Brian Draper interview

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Brian Draper is making his professional debut under the Team Ryano banner with Irish MMA legend Andy Ryan at the helm We speak about the amount of pull outs and the length it took to get that professional fight and with only 2 days to go it's safe to say it's finally happening…

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Pleasure to have back with me Mr. Brian Draper. He's finally making his pro debut. I actually called his last fight on uh the the >> FCC >> FCC the Fars brothers show h against Kaia O'Brien and I was thinking we were going to see a lot quicker than now but obviously like we were talking before we just came on things happen when they're supposed to happen. How are you? Thank you very much for joining me especially so close to the fight. How are you feeling? It's finally upon us. >> Oh I feel I feel calm Dave to be honest with you. feel really calm and the work is done. You know, there's no last minute sprint sessions, no last minute trying to make up for corners cut as you do amateur. You know what I mean? It's for making mistakes. And I've had like three professional camps now. So, I've kind of I've got to do the whole thing bar the dance really. I've got all the preparation in. Like this is me tour professional camp in the last year and a half, probably like the last 16 months. So, I've really [clears throat] got to iron out all the mistakes. You know what I mean? Like all the little things that you don't think are important, but they are important. And like I've got to dial them all in. And then obviously being around lads in the gym, the high level boys in the gym, just being able to teach me all the ways of being a pro. I just feel like it's all came together perfectly, you know what I mean? And it's resulted in me being extremely calm this week and not even trying to be like usually, you know, fighters like everyone gets nervous. Of course, we're all nervous like but [snorts] you do be like [ __ ] you know I I don't know like you know what I mean you're trying to sometimes you try to convince yourself to be not as nervous as you are where like I just I don't not that I wouldn't say I feel nervous like but I just feel ready. You know what I mean? I feel I feel like I'm just ready to step into that cage and I'm so excited to do it. I'm so excited to just step foot in the cage and be like, "Yes, we're here." You know what I mean? It's funny that they're happening. >> Yeah. And I can't I can't wait to see it either as well and then a lot of people as well. I know the last from the Alra Angle there, big fans, big fans of yourself as well as as well as the Energized Boy. So, we're all looking forward to it. How were you frustrated when it wasn't happening? Cuz I know I was looking for you myself. I believe it was for March at one stage. We'll find it really hard. We we find it hard fight find pros alone, never mind in in the division you're in. Um, but was it frustrating for you? Because obviously, especially after that performance against Kai, you really pushed the page. You got the win against a really thought. And then I was like, right, starting new year, we're going to roll out fairly cage warriors. I don't see why Brian shouldn't be on it. Did did you think yourself you might be on it? Was there any talk? >> What? So what happened with Cage Waters was um I signed so Cage Waters 200 was on the 24th of February this year. I got a contract in the door from Cage Warriors three weeks before but I had only signing to fight on FCC in March. So because I had signed to FCC a professional contract, it's not like amateur contracts where you can't just go actually I want I don't want to fight wheels and it's like it's a whole legal thing. So like I signed a fight on FCC against Josh Car and then maybe a week and a half later Andy got a contract for me to fight on Cageers 200 and I couldn't accept it. But then obviously just the whole rigma roll end up happening with the pull outs and all. So it was like it never ended up working out anyways. Um but yeah it has been frustrating you know what I mean? Of course, it's been frustrating, but I'm a man of faith and I really had to lean into me faith and think that I'm exactly everything that's ever happened in me life has happened at the exact right moment, good or bad. I can't think it's any going to be any different for something that I've put 10 years plus of work into. You know what I mean? It's it's it's happening exactly when it's supposed to happen. And I'm I'm not frustrated. Maybe I can say that easily now because the fight's actually happening. But I was frustrated. Yeah, absolutely. But also it it gave me the opportunity to learn a [clears throat] lot of valuable lessons throughout the last year and a half, you know what I mean, about myself, to push the pace in the gym, to really live like a professional, act like a professional, be be around the lads and just just just immerse myself in like Adam Derbyy's camp, you know what I mean? for for his last few cage warriors fights and then his his contender series fight and James Sheen's world title fight and his fight after that against Bolton in his defense and Graeme Sheen's cage worth taking like all of this boys, you know what I mean? Like I've been right there with the lads the last year and a half. I just haven't got a chance really to go out and do my thing yet. But we're only like probably like we're coming up on 48 hours away, you know what I mean? So it's it's cool. >> Yeah, it is cool. And like that is a ad derby I