Beautiful Loser

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Combat Confidential #033 Beautiful Loser | Vicky Ochala In this episode of Combat Confidential, we sit down with Irish K1 kickboxer Vicky Ochala — one of the most active and exciting female strikers on the Irish combat sports scene. Originally from Poland and raised in Ireland…

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Go backidential. Let's go. All right, everyone. Welcome back to Combat Confidential. Today's guest is well, I got a little short little intro here. Um she's a K1 kickboxer out of team KF. Um she's very active on the the Irish scene. Uh they have multiple regional titles if I'm correct. Um you're known for your kind of high pressure main card matchups. Uh you 55ish kg. Where do you >> 57 58 now gone to? Yeah. I thought 60 I have 55 to 61 here. Um >> 55 to 10 >> which is Yeah. Um so you you've kind of you've built your career so far through like steady constant competition. You're you're always uh uh active. Um you're one of the standout female strikers in the country at the moment. Um so everyone please welcome Miss Vicki Ochala to the to the podcast. >> Thank you. >> Thanks for taking this. It was uh it was a short notice one for you. So, I really appreciate it. >> Yeah, anytime. >> Delighted to be here. >> And uh fun news uh as of today of today's recording, Valentine's Day. Um today marks 9 years that I've uh been living here in Ireland that I moved here. >> Really? >> Nine years. Today, uh I left uh what was the great country of America, United States. It's a bit of a >> heavy looks back. >> Yeah. No, >> not much lately. Um, but yeah, know it's been it's been nine years and it's uh >> it's been great. I've been so happy that I moved here. >> Yeah, you achieved so much. >> Um, yeah. And, uh, I've gotten >> gotten to do so many things that I don't think I would have ever have done had I not moved here. So, um, yeah. All right, enough about me. >> We're here to to learn more about yourself. Yeah. >> All right. So, the first thing we're going to do >> um, >> is just a little bit of a kind of a get to know you. Yeah. Um just quick answer questions. First thing that kind of comes to your mind um you know just say it. Um so uh the most important one, coffee or tea? >> Tea. >> Tea. >> With milk. >> With milk. >> Yeah. >> No sugar. >> No sugar. >> All right. Good. At least there's at least there's that. >> You ever drink it black or? >> Uh not tea. I'd have my coffee black, but yeah. Recently I've been actually put off coffee a little bit. Really? >> Yeah. I've been drinking decaf. >> Okay. Really? >> Yeah. Um I I've I've uh been fasting a lot recently and I've been drinking a ton of coffee. >> Yeah. How's the fasting going? It's >> good. Uh 26 days straight so far. >> Nice. >> Um 17 to 18 hours. >> So intermittent fasting. >> Yeah. 17 to 18 hours uh a day. Um and then I usually just eat one big meal. >> Yeah. >> When I break it and then a little bit for dinner. Yeah. I've done nothing else with my lifestyle and I've already I'm already down like almost five kilos. >> I've heard really good stuff about fasting. Yeah, >> definitely recommend it. >> Yeah. >> Um Oh, yeah. Sorry, my point there was a black coffee. >> Yeah, >> it's great, isn't it? >> It is now. I never liked it before. Um but it is now. It's nice. >> Yeah, the black coffee is when I That's a weight cut thing for me. I mean, the caffeine it is, it's nice cuz it definitely helps curb that uh that appetite, but uh it just sucks when it's uh you know, 9:00 at night and I'm hungry and I can't really drink coffee. >> Um okay. Sweet or savory? >> Uh savory. >> Yeah, same. >> Same. Same. Uh morning workout or evening? >> Uh depends on the day. I think morning. Mhm. >> Morning. >> Yeah, >> I'm kind of the same. >> Yeah, it just gets you going for the day. feels so good afterwards. >> I have a hard time going to sleep after. >> Yeah. Yeah. >> You two kind of wound up. >> Uh, it's fun one. Are you good at keeping secrets? >> Yeah. >> Yeah. >> Yeah. He can trust me. >> Prove it. What's one secret you haven't said? >> I can't tell you. >> Very good. No. Uh, I would I think I'd be pretty good about it, too. But also, um, don't tell me anything you don't want my wife to know. >> Yeah. >> So, >> it doesn't include that one person. >> Yeah. She's cut out of it. Um, where was I? Do you like surprises? You like being surprised? >> I like being surprised. Yeah. >> Okay. Um are you do you like to plan things out or are you kind of the last minute person? >> Oh, I'm a bit of both. Like I'm an organized mess. So um yeah, I need to have a plan for the week, but at the same time very last minute with a lot of things. >> Right on. >> Very Sometimes I'm a bit scared. So >> same same. >> Yeah. >> Um is luck real? Look. >> Yeah. >> Yes and no. >> Yeah. >> I think in some cases luck could be on your side, but I think hard work and everything you do leads you up to whatever you you're looking to looking to achieve or if you're looking to, you know, get somewhere. Yeah. >> Yeah. No, I I I believe in like dumb luck. >> Yeah. >> You know, things that just kind of just happen. And then um I think like most luck most the thing that most people confuse with luck is like the what's the saying? Um, uh, luck is when preparation meets opportunity. >> I think that's what a lot of people >> consider luck. But, uh, >> yeah. >> Yeah. >> I think for luck, you need to kind of work for it to look to to work for you, you know? You need to put the work in and make it happen in the way that you want it to happen. >> Absolutely. >> Yeah. >> Um, would you rather never use social media again or never watch TV? >> Never use social media again. >> Yeah. Yeah. >> I don't even watch TV, but I think I'd agree. >> I I love a bit of Desperate Housewives. >> Oh, really? >> Social media is so It's so toilet bowlable these days. >> It is. Yeah. Like if I wasn't a fighter, I wouldn't have it. But yeah. >> Yeah. It's one of the things you need to have as a fighter nowadays. >> Desperate