't want I don't want to be one of them. Like you obviously like an amateur, you want to be fighting the best. And then so when once you go to pro, you're used to that type of fights so you can handle yourself. Like do you know what I mean? Like instead of like having easy fights as an amateur and then going the pro, like you're going to be Like do you know what I mean? So it is what it is. >> Yeah. And I like that cuz cuz like said the only person who's going to really know your answer record is you and me. Yeah. after when you go pro Joe and obviously your coaches or whatever but >> you know you said MMA fans outside aren't going to go what amateur record did he have whereas >> your pro one is what matters and I think that's the problem now a lot of people want to fight people that they know they can win amateur whereas I'm like I'd want just me I'd be like I want to fight people that are going to put me in hard positions and and potentially beat me and and lose 50/50 like that Jordan Bradshaw as an example he fought only people he fought Kieran Brady cuz he struggling with them. Uh people that like fought like here >> and he he's done one and0 and he looks sensational. I love the attitude and I love it. Go. Uh >> I love I love your kind of mindset as well. But with Nate, obviously Nate is Nate Kelly. Everyone knows Nate Kelly. He's famous from the video 10 years ago. He's come up. He's got he's got a big name and but don't get that wrong. We all know he's a fantastic fighter as well. How does it feel to to fight someone like Nate and potentially beating him with kind of the momentum and stuff he'd have behind him? Usually the momentum then will swing in the person's favor. Or are you just thinking about getting there and getting in the fight and doing what you're doing? See, to be honest, bro, like obviously it's a good opportunity to fight Nate because obviously he's a big name and like everyone wants to fight him, but I like I got the opportunity. So, I'm actually grateful to fight him to show what I can do to show that I like I am in his level or even better. So, I just can't wait. Like I I know, no disrespectful, Nate is good. Do you know what I mean? I'm not underestimating Nate or anything. He is good, but he hasn't fought he hasn't fought anyone who's who's like me. Do you know what I mean? Like obviously he fought Sha Cleland. Sha Cleland beat him. So, and I'm training with Shay now. So, it's good that um I'm training with Shay now. Do you know what I mean? >> Yeah, cuz obviously uh Shay would say Shay will be able to give you some inside tips of how that fight went. But you know you said people can develop a lot from fight to fight amateur and with with like just say studying your opponent. Do you do that yourself? Do you let Deck and Seb handle that? What way do you like to to look at your opponent? Yeah, like I would normally I like when I have time I'd watch their videos and all and then I would say to Seb as well and Seb and Decki would study as well and uh like tell more about him and what way his plan's going to be or what way he's going to end up fighting like on that night. >> Yeah. And like you have two great minds. Seb, I love Seb is so knowledgeable, but he's so quiet and when I see him and he's always very nice and Decky is all Decky Mleen and I love Deky Mleen. He gave me so many opportunities when they first started. He was the only one who kind of really pushed me to to do the media stuff. So, I'll always have a good place for Deky. What what's it like being with with those two and being like how do you find like how like because obviously switching gyms is obviously no matter what age you are or where you've been before it's obviously going to be a bit nervous a little bit of like the unknown. How are you welcomed into gym and what's it like being under guys like Decki and Seb? Oh, it's class like Dei and Seb. It's it's just it feels like it's like it's just like Dar like Dar sound. He's a sound man. So is Deck and Seb. I just feel like they're just the same. Do you know what I mean? Like you're so welcoming like once once you uh go to team Tories like you're so welcomed and all like and they're so nice, you know? Um I Yeah. >> Yeah. No, I like the man like that. Darth Tman is someone I love. Obviously, he's probably seen when we went up to do the MMA in depth. We drove up to Logan, which was a which was a trek, but I thought was D was a story that I really liked and I like what he's doing, what he's created in Logan to give people that outlet. And like obviously Jamon McCartney came out there. You've got the big GC coming out there now as well on the female side. See, but when you're going in, obviously you're going to be going into this fight. You've got another fight in the future. you've been quite active. Are you looking to to stay as active as as you have been the past year or two? >> Um, see, to be honest, I'll probably um the Raph Raw fight in November will probably be my last fight and then I don't know. It just depends how I feel after that fight, you know, cuz I might just jump on Decky's card cuz I think Deck is having one in December time maybe. >> I think so. So, um I think so. So, I'm not sure, but um we'll see what happens after November. If I feel all right, then may as well jump on it before Christmas and enjoy Christmas. Like, so why not? >> Yeah. You know, cuz there's a show cage legis running on 31st on New Year's Eve and I'm like, who as like I like the date and stuff like that, but as a fighter, I don't think as a fighter >> Christmas dinner. How torturous is that going to be if you're cutting you're going to you're going to be starting your kind of >> like you just dieted down and then you need to start water lo and stuff. That would be >> Yeah, >> it wouldn't it wouldn't be for me. I I wouldn't like to cut weight anyways, but like that I think is especially because you don't get paid. You need to enjoy your Christmas. Uh spend time with family because as a fighter people don't realize what sacrifices you make. Like talk to us about some of this the stuff that you don't get to do that I would call us civilians get to do. >> Yeah. >> Yeah. So like like nights out stuff like that. What's the biggest things? What's the biggest things that that you would miss that you can't get to do because of the amount of dedication you have to put into training? Oh, like um see like since I started in May like um I haven't drank or anything or even to went out like birthdays, going out to like it's just anything like any occasions. Um so I haven't went out since I' I've actually started um MMA. But see before like I've always played football for my whole life for 10 years and that's when I stopped at 19 and then that's when I started doing MMA and