must say like what did he he had the most strikes I think ever for a welterweight fight or something like that. >> If it had been official UFC fight he would have broke two records in the welterweight division. >> That's correct. >> One for most leg strikes and one for most significant strikes. The only No, sorry. I think the only person he would be behind is Nick Diaz. >> Wow. Wow. And think think when he gets in there he's he's he's probably going to be going and going right. Well, I got it I got on the Contender Series, so I've got now. But what was it like training with those boys when they're like obviously Adam's on the contender series, you have boys in cage, you boys all over the place and you've high level. What's it like training with them on a daily basis? Like how do you feel in them? Do you ever feel like sometimes you're the hammer, sometimes you nail? Like what what's it like? [laughter] >> Always the nail. Always the nail. No, not always the nail. Like at the end of the day, I not look my I'm a high level striker then. I'm I'm the only world champion kickbox K1 fighter in team Rhino. So like as much as I love the lads, I know my level. I know I'm a high level striker. When it comes to mixing up with the grappling, that's where it gets tough. That's what MMA is. You know, when you grapple into striking, you're a different striker. You know what I mean? You're no longer the world champion. You're now the [ __ ] the nail. You know what I mean? And especially with the style the lads have in their gym. Like everyone bar me and Derby really go out and take people down and smash them. You know what I mean? Like me and D like to strike and like to keep a standing but um training with the lads it's it's it's man it's it's it's leveled me up so much and learn just the most thing I take is the professionalism the professionalism that the boys put into it. It's like it's it's it's it's not a hobby. Not that it ever was a hobby to me but I don't know like me personality. I'm just a bit of a mess. You know what I mean? So sometimes and I'm a bit of a [ __ ] talk even to myself sometimes. So I can convince myself that Abby Graham like even that fight against Ko like Andy took that without even telling me and told me I was fighting in three weeks like you know what I mean and I was just like yeah where some people be like oh what you can't do that you know what I mean where I was like [ __ ] it you know what let's fight so but I've learned to be so professional I picked up so many tools of professionalism off the lads in the last in the last few year like the last year and a half since I've been in the pro camps with them you know what I mean? Um, yeah. But yeah, you had a like for this cold camp, I've been to nail up until probably the last two spars to when me fitness was really starting to come together. But then the rounds get cut short because you're peing. So I was like, you [ __ ] You know what I mean? I was only starting to get good. I'm only starting to get fit. Now he's [ __ ] And now he's starting to say I'm only have to do four rounds instead of eight where the last 10 weeks has been you punch me around by eight rounds. You know what I mean? And now it's only four rounds. But I'm gonna stay fit out of this fight. I'm gonna get straight back to Spartan next week. I'm going to kill them because they're all starting to get fat. The boys are Yeah. Because they're now camp. [laughter] It's >> going to be my fault. It's going to be my fault. >> Bri, I think that was planned. It went from from eight rounds to four rounds all of a sudden. I I think >> Yeah. The second Big Sexy gets fit, they start [ __ ] cutting the rounds down. [laughter] >> They're like, "No, bro. No, we're good, bro. We're good." >> No, bro. Four rounds good. No. Last week. So last last week we [clears throat] did uh we did the final spar and we did four rounds and uh I was I was literally I was Shark Tank rounds like new new bodies coming in and I remember when the fourth round finished Graeme says to me right done and I said what do YOU MEAN DONE? I'M ONLY GETTING GOING. I WAS LIKE I FEEL LIKE I'M LITERALLY ONLY GETTING GOING. And he was like no no no that's good. That's exactly where you want to be. But that's what I'm saying about the professionalism from the lads. Like they know they they've done it so many times. The boys, they know that like when you feel like you can run just when you get to that point where you feel like you can run through the wall, that's when you stop. Save it for the fight. You know what I mean? And that's where the taper week comes in. Like this is the first time I've really ever had a taper week. Dave, this week has been so tough on me to stay out of the gym. Like I've struggled this week mentally, you know what I mean? to to be able to like to not train hard and to not continue to do things that I usually would do to try and make up for miss sessions throughout camps and all. You know what I mean? >> Yeah. >> Where now it's like the work has been done. Like the work has been done and I've had to just enjoy this week. Like so someone said I seen on online they were saying if your discipline for a taper week your discipline has to switch from the 10 weeks of hard training to now 10 like to the one week of recovery. Your discipline has to shift. You're not going to get any fitter in this week. You're not going to lose any fitness in this week. You're actually only going to gain fitness and gain strength from recovering. You know your body getting like catching up on sleep, your body being allowed to deal with all that