Housewives. >> Desperate Housewives. I'm telling you now. >> Okay. I I remember when that came out. >> Goodness. When was that? Was it like early 2000s, wasn't it? >> Yeah. So good. was all the rage. Um, >> would you rather live in the city or the countryside? >> The countryside. >> Yeah. >> Yeah. >> Same. >> I'd love to like have a house on the side of a mountain or >> Yeah. >> Yeah. >> I always say uh anywhere I can get Amazon at least an Amazon delivery at least once a week. >> It's okay then. >> Yeah. Yeah. That's fine. And internet. >> Yeah. >> Um All right. Last one here. Uh, what motivates you more? Like fear of failure or like your desire to succeed? >> That's a good one. I think I think both, but um maybe like letting myself down. I think that's the biggest one. Um I think motivation to succeed though because if you succeed in one thing, what else can you do, you know? True. >> Opens up all the other doors. Has there has there ever been like a a time where you've kind of like failed and then you just thought like this is the end? >> Yeah, of course. Like I've anyone who fights understands like the losses hurt so much as a fighter. So there are a few losses I took that really really hurt but and you think it's the end. Your heart's like ripped out of your chest and it feels like a heartbreak but actually it just pushes you to get better. Um, you know, it's just like after the rain comes the sun. Yeah. And sometimes you need to feel a lot of that just to motivate you even more. >> Do you think uh like time kind of helped you over kind of overcome the failure or was it you just being able to work through it? >> Yeah. Um, definitely time, but also just like self-belief and the way you talk to yourself and learning what happened and what went wrong and making sure that doesn't happen again. But I think like every loss you take, whether it's in life or in a fight, it's so important because you need to like you need to feel them emotions to move forward. Otherwise, you're just going to be in the same place your whole life, you know? >> Absolutely. Yeah. Yeah. >> Um, okay. So, here, look, uh, I want to I want to take it back a few years. I know you're still young yourself. You're only 20 >> 24 next year. >> 24 23. I was 24 next year. Uh, so you're still quite you're still quite young. Yeah. >> Um, you know, like, and I know, and for those astute, uh, podcast subscribers, you already know this. Um, I've done a short little video on you before. Um, so maybe you already kind of know some of this. Um, but, you know, take us back to the beginning, you know, when you were that tall. And like, what was it? Uh, you know, what was it like growing up? Um, you know, what was your kind of what was your home life home life situation like? Uh, okay. So, um, so I'm originally Polish. So, my family moved over from Poland when I was three. Um, so I suppose like we were immigrants, so it's it was a hard enough. >> Were you born here or? >> No. No. I moved here when I was three. >> Um, so it was quite tough um, in some ways, but like I had a beautiful childhood and it was filled with so much love and like the best memories ever. Um, so I did judo when I was out. I started judo about five. Um, and my dad was a judo as well. Um, my mom wasn't in the sport, but she was always supporting us no matter what. Um, so yeah, I was competing in judo. I was just training. I loved the sport. Um, and I'd stay on and watch my dad train and then we'd come home and we'd do a bit of training. We'd had maths in the house. Um, so yeah, it was like it was a great childhood. There's nothing I can nothing bad I can say about it. Um, but when I was seven, he passed away very suddenly. So that was kind of like a bit of a turning point. Um, but yeah, after that obviously like that was quite traumatic as a child, but I still like stuck to judo and I still trained and my mom still made me go every, you know, I remember it to be Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday and that was just you go, you train and it became an outlet for me and obviously like training with people. It's a male-dominated sport, but I found so many friends and, you know, motivation. Yeah. So, that's kind of my childhood. Um, and then going into teenage years, I kept at judo. I watched her resi and I was like, I really want to meet her one day. >> Yeah. I think she inspired like so many not women in general but like just people or sorry people in general but especially a lot of women to uh to entertain the idea of >> participating. Yeah, she was so cool back in the day like she was a judo, you know, in Olympian and everything. So um yeah, when I was a kind of going into my teen years, I really really wanted to like do MMA, but my mom was kind of against it. She was she didn't want me taking shots to the head. >> Yeah, fair enough. >> Yeah. Yeah. So, I kind of was like trying to get her to get me to go boxing. That was a no-go as well. So, um yeah, I was sticking at judo. I was on the Irish team at one stage, but I was quite young and just with how things turned out, it was quite expensive to keep doing it and for a single mom to like pay for it and stuff. >> Yeah, >> it was quite hard. So, uh yeah, I kind of I fell out of it and like I had this dream to become a professional judoka um fight in the Olympics and like at one stage I was willing to move to Poland and fight for Poland because it is like not as developed in Ireland as it is in Poland. Um but yeah, something kind of yeah, it just didn't work out. So, I fell out of it and then I was really kind of lost for a few years. Um, I was still going to the gym, but I went to I met actually a friend from judo in the gym and he invited me over here and he said I'd love it and I came and then I just Yeah. At 19 I fell in love with the sports, with jiu-jitsu, with kickboxing, with all of it. >> Right on. Right on. Um, taking it back a little bit again around the the the time your like when your when your father passed away like what was it like did this or did combat sports did