then just loved it. >> And what what what introduced you to MMA? What made you make that switch? Cuz a lot of people do make that switch as well but I find it quite interesting because obviously football is a contact sport but fighting is is is not a contact sport that you play. You have to fight. what what made us what what introduced you >> and what made you make the leap over to do it the way you're doing it now? >> Yeah. So um as I said there I play I was playing football for 10 years and then I kind of lost interested and I just didn't see myself going anywhere with football and and then um at the start of Janu uh 2023 in January that's when I just switched I was all either stop playing football and be a waster or just start something new. So I thought of I thought of boxing first. That's when I started. I started boxing with um Kane Sweeney in Nura and then I I had about three boxing fights and then one K boxing fights and then uh moved on to MMA. So, I done one novice MMA and team I think team Rhino or Ma is it Dam McKenna who runs it? >> Uh, yeah, it's Jerry Po would be the head coach and Damian McKenna would be I don't know >> he's obviously he's their pro fighter but I don't know what involvement he has in the gym as well but it would be that gym. Yeah. >> Yeah. So I done novice MMA on that one and then after that Dar just told me go up go as an amateur and my first fight was on uh I made my debut last year on April on fit to fight. Obviously it's rough now but before I was fit to fight. >> So yeah I only made my amateur last year April there. And that's it's it's so what I love that obviously after one novice fight D realize you're ready and then like that it's just over a year and look at the position you're in now you're going to be if in your next two fights you're fighting for titles you're fighting really good guys. Do you look back and go like that's a short space of time to come so far. How does it feel to to come so far or do you even stop and realize that this is happening cuz you're just go go go. How how you tell me how what it's like. Yeah, bro. Like it's actually mad because see like see last see obviously when I made my debut like I was like when I won that fight um I was like itching to get back. guy was texting like Dar and all get me fights get me fights and then Dor was all um um just wait and work on your wrestling cuz my wrestling wasn't great when I made my debut and um Dar was all just be patient and your time will come. So I just waited and then there this year like it just flew in like and look where I am now, you know, fighting with the best. So I'm grateful for everything like >> and it just >> what D has done for me. >> It just goes show like you said what D for you. That's why you need a good coach that's levelheaded and is able to kind of go no this is what you need to do because >> if you had went into some fights your wrestling wasn't great you fought wrestlers it might have hurt your confidence. He knew you needed to improve that part of your game. You listened and look where you are now. And that's why you need a good coach behind you and no better man than D. And obviously now you've got as uh Seb and Deki, but like that it's been kind of like that. You've you've popped on scene. You're you're a fighter I've watched quite a lot, whether it's been in person or watching the pays. You're really really exciting. I'm looking forward to this fight this weekend. Uh it's a really really good fight. We'll get on to RA. We'll we'll have another one before Rap. But coming into this fight because it's Nate and it's a title. Like I said, you obviously feel like is there any nerves leading up to a fight week? Um, I know I think there should be always a little bit in ours, but does it feel different because it's a title and because of of the reputation that he has or is it just another body for you? No. See, to be honest, bro, like I'm actually not nervous. It's actually mad like to think that cuz obviously like it's I'm I like I'm the underdog here. Like obviously people expect Nate to win cuz obviously he's a big name and like everyone knows him. So, it's good to be on like on an under underdog and I just can't wait to go in there and show levels and um show him that I'm his level or even better like I said. So, I just can't wait to prove everyone wrong and I'm going to do it. >> And I like the way you said that because obviously like I said like being the underdog. Do you think that then puts more pressure on him and less pressure on you and and you can fight more freely? >> Yeah, bro. Like I feel like it's like he has so much to lose. Like do you know what I mean? So I feel like he will have that pressure where he's like I can't lose this. Do you know what I mean? So that's what I feel like he's going to have so much pressure and I'm just going to I'm just going to be all over him. Like I feel like I'm I will stop him. >> Yeah. No, it's going to be a good fight. I'm really looking forward to it. Can always have great cards as well. Uh what's it like? Like how is it like working with Clan Wars? Uh it's like that you've you've got there's two pro fights on the card I believe so far. Obviously there's yourself and Nate which is like a really big amateur fight as well. What's it like fighting on a show like Clan Wars for the title? >> Oh it's class bro because obviously like Clown Wars is probably one of the biggest promotion in the country and it's it's it is one of the best setup I've ever seen in amateur Irish MMA. So you just couldn't beat it like and even like especially fighting in for a title as well. All the atmosphere is going to be wide like so I just can't wait for it. >> Yeah. Know it is like that. All the little different things. I think they're back in the forge one this time. Is it again? Is it the forge one that they're in for this one? >> I'm not sure. But the the venue really good. The production the last couple of ones have been so much. I think they got just content is the name of the guys. And the the production value is really really high. You've got Ali McClean who I really like watching on social media commentating on as well. It's it's a good show. They've got everything. Um I'm going to let you go. I want to thank you so much for your time. Is there anything you want to say before you go or anyone you want to shout out? Like I said, thank you for your time. So close to fight. I really appreciate it. And we will have another one before your next fight if you'd like to come back on again. That is >> Yeah, Rose. Just want to say h thanks to Dman um Sebaki Sha Le Rur and Kieran Brady. >> Yeah, perfect. Perfect. >> I can't wait for this weekend. Thank you again for your time and best of skill, bro. >> No worries, bro. See you later.