trauma that has just gone through for however many weeks. So yeah. >> Yeah. And that's that's that's a question I always ask and it's mostly it'd be a lot of amateur fighters I'd ask and there like how do you go from 100 miles an hour to just I'm just chilling. Like I know obviously there's there's way cuts and stuff involved but obviously um with yourself like you said you found it quite hard mentally as well but as you go on in your career there's going to be a lot more media obligations as well which I think will then kind of break up the week. Do you want to sort of way? >> Yeah I [clears throat] suppose. Yeah. And then like like now I still am training. Like I still like I'm still going up the gym in the evening time. There's no morning sessions. You know what I mean? The morning session is a is is gone. It's it's it's I bring I I up in the morning I'm up about seven with the kids and then go do the school run and then I come back and then when the when the young baby's going for a nap, it's like I get into the bed and just try sleep. You know what I mean? I have a breakfast and I try sleep just to get just cuz I can. You know what I mean? And then I'm up and then I'm dossing about the day doing bits and bobs, doing a few pts, privates, and then the night time then it's just coming up to the gym. Like I like the through fight mimic my warm up. So I'll I'll loosen the body out. I'll skip, I'll stretch, then I'll skip again, then I'll shadow box, then I'll hit pads. So that's what the session is. It's only like 40 minutes, but it's really really light. And it's only like two intense rounds on pads purely just to turn the engine on, give it a few revs, and then turn it back off. Yeah. No, I know. I get you. And I like the like your side of preparation and then going into it. Does it does it feel any different than than an amateur one? Obviously, you know, mentally like that you're going in, you've got the the longer rounds, but like in the preparation cuz I would assume you would have always trained for your fights kind of the way you're training now or have you kind of ramped it up or or do do you feel much different coming into this than you did in any amateur fights? I feel unusually calm, but I think it's because I've had the like I've had three camps back to back to back with the pro with me to go pro. So, initially when I was first meant to fight Jamie Macdonald and Cage Warriors, I was freaking out like two weeks before. I was like now the he pulled out like three days before. So, I had fully accepted I was going to fight him. So, like it's not that I wasn't going to fight him, but like two weeks before I was freaking out. I was like, "Oh, am I fit enough? Oh, fuck." You know, I was like freaking out. But that's normal, you know, because it was un It was new. It was It was a new territory. And then against Josh Carrick, didn't really feel much like that. Felt calm as well. But then this time around, I feel extremely calm and like it feels no different. It genuinely does. I was thinking of that a few weeks ago. I was like trying to almost visualize like the pro fight and it's like it's the same. It's the same. Yeah, it's a little bit longer, but we've been doing fiveminute rounds since Paul Reds since Redza was in camps. You know what I mean? Back in 2015, 2016 when he was in the UFC. That's how long I've been doing fiveminute rounds in the gym. We only have one. Look, there's no three minute rounds for you boys and five minute rounds for them. It's for Red's just doing five minute rounds. Seriously doing five minute rounds, boys. They're doing five minute rounds. That's what it is. So, I'm well used to fiveminute rounds and I I I don't want to change myself. I'm not going to change myself. I believe fiveminute rounds are going to suit my game so well genuinely because I don't have to rush anymore. I'm a patient person. I'm a very I'm I'm a very like I I if you watch me fight Dave, you see I'm tracking people and I'm It's like I'm stalking you. I'm stalking you and eventually I will get you. And I do believe having the extra six minutes is where you're gonna start to see me put a lot of people away at professional. >> You know what I mean? >> You're gonna get you're gonna get >> what's it? You're gonna get like you're going to get five or six minutes of hard crazy pace and then you're going to see these boys start to wilt and you're going to start to see them to take a step back. And the one thing you can't do against me is take a step back because if I gain that upper hand on you, you're not getting it back. >> Yeah. Yeah, cuz obviously I was up close and personal for the the Kaya fight that time and I've seen other fights as well. I like that you're very surreal. Like you go in, you don't you don't rush, you land the shots when you need to land the shots, but you don't >> go in and get over excited. You can you can >> I've never been and maybe I need to be a bit more like maybe I do need to go. Sometimes it's time to go. But that's purely down to me not wanting to be a big fat heavyweight. I don't want to be a big sloppy fat heavyweight. I don't like that. I love I love I love being slick. I love being That's why I'm called big sexy cuz I love the sex. I love being sexy with me style. I love landing crisp shots. I like picking people apart. That's what I enjoy. And I do enjoy getting into brawls, but I don't want it to be at the start of a fight. I hate looking at heavyweights come out and just start throwing. Like perfect example, the heavyweight fight that was on Cage Warriors during Manchester. I don't know if