judo like did that really kind of help you you know move through it or like like uh like ser like that's traumatic for anyone to have to deal with their you know their father passing away but uh especially you know so young like uh you know how did >> you know com sports kind of help you through that? Yeah. >> Or did it or what what did >> uh it definitely helped me like I was kind of going between emotions of anger and sadness and you know but at the same time living a life of a child and >> uh it definitely helped deal with a lot of them emotions and kind of take my mind off what what happened you know so it definitely it helped it helped a lot um and it gave me kind of a routine and it gave me like sense of stability. Yeah. Um, and that was thanks to my mom. Like, it's only because of her that, you know, she'd come home from work and she'd drive me to training and she made it her mission to do that. Um, and I think that like stuck with me a lot for as a grownup because yeah, seeing her devotion to like push to make sure I have all of that and make sure I have like these good people around me and these coaches and people that I have respect for and I'm learning from. Yeah, that kind of that taught me a lot. growing up, she always pushed she always put me and my sister first and she always >> pushed for us to have better and to do better and you know >> I think growing up with that and seeing how she's doing it and what she's doing to keep improving to keep to make sure that we're okay to make like all of that >> stuck I think with me and my sister >> like the values and teachings that your mom Yeah uh clearly had uh she had in herself like what was it that you know what what of that has stuck with you you know now >> I think uh yeah know a lot of it has stuck has stuck with me like um I think like we're very alike but we're also very different in many ways but a lot of the things we have in common is like that push to be better that push to keep improving to keep wanting to improve as well like not >> like life is hard for everyone so it's kind of about deciding okay Well, do I want to settle where I am or do I want to work on and get better and you know provide for my like for in her case it's provide for my family and make sure that they can do all the stuff that they want to do. But it definitely all stuck with me like uh last year at the end of the year me and my mom were talking. We were kind of looking back on the year that I had with fighting and finishing college and everything that came after that. And it was cons like constantly go. It was like just get the job done, get your assignments done, you know, finish college, get your cuz I did art, so it was a degree show. Um, apply for this, apply for that, train for this. And I think a big thing that I picked up from her was like that that drive to not stop. >> But it can be a good thing and a bad thing. Like it just, you know, it depends how how far you take it. >> That's good. uh you know it's a a drive to you know continue doing more and not kind of like settling or getting comfortable where you're at. It's definitely good. It's definitely good to do that when while you're so young and you have energy and time >> Yeah. >> on your on your side. Um, was there was there anyone like in your family that kind of, you know, maybe tried to fill in aside from your mother for your father or like did you how did like did you or sorry did you have like other family that kind of like >> Yeah. So my dad's brother actually came over and helped us for a few years which was like a big thing big help for us. Um, and then I had this uncle who he actually lived here, but he was the one who introduced me to the gym. So when I was 13, 14, yeah, he brought me over to a gym. He was a bodybuilder and he he loved sports when he was younger, but he was he was a bodybuilder at this stage. And he brought me into this real bodybuilder macho gym. Um, and I kind of learned how to lift weights and, you know, like do simple stuff like squat, but it was amazing. because I built such a strong basis from my like for technique and muscles. So >> I was going to the gym with him I think for about three or four years. >> Um so that was like a big help for me because it kind of took me away from what people were doing. So you're 14 15 people are starting to drink and stuff. Um >> kept you out of trouble and kind of kept you on a positive path. >> Yeah. And it was actually he was actually like a friend to me as well, so I'd like open up to him if I had a crush or something, you know, like it was just it was just it was really nice. >> That's cool. It's good to it's good to have someone it's always good to have um an adult kind of outside of your immediate family growing up like that. >> Um >> that's good. So um like so speaking of like you know trying to like stand like a >> you know a straight narrow path. Yeah. you know, when when you were younger, especially like teenagers, did you have any friends that you maybe like you were kind of growing up with and you saw that they were maybe not headed in the >> the best direction? >> Yeah, of course. Like I think uh like it's funny cuz we all sit down every so often like we met up for Christmas, we're looking back and we're like >> I think at one stage we all had like a bit of a a bit of a bend off the path. Yeah. Um I definitely did and I definitely like made made my own mistakes. Like I >> Yeah. >> You know, I still had like times where I got in trouble and I did stuff I wasn't meant to do. But >> yeah, I think lesson >> how do you keep like those mistakes from kind of being your identity? Because I know especially kids these days like they >> I shouldn't say these days but kids in general like they you know uh when they're young and they make mistakes they think it >> they think it's like everything you know. So, like, how did you keep that from, you know, consuming you? >> Yeah, that's a good question. I feel like, um, when you're so young, it's so easy for these problems to consume you and to like be so big, but like in the grand scheme of things really nothing nothing matters. Like it's it's like it's a good Yeah. Like people forget, you know, everyone's so busy with their own lives and stuff, but um the biggest thing you can do is not repeat it. >> Yeah. you know, and that's not >> kind of learn from your mistakes. >> Your identity is built by a repetition of whether it's patterns or actions. So, >> you're not your mistakes. >> Yeah. Exactly. You just need to move forward from it. >> Absolutely. Yeah. Yeah. Um, so in like did you start taking you know like your your combat sports career a bit more seriously when you in your teenage years or how how when did you kind of really you know know you were going to kind of buckle down and >> Yeah. Well, the minute I came the moment I came into into KF I was like >> yeah I love this so much. So um I kind of seen a future in it as soon as I started but it was a case of what was it a case it was a case of like there's so many things pulling me so there was college there was my friends and at that time >> yeah I didn't have my party sets thing but I kind of I kind of knew from the minute I started it I was like I really I really want to do this I want to have a future in this like this is going back to when I was you know 15 16 and I was dreaming about being in the Olympics. So this is kind of like a second chance at that, you know. Um but I think a year into training I was like yeah I can do this. >> How close are you? So you said that um you know you had considered moving back to Poland uh to you know to train to go to the Olymp How close were you to actually doing that? >> Yeah pretty close. Like we were looking at colleges for me in Poland. Yeah cuz my mom was like she was very strict on no sports career if there's no college degree. Yeah. So, and I'm really grateful for that because yeah, growing up, anything can happen and take you out of a sports career. >> Absolutely. Yeah. >> Yeah. But um I was pretty close to it and >> don't know why I didn't go for it, but stuff started like falling out of place here and yeah, stuck here. >> Yeah, I went to college here. And >> when you were younger and after your after your dad had passed away, was there ever uh did your family ever consider moving back? >> Uh I don't think so, actually. No, I think um we were pretty settled here and life was quite tough like in Poland from what I can hear from my family. So I think yeah, it was just we're going to stay here. >> Right on. Right on. >> Do you go Do you visit Poland at all? >> Yeah, I try to go as often as I can. Sometimes I'll go right after a fight to just like decompress and yeah, take myself away from, you know. >> Do you speak Polish? >> Yeah, I try to speak Polish. >> Oh, that's cool. Yeah, >> that's cool. I always envy people who uh can speak more than one language because I barely have a grasp of this one. >> Yeah. >> Yeah. Know that's cool. Are there similarities between Polish language? No, >> it's one of It's so hard. >> What's it uh is there another language that it's quite close to or related to? >> Uh I'm not too sure like sometimes I can understand Ukrainian speaking. Not Ukrainians. It's definitely >> check or something. I can sometimes like make out words, but it's a tough >> tough language. Yeah. Reading it. >> Yeah. It's a tough language for a tough people because I know the uh >> the Polish have a mentality. Yeah. >> Yeah. They're very tough. >> Um Oh, that's cool. Um yeah, like uh I've been learning Spanish for like 10 years. >> Oh, really? How's it going? >> I can read it pretty well, but that's about it. Um >> that's that's something though. >> Yeah. I mean, it's not nothing, but uh >> speak it if I was to ask you something. >> Not well. Not well. Um but I can I can only read at like a like a first year level maybe. >> That's I mean, yeah, I guess it's not terri Well, probably a little bit better actually. But uh yeah, but um >> I don't know. I've never actually used it before, but like I said, that's that's awesome. Has uh has it ever been um uh has it ever I don't want to say have you ever used it like has it ever like you found it where it's been like very helpful to understand obviously in Poland but just in your everyday life. >> Um yeah like I think the the best thing that I've used it for is to communicate with my family. >> Yeah. >> Yeah. Cuz they don't speak English. >> Okay. >> Yeah. That's kind of it. You never hear anyone in town talking >> Sometimes you do. Yeah. And you're like that's what I'm like, right? I can't focus on this conversation. I'll focus on that one. >> That's very cool. No, that's one reason why I wish uh I could speak another language just to Yeah. be nosy. >> Although one time I was in New York and um I was in New York City with a friend of mine or a couple with some friends of mine and they spoke Spanish >> and um what was it? We we were there was someone harassing us to take um >> one of those carriages or whatever. >> Yeah. And um you know they were speaking Spanish to each other saying like you know this guy's out of his mind like he's crazy. We're not paying this crap. Um and like I was able to pick up some of it you know but then uh the guy who was hassling us he was I think it was Puerto Rican and he knew everything they were saying and then he came back at them was like hey ladies like I know what you're saying. >> I can hear you. It was pretty funny. >> Calling you out. >> Yeah. >> Yeah. Um, okay. So, let's talk about your kind of your your your fight career here. What was the what was the first fight for you where >> it was kind of a big deal? Like it felt like it felt like >> uh you know not necessarily consequences. >> Yeah. >> But like you know there was you know >> you felt a bit of pressure to perform. >> Uh so that was my fourth fight. >> Your fourth fight. >> My fourth fight was a semi-pro fight. >> Yeah. >> Yeah. Oh my god, it was something. >> How long ago was that? >> That was uh two three years ago. >> Yeah, >> two years ago. >> I don't know. It was the f it was