you caught it, but the two lads and the fight dirty kicky ref the fight was stopped due to exhaustion. Dave, in the second round, the two boys were lying on top of each other. I couldn't get up. Looked like two walruses lying on top of each other covered in baby oil, sliding all over the gap. They couldn't get a hold of each other. You know what I mean? Like, and it's only simply because the two come out and tried to kill each other for the force realm and die to death. That's that's that's that's not me. You know what I mean? That's why I think I am so not in a blade either this way, but people enjoy watch me fight. It's a I'm a popular fighter be without even that being that active. It's because when I fight, it's you're watching you're like any moment this fight can change. You know what I mean? I'm always in that range. I'm never like in that range of like either in real close trying to grapple or out really far trying to avoid fighting. I'm in that danger zone constantly and I have people in that danger zone with me, you know? I think it's only a matter of time before I start to start to catch people clean, you know, and I think I think the longer rounds is going to really really help with that, >> you know. >> I think so too because Solomon Simon uh is is what a prime example when he went from amateur to pro. Not that he he was finishing people. He had a kind of 50/50 amateur record which is fine because he's see all the mistakes that happened there and then he went on >> same as myself. >> Yeah. Then he goes on and say, "Well," and as soon as he hit the five minute rounds, you for me, I seen the difference. And I'm assuming I'm going to see it with you because like that, like I said, you're not a sloppy heavyweight. You go out, you're very technical. You're a [ __ ] K1 champion. You know, you can see it when like I can see your your eyes on K. You were just like that. You boom, boom, boom. When Okay, I'll go back. I'll go back. And then you were just stalking down again into the corner. Boom, boom, boom, boom. Come back. And then he'd come back with some shots. But you you knew you kind of figured and I think the fiveminute rounds will suit you cuz like I said your fitness is is really good and the fact that you can pace yourself like that like you said so you're not like two waluses on the [ __ ] ground like you said. You know what I mean? That's that's that's an icking one like I I that's a pet peeve man. I would like obviously if it's a [ __ ] third round of the fight like and the two of us was at bollocks. Fair enough. But yeah, after getting at least two rounds of high level striking off me, you might get them the third round of me trying to just get this win. Fair enough. You know what I mean? But when lads are going out three minutes into professional fight and that boat breathing out our ass and that dying of death, lads, come on. Like, do you know what I mean? Like people are paying to come watch this. Like what what what are you doing here? You know, that's what that's that's just my view on it, you know? Hope he doesn't come back and bite me in the hole. [laughter] HELLO. [laughter] >> UM, NO. I know. And I do get I like and I can understand. I think sometimes maybe the the event and stuff gets the better of people and because like you look at like the heavyweights now like Tom Asenol obviously he's relinquished the belt but Sir Gan like and obviously Poan moved up. I think he's probably better going down. But everyone's getting more technical now because years ago with the UFC, Evan was like just knocked him out. Whereas then people start seeing the the lower weights being technical and they they just want tech. They want if you're a fight fan, you want a technical fight. Yes. A couple of drinks in you, couple of whisies maybe. Yeah. Those two those two big lads can fight each other. No problem. [laughter] >> Of course. And there is a part of that. You know what I mean? But the technical part I think is where people like bro if it if there's >> I don't know it's it makes you it makes you like you ever see when you watch a fight and you can't believe it's a third round already. >> Yes. >> That's what my fight is. When you when people watch my fights it's like how is it a tour round already? You know what I mean? It's like because you're watching you're fixated on what's happening. It's raising in it. You know because there's so much happening. It's not just a a fat blow plotting forward and then a big 40 second deep breaths and then that and then you know what I mean? It's like I whatever here. You know what I mean? It's like it's movement. It's fainting. It's level changing. It's it's it's changing directions. It's fast explosive combinations, you know what I mean? That you're like, "Whoa, that could have landed." And then you're like, "Right, is the next one going to land?" You know? So, yeah. I think that's why Yeah. I don't know. >> Yeah. Yeah. No, I like cuz like that with your fight like that I was like it's happened to me with a lot of fights where you're like [ __ ] is the third turn down the right cuz I was in cuz you were so locked in. You're so locked in. You're so like laser being focused when you're going forward. I was more I was so focused on you being focused on your opponents and I was like and I'm just like wait and I'm looking for the tell. Is he going to throw is he going to throw a kick now? obviously got like you know the sort of way and I think when you see that kind of technical uh level I think it does kind of bring you suck you in more and get you more kind of okay I need to focus