a Valkyrie show anyway. >> Okay. >> But it was Yeah. So I had my first fight within like six months of training. So I kind of went into that one and I like I really enjoyed it. But I didn't know what to expect. I've never been to a show. Second fight that was a win. Third fight was a win. and my coach is like, "Hey, >> you're you're ready." Like, >> yeah. >> And yeah, so semipro and K1 means that there's no shin pads and it's professional rules. So, it was a big step up. Um, and I was quite I was actually really nervous for that one. And I used to struggle a lot with like the mental side of fighting, so the nerves. And everyone gets bad thoughts, but you know, just controlling them bad thoughts. And for this one specifically, it was the fact that I could get hurt and just doubting myself if I'm even good enough like like I was and I could have if I believed in myself, but I just like I didn't believe in myself at all. So, and the pressure from that as well being a semi-profile I Yeah, that was hard. >> What did did you uh were able how were you able to kind of overcome that? Um yeah, so overcoming >> or did you? >> I actually you just kind of went with it. >> Yeah, I kind of struggled with it a little bit for a while. That was like the first loss I took and it kind of took me by surprise. Like I never felt that before. Like my first few fights were were clear wins and you know good performances. So that one hurt a lot. Um, and I kind of carried it into the next fight then because that self-doubt that I was going into the that semi-pro fight with just like stuck on to me and the loss made made it even bigger and yeah um it was it was a challenging time like that's when I that was one of the times where I was like I don't know if I'm going to bounce back for this or if I even want to bounce back from this. Um and then that again carried into the next fight. So that was the third fight I had that year and it was another loss. So that was three losses in a row. So after that I was just absolutely heartbroken and yeah I was like yeah I just I remember just crying in the car and like thinking it's the end of the world and >> it it's good I think to have >> it is good to have losses I think everyone everyone should learn how to lose >> 100% learn how to lose gracefully you know um because there's some >> some losers out there and I don't mean that in like a >> derogatory way but like there's some that don't like they don't know how to lose and it clearly shows and their attitude and you know and uh so I definitely think especially it's probably a good thing to learn young too. >> 100%. >> You know >> Yeah. >> Even if you're not going to be a professional fighter. >> Yeah, of course. >> Um to learn how to lose >> can definitely aid you in, you know, a regular career. >> Yeah. Like losses are a big part of life whether it's like a job or a partner like a breakup. It could be anything. It could be even like friendship breakup. Yeah, >> it's all it's all just a big part of life. But I think that's when you learn the most about yourself. Like for me, it was the hardest time, but it was also like the most character building time for me. Um, and at the end of the day, like what we were talking about a year or two later, it just it doesn't matter, you know, like this thing that was so big in my life and >> so sad about and like I base my personality off it. It just like, okay, you lose. Someone may might see it on Instagram and scroll past it, but it's not. >> Yeah. It's not the end of the world at all, but it's it's hard when you're in that position because, you know, it's the only thing that that >> it's the only thing that matters to you. Yeah. Yeah. No, I I get it for sure. >> Yeah. If it matters, it means you care. So, it's it's never a bad thing. But, yeah, you definitely learn the most from a loss. >> Talk to me about your first fight. >> Did Did you Did Was that like your idea? Did someone kind of like, "Hey, you should do this." And you're like, "Okay." Or like what was that like? um my coach. So I was training I think about six months I'd say and he comes up and he like VV Vicki you ready to fight? It was a test >> and I said yeah and he was like right that's what I want to hear. So I think he put my name into a matchup into I think it might it wasn't Valkyries maybe it was but it was in the complex and I had no clue what to expect like I I mean I've never been to a K1 show. I've never been to an A fight never. I didn't even know that there was a stage involved and lights. So, the setup that I was fighting on was actually amazing. Like, it was uh you walk up onto a stage in the middle of the of the hall in the complex and there's like loads of lights as there is on every show. But I just didn't expect it and even when he was asking for my song, I was like, "What's this song for?" >> That's funny. >> Yeah. So, I walked out to the Prodigy and it was so fun. Like I didn't I watch it back sometimes. >> Yeah. >> It's so messy. Yeah. It was just um I remember getting hit for the first time that hard and I just remember thinking, "Right, it's on." Like, "This girl hit me. She's getting it." Yeah. >> In my last fight, I remember I got I got hit in the face and I'm like, "Ah, this isn't for me." >> Really? >> Yeah. Right right in the middle. I'm like, "This isn't for me." >> And when she hit me, I remember being like, "Right." Mhm. I I remember being thinking I was like I'm how was I like 30 I'm 34 years old. Why am I doing this to myself? >> Yeah, fair enough. >> You know, and then uh Yeah, it it Yeah. And then it ended and I'm like thank god. >> Yeah. >> Yeah. You do have them them fights sometimes. >> Yeah. >> Yeah. It was the longest like what is it? Two trees. Three twos. Was the longest six minutes ever of your life, isn't it? >> Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. >> Especially like I didn't expect that at all. I didn't expect it to be so start feel your lungs burning and everything and Yeah. But I loved it. I loved it so much. >> My first two fights were