on this um because you don't like that if you throw up a dick you can catch him if you throw a heavy punch you can catch him so I'm like I can't I can't blink here like I I'm here >> yeah because you want to catch everything as well yeah but now being locked that's that's that's something that helps with the calmness you're saying that locked in I locked in lot actually when I watched back that fight I remember you saying that in the commentary that's uh that's something as well that like whenever the nerves come about I've done this so many times now I I can trust my mind and me body that it's going to go like that the second that warm up starts there once I start sweating that's where my mind that's where me eyes go they they lock in like that and what's that to be nervous about you know what I mean like yeah I'm going to be nervous but without nerves without fear we're as good as dead you know what I And like let's be real, like you need it. It's it fuels it. It's how you use it. And when my warm up starts, my nerves are at the worst. And then once I start sweating, there's no nerves anymore. And the And it's like I'm in a time chamber. Before I know it, it's Brian, we're walking in 10. Brian, we're walking in two. Okay, we're walking now. We're in the cage. And then it's just just go. You know what I mean? There's no more thinking. It's pure reactionary. And that's down to training with some of the best lads in the country, you know what I mean? Not only in my gym, but training likes of the lads in FA and all, you know what I mean? And training with some like guys like Will Flurry, Carl Moore, um, all them lads. Like just picking up all little details and tools off them lads and trusting your trusting your body that you've done this so many times. Stop questioning it. It whether you like it or not, you're getting in the cage and you're going to lock in. You know what I mean? So, you don't need to overthink it. And that's where I believe my calmness has come from this week because I I trust the walk and I trust that when I get in that cage, I'm going to be locked in. And if I'm not, well, God bless me. You know what I mean? But I I I am going to be locked in. It's because I've done it. And every night this week, I've hit pads. Within two rounds of hitting pads, the boys are going, "Right, that's enough." Cuz I'm getting that look in me eye and they know it's enough. That's it. You know what I mean? You don't need to go more. >> You're ready, you know. >> So, save it for Sunday. >> Exactly. I I like how you're kind of approaching this as well cuz like I said, all the work is done. All the fights you've had before. There's no point in It's easy for me to say there's no point getting worked up before. Just let the fight week go as it goes. You've your first taper down week. Hopefully, you'll be have a bit more things to keep you occupied next time so you don't try to go back training. Uh but yeah. >> Yeah. But I I'll be more used to I'd say and stuff like that, you know. >> Yeah. >> Cuz it's the first time for everything is is strange. It could mean overwhelming, underwhelming depending on it's it's new. So you're just like what do I do? It's like when you go into something for the first time, you're just like the [ __ ] do I do here? But look, I'm really looking forward to your fight this weekend. I'm really uh glad that you have your professor debut eventually. Is there anything you'd like to say before you go or anyone you'd like to shout out? And thank you so much for your time. >> Thanks very much, Dave. Um, I just like to shout out all my teammates in team line on me coaches. I'd like to shout out big boss Andy. I want to shout out Collie and DCA. I want to shout out Big Derby, James Sheen, Graham Sheen, and Big Yogi. All the boys in the gym, you know, the lads that have just pushed me to the limits in this camp that I've never been pushed to, bro. I've genuinely I've never felt as [ __ ] at MMA than I ever in me life in this camp. And that's that that's a good thing because the lads have just pushed me so so so far into into me depths, you know, that I've been forced to become a new person and a new fighter. And I'm really looking forward to going out and showing that on Sunday. And um yeah, and I want to just shout out everybody that's coming to the show. You know, it's a it's been sold out nearly three weeks, four weeks. You know, there's people still ringing me even today being like, "Did you get tick more tickets?" Like I'm like the tickets are gone. You know what I mean? What do you want me to do? I can't print more. You know what I mean? Buy the pay-per-view. Um like I think clams are very happy with that big Paul's chuffed. I think he's already he was already ringing me there a few weeks ago going how you fix March. I was like you let me get through this big dirty mold and force you you mad [ __ ] Excuse me language. You know what I mean? Let me get through this mold and fell for and then we can talk. You know what I mean? I think I think he's been happy with the ticket sales and all that and you know it's good. It's going to be some night. Um yeah, great. And of course I want to shout out my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Jay's up for Jesus, baby. Jay's up for Jesus. Let's go. >> Absolutely love it. >> I absolutely love it. But look, I got to let you go. Thank you for your time, especially so close to the fight. Uh best of skill this weekend. I will be watching and enjoy the rest of your day, bro. All right. >> You too, Dave. Have a great day, bro. All right. >> Thank you. >> Thank you.