different. I never I didn't take a ton of damage in them. >> Yeah. >> That's good. >> Yeah. Well, yeah. But uh um Yeah. No, I was kind of the same way with you. Like I had no idea what to expect going into it, but it was I was so thankful I did. I was I was wasn't like I wouldn't say I was scared but like >> if you would have given me an option like an out. >> Yeah. >> Might have might have went with it. You know what I mean? Just cuz I didn't I didn't know what to expect and then I'm like >> Yeah. But I'm so happy I I went through with it. >> Yeah. I actually I agree with you. I used to feel like that about fights where I used to be like >> I hope someone pulls out but it's not me. I'm not pulling out. But yeah, I did have a few a few of them where like I just did it. >> Really? >> Yeah. But >> was it the was it like the opponent or was it just kind of like the idea of getting into a fight or >> the idea of Yeah. the idea of getting into a fight? Like I never ever I never been like scared of my opponents or I never really had the thought. The semi-pro was the first one where I was like, "Right, I can get hurt in a fight." But I never actually had a fear of getting hurt. >> Yeah. >> I just I had a fear of not showing up for myself and Yeah. being disappointed in myself after. >> Okay. >> After after tasting the losses on I was like I don't want to feel this again. >> What um do you do you usually have a like a big crowd that's there for you at your fights? >> Not really. No. I'm Yeah. >> I I'm not really mad about a crowd. >> No. >> No. Even my first few fights I wouldn't want. >> Do you not tell people about your fights? >> Yeah. No, I wouldn't. Yeah. My mom would know and then like two or three of my friends. But >> promoters don't want to hear that. >> But that's back in the day. That's that's 2020 something. >> Um but yeah. No, now I kind of like I'll invite people, but I think I think like the people who want to be there will be there and we'll make the effort to be there. So yeah. Is it important for you to have like certain people there or >> Yeah. I I love seeing my mom and my sister in the crowd. Um yeah, that's like no matter who's in my corner, no matter who's like it's it's always the same people in my corner, but sometimes in the middle of the fight, I'll just make eye contact with my mom and >> Yeah. >> Yeah. It's usually in between rounds and I'm like, "Right, it's it's okay. Like I'm safe." So >> that's good. Yeah, >> that's cool. That's interesting like that you're able to pick people out of the crowd like that. Like >> Yeah. I always look out where they are where they're sitting when I'm walking out. >> Fair enough. That makes sense. >> I'm like right. >> Yeah. >> I know. It's like in this direction, you know? >> Yeah. >> Can you hear um what should I say? Like can you hear yourself think in like in the middle of a >> in a fight in the middle of a round? Like can you like are can you talk to yourself? >> Yeah. >> Or like are you able to >> Yeah. Can you hear yourself? Can you think through things? Or is everything just kind of like instinctual? >> Uh, a lot of it's instinctual, but I've gotten a lot better with uh like controlling my thoughts and talking to myself in a manner that I want to hear. Like if Yeah, I can definitely like I've definitely gotten better at like Here we go. I see. >> Is it falling down? Yeah. look like you're now you don't have to. >> Yeah. Um yeah, I've definitely gotten better at talking to myself in fights and kind of realizing what's happening and just being being a lot more present. Like that was the bigger thing that I used to struggle with. So sometimes when Yeah, perfect. Um, so yeah, sometimes if I was even like, you know, yourself if you're getting hit in a fight, it might not be a damaging shot. It might not even, you know, you might be winning, but sometimes getting hit, you're like, you feel it and it feels worse than it actually is. And then you'll have one thought, you'll have a second thought of like, oh, I'm not doing so well. Oh, and that spirals into something else. And yeah, I think I've gotten a lot better at controlling that and understanding that the other person's feeling the same thing. So yeah, that definitely makes it better. >> That's good. That's Yeah. No, definitely the uh sometimes I think it'd be easy to forget that uh you're you're fa you're facing an actual human. >> Yeah. >> You know, and uh you know, they're they're running through kind of the same emotions that uh Exactly. >> you're probably feeling as well. >> I always Yeah. >> Especially even like out of the out of the cage or out of the ring. >> I always say this to someone who's fighting. It's like you feel nervous, but they feel nervous, too. Like you're scared. They're just as scared. It's all about who who controls it better and who who understands themselves better and who's able to like it's all about control. >> Yeah. Okay. Um I was going to say um like what training wise like what what do you do first of all? What's your favorite thing to train? Like what do you what do you come in here and you're what what are you excited to do? >> I love sparring. >> Yeah. >> I love sparring. Yeah. Okay, >> that's my favorite. So, that's on a Tuesday, sometimes on a Wednesday as well. And then, yeah, I love love sparring. Um, I love doing boxing as well. So, I have been working with a boxing coach for my last few camps. And I just love it. Like, I love learning the tiny tiny details of boxing and, you know, putting your feet with your hands and like learning these tiny details that you might just overlook. Yeah. >> But, it makes your Yeah. Makes you so much sharper. Yeah. >> What's your least favorite thing to train then? >> Um, funny enough, I don't really like pads. >> Well, you know. Yeah. You know, I'd always feel awkward doing them. >> Yeah. >> It's just my own uncoordinated self, but uh >> Yeah. >> Yeah. >> I just They always They tire you out so much. >> Do you do you shadow box? Do you like shadow boxing? >> Yeah. I really Yeah. Hitting the bag. I'm kind of met about, but I love shadow boxing. >> I hate it. It just feel awkward. >> Yeah, shadow boxing. I love when I can like move around and you know um yeah kind of get creative but I feel like with a bag you're just stuck in front of the bag in a way like you can angle off and stuff but yeah >> at least with the bag you're hitting something. Yeah >> rather than air. >> But um yeah. So like on on those on those days where you know you got to come in and you got to do pads like what how do you how do you stay you know motivated to do it? Anyone can be that's just excuse me how do you stay disciplined to continue to come in because anyone can be motivated. >> Yeah. >> But motivation you know kind of wears out. >> So like how do you maintain that discipline to come in and do these hard training sessions on things you don't really want to do. >> Yeah. Uh, I think like you said, anyone can be motivated and anyone can do it, but what separates you from the best is whether you do it on your bad days or whether you know, not you're not always going to have good days. And sometimes sometimes you need to take a day off, but sometimes you just need to show up for yourself. And I think I said this to you before, like showing up at 30% or 40% is better than not showing up at all. >> Yes. >> Yeah. >> Yeah. >> Yeah. That's like one of my favorite things. >> It is. That's That's a good one. >> Yeah. Even just 10%. >> Even just 10%. Even if you come down and stretch >> like you're and do three rounds of shadow box and you're you're in that mindset and you've showed up for yourself. I think like if you let yourself down over and over, that will show in your fights. >> Yeah. >> Not just physically, but mentally. >> Absolutely. >> Yeah. But >> it'll creep into other things as well in your life. >> Exactly. Yeah. Obviously, combat sports is extremely important in your in your life, >> you know, in kind of your day-to-day. What would you be doing? What do you where do you think you would be at if you know when when you were when you were younger, you know, say you're after your father passed away, say you you quit, like where do you think you'd be at now? Like, how do how do you think things would turn out? >> I don't actually I don't know because it's a good question. I think it could have went either way for me. Like I have a drive in me to push and to do what I want to do. But I think I actually like combat sports has helped me deal with everything in my life so much that without it I think I would have been very lost and I think I would have been on the wrong path. Like I think I really would have been struggling. Um like for me it's more than just showing up to training. It's having an outlet to or sometimes it's an escape from my emotions. Like for me, when I do when I'm in training downstairs, when we're doing technique or when we're doing pads or if I'm doing, you know, my SNC in my spare time, it's a meditation almost and it takes me away from what's going on. And sometimes all that stuff that you don't even know is internally going on, >> you know, you're you're occupying yourself and you're doing something good for yourself that shows with time. Um so I think I def I don't know if I would have I don't know if I would have been on the right path if yeah if I didn't have it >> is um like so on that similar train of thought like uh you know say you whatever the reason is you can no longer compete what what would >> you're still young which is very fortunate like what would you do to fill this void like uh or career-wise what would you do? >> Yeah. Uh, so I graduated in fine arts last year and uh I was like I did pretty well when it came to finishing college. So I definitely would dive deeper into that. Like that was like my grad show. >> It was done really well. Yeah, >> but I was still fighting. So, >> okay, >> I kind of like there's a part of me that's quite curious as to if I didn't have fighting and I would put 100% of myself into arts, what could I achieve, you know, if I've achieved so much already. But, um, >> to be taping bananas to walls or something. I'd be I don't know what I'd be doing. >> Painting the canvas white. >> Yeah. Yeah. There's there's a guy I think they painted I think the the piece was called Take the Money and Run. >> Oh. Um, and it was it was a I want he either painted the canvas white or he painted it blue. One or the other. >> And then like that was his his piece. >> Yeah. >> But it was titled Take the Money and Run because you'd pay a stupid amount of money to do it. >> Yeah. >> Yeah. Some of them high-end pieces are crazy. >> Yeah. >> H Yeah. We're putting a chair into a room. Like we were learning about them in in college and we were just like >> the whole modern art thing. You know how that came about? Well, I would think you would know, but do you know? >> It's a Yeah, we had to do a few classes on it in college. >> All right, you can correct me because I learned this from Joe Rogan. Um, he Okay, so the and I I did a little of my own research. Um, apparently it came about um what was it during like the the Cold War era when they were trying to get um I'm going to butcher this. uh trying to get American artists to compete with the Russian Soviet artists. >> The Soviets. Yeah. >> And then to create like a medium that was, you know, considered like superior because apparently the like the Soviet arts at the time was fantastic. >> Um >> it was very limited Soviet art. >> Yeah. Or I should say like pre-soviet like the like so the Yeah. The Russian >> the Lennon time. No, like uh before the uh before the Soviets. I don't know what any of that's called. Um again, I'm butchering this. You know what? I'm gonna edit all this out. >> No, but basically it was uh it was like the whole modern art thing was just kind of like a it was a CIA op. >> Oh, really? >> Yeah. That's what I is my understanding of it because uh like the the CIA funded a lot of these um >> uh modern art artists to kind of create these >> that's fair Joe Rogan >> wild and well there's there's a bit of truth to it because like there's actual like uh uh like declassified CA documents that kind of that really suggested that they did stuff like this like that like because there were some of these artists like they were on their payroll. >> Yeah. >> You know, so but yeah. >> Yeah. I wouldn't even be surprised if the CIA Yeah. >> Yeah. Not not these days. Everything we're learning these days like, oh my goodness. >> Yeah. >> Yeah. >> Yeah. >> But anyway, enough of that. You I I would say you probably have a a more um you're probably listening to me like, "This guy's an idiot." >> Uh no, there's probably some truth to it. We were learning. Yeah. We we had to do a lot of like art history and contemporary art history. So we'd be going into like the historical aspect of it and you know the theoretical and stuff. Yeah. >> Who's your do you have like a favorite artist? >> Um not really. I kind of like it depends what I'm working on depends what I'm researching. I kind of adapt myself to >> Yeah. >> A few that I'm researching. But yeah. >> Yeah. You know David Cho? >> Yeah. >> I like him. He Yeah. >> Yeah. Uh, I remember this was this is years ago. I I had it was on eBay. Um, it was a a David Cho piece. It was a small it was like a little thing. He just whatever. It was like a little 3x3 square. >> Um, it was on eBay and was going to buy it. Came close, but it was a was one of those uh eBay doesn't do the or they probably still do like it was an actual auction bid. Yeah. And I was like the highest bidder for a while >> and then someone out and then Yeah. And then eventually someone came and out bid me. I was bombed. >> Oh, no. I tried to get a camera on eBay before and there's sharks on that. >> They have they they know what they're doing. >> They do. Definitely. Definitely. >> Um but yeah, >> he Yeah, he I don't really know art to begin with, but I just I just like kind of his I like his personality. >> Yeah. >> You know, he's a real like that as a character of a person. Yeah, for sure. >> Yeah, you can definitely see everyone's personality coming through in their art like Yeah. It's so interesting because I think for an outsider, uh, you know, like there's minimalistic art and there's different types of art. Different types of art. >> Yeah, there's different types of art, but like you said, like your first thought when you thought of art was stick a banana to the wall or, you know, paint a canvas white. But yeah, there's actually so much depth to it and yeah, I love it. kind of sol it's like solving a puzzle because it's all visual but what the artist is actually trying to do is to create a visual language for the for the viewer which is so interesting you know yeah based off of researching yeah >> sure um do you feel that um like any say like so martial arts is like do you consider that to be like artistic or like are you able to kind of Yeah. >> I don't even know what I'm trying to say. >> Yeah, definitely. Like I definitely think there's you need to have like a everyone has their own style in martial arts and you kind of need to be creative and let yourself go to find it. Like your coach can teach you so much and then it's up to you to adapt it to yourself and be creative to to be unique, you know? >> Right on. >> Yeah. Like basics win fights, but also it is what the stuff that's kind of outside of that box, the unexpected is what wind fights do. >> Yeah. So, uh, what what's what's next? What's next for you then? Like, u career-wise, what what do you I know you're coming off a bit of an injury at the moment. >> Yeah. >> Um, so like what's what's you know the next six months look like for you? >> So, for me, like I had a bit of a setback there. Um, now I had an amazing year last year. I had I won two national titles and a European title. Um, and I've, you know, had I was very active by fights. So I got injured at this very start, very first session of the year. Um, and I was really bummed about it. I was like so upset and thinking my world was falling apart and you know everything was just so bad for the first month. But I think um the little break was needed. So it kind of gave me time to step back and to just like enjoy life a little bit with my friends. So, I think that's going to be the case for the next month as well to just let my body heal, let my mind heal, and let myself kind of back into the flow of life because anyone who's in fight camp can kind of understand how intense it is. And training twice a day and you're up in the morning, you're out till 9 10 at night, you know, like you said, you spar and then then you can't sleep and yeah. So, um, when I come back, I'm really I'm hoping to get into either a semi-pro fight or fight professionally, and I'd like to get the ball rolling with that then because I don't there's no there's no one else for me in Ireland to fight >> an amateur. So, yeah, that's kind of the next step for me. >> Heck yeah. >> Yeah. >> Um, that's great. >> Yeah. >> Um, here I I think we're Yeah, we're we're we're coming up to our time here. Um, and look, uh, I really appreciate you, uh, meeting with me here, especially this very last minute. So, thanks again for that. >> Yeah, >> I really enjoyed it. >> Yeah. And I love chatting with you and, um, I can't wait to see you at your next uh, next event. Hopefully, I'll be there. >> Yeah, hopefully. >> Is there want to shout anything out or you want to >> um, I I'll shout out my sponsors? >> Yeah, go for it. >> Uh, I just want to thank my sponsors. So, I have an amazing SNC coach, Rory O' Connor. I have Amber Oxygen who's actually been helping me so much to heal from my injury. Um, I have Hrix Wellness that fixes up my body from my camps and yeah, Striking Company for the best gear. Um, >> yeah. >> Thank you. >> Yeah, sort your socials for the media as well. >> Yeah. >> And then Hyropics for electrolytes, natural electrolytes. So, yeah. >> Yeah. >> All right. Uh, look, appreciate it. >> Yeah. Thank you so much for having Yeah. Until next time. Okay. >> Yeah. Thank you. >> Right on. Cheers.