Leah Callaghan interview

Summary

Leah Callaghan is a novice fighter, fighting out of Holohan Martial arts she competed on the first Wrath and competes again this weekend We speak about her entry into MMA, what it's kike being around the likes of Shauna Bannon and Sarah Carney on a daily basis and what Paddy…

Transcript (youtube_captions)

Okay, so I'm going to be speaking to Leah Callahan today. She's from Hulahan Martial Arts. This will be her second novice fight. I actually watched her first one h and commentated on it. So it'll be the second your second fight and my second time commentating on you. We're very close to fight day. So I really do appre appreciate you taking the time. How you feeling fight week? Your second fight. >> Yeah, I'm feeling good. Feeling 100%. Yeah. And >> uh with the going in at your weight, did you cut much weight? >> No. So I walk around about 60 and I fight at 57. So >> yeah, that's that's that's not huge amounts. I like I said me commentated I commentated on your first one. Um and we were just talking before I remember the girl didn't touch your gloves. H you got the finish. What was kind of your emotions going into your first novice fight? Because we spoke and you have done judicial competitions but going into a fight a fight in an event like that where the the cage is down like the crowd is there. How did you feel about that? What were your emotions coming into it? How did you find it? You seem to love it by the end obviously but how did you find it coming in? Was it nerve-wracking excitement? You tell me. >> Yeah, I was excited but I was obviously nervous as well like you're going into fight like do you know what I mean? So there is nerves there. But I was really excited. Like I'm training a while now. I have hard spar. So I was like I'm ready to fight. Like so I was excited for it because of the girls that I'm around like they had me like buzzing for it like but obviously on the day you're really nervous like >> I can imagine cuz you go in there and obviously the your opponent was from up around that area so she would have had some. You actually bought brought a bit of a crowd with you as well. I do remember that. I could I could hear the screams from the crowd. >> I know the noise. >> How did you feel? That fight obviously went well. You got the rear naked choke. How did you feel? Because obviously there was the no glove touch at the start. What did that make you feel? Because you you're going into your first novice fight. I'm assuming you everybody's been taught you touch gloves, you do this. Did that kind of take you by surprise? >> Yeah, it did. It actually did take me by surprise, especially with it being a novice fight like and there's no like drama or beef. Like I think that girl took that fight on like 2 weeks notice cuz my original opponent pulled out. So like there was never any like drama or anything. So I was just like oh like I was shocked by it. >> And did that give you more motivation then to go get the finish? >> Yeah 100%. The minute I think it was more like the crowd as well were all like oh. And I was like oh she really didn't need to milk. So I was like go for it. It it kind of had that feeling of being back in school or something, didn't it? With >> I know. I was like, "Oh my god, is this actually happening?" >> Well, you had obviously you had Shauna and you had Sarah in your corner. Sarah's returning this weekend. Sarah's someone want to talk to. She's so hard to get a hold of, but I'm glad to see you return. She's been out of MMA a while. >> H we talked and you said you've done loads of jiu-jitsu competitions before. What made you go down the route of MMA? >> So, I trained when I was younger. I would have trained with servant Shauna and I took a little break. So I done only jiu-jitsu but I was never fully committed. Like I kind of just done it to do it but then I left. I had a little experience and I left and I gained a lot of like oomph from what happened with me and I was like no I need to go back to MMA. Like I know that's what I want to do. like and so I was like I'll go back to jiu-jitsu and then eventually I'll start MMA. But I've always I always kind of like I'm watching the UFC since I'm literally a kid. Like I'm a big Misha Tan from a young age. Like everyone was always Ronda Rosie and I was like no Misha Misha [gasps] from like a very young age. But yeah, so after my little break, I think I needed that little break because I was like, "No, like I'm so ready to like make this like a thing." Do you know what I mean? >> Yeah. Yeah. I I think sometimes when you step away from something and take the time away and sometimes sometimes you need to do that and you you figure out whatever experience or whatever it is you're going through and then you realize how much you miss it and you might need not that you need it, but you want to to go forward. And you talked about Misha T. I like Misha Tate obviously because especially with the ultimate fighter Ronda Rousey really showed her kind of true colors and she >> and you can see it now even she's still complaining. But you look at me say and when you see Shauna Bannon's in the UFC now, how does that make you feel as a girl from your area in that gym and a girl from that area in that gym has made it? Like how does that make you feel and motivated to work for this? It's so like I would have looked at the UFC and been like, "Oh my god, like they're all amazing." Like and now I'm like in that like circle and I'm like it's like it's possible. Like do you know what I mean? It's it can happen. Like it's not like I used to look at and think, "Oh my god, like imagine like but I know like Shauna like she's oh she's just so good to have around. Like she's so she literally I couldn't fault her. I swear she helps us out so much. But yeah, it's just like it's mad like cuz I would have looked at it and being like, "Oh my god." Like imagine like getting there and now I'm like friends with somebody that's actually in the UFC and I'm like what? Like what the [laughter] >> I'd say it feels cuz I I haven't watched Sha from start for career, but I watched her one night in when she fought Chanel Dyer and look and I just felt there was just some sort of between the two of them cuz Chanel Dyer is in the UFC now as well. Yeah, it's mad. Both of them are signed now to the OFC. >> But you could feel that about Sean and you could feel that about Chanel when I was there. I remember that was one of my first events I went to and they were the two people I was talking to and I was like, >> is this just me because I'm new into the scene or is there just like an aura about these girls? I was thinking maybe it's just cuz I knew, but obviously there was a boat there. >> Yeah, >> it's mad and and it's good to see. And obviously Sarah coming back. Uh what's it like with Sarah? Obviously coming back and you're both competing on the same card. I'd say the buzz between yourself and obviously I did Sean in the background. What's the What's the buzz right now like in the gym? Yeah, it was I was we me and Sarah are literally only talking about it yesterday. Like we were saying it's so good to have each other like cuz me and Sarah would have started jiu-jitsu together like years ago and obviously I left and Sarah like continued and she done the eye masks and I used to be looking at them like oh my god like I'm raging I'm not there. But then when I went back I was like it was like a full circle moment cuz we were like just sitting there yesterday and we're like oh my god like we're actually on the same car together after all them years. Like it's mad. But yeah the camp has been so good. It's so good to have somebody with you like going through it with you cuz sometimes when you're on your own you're like just floating about you know what [laughter] I mean? But sometimes when you know like some days are hard when you're in camp and you're like training and you're like having a tough day like sometimes I'd be having a tough day and like Sarah would be having like a really good day and she'd like help pull me out on my bad day and then it'd be vice versa. Like do you know what I mean? So it's really good to have somebody especially Sarah in campa. Yeah, I love Sarah. I just I like said I've been trying to get around for years and she's very hard to get a hold of, but I've had a lot of conversations with her. Really really impressed by her when she was competing and then I know she broke her arm. So, it's good to see her back and it's good that like her comeback one is now with you having your second novice fight which which means a lot. But I I just want to ask you as a female obviously going into a gym cuz a lot of I'm really I want to really push the females and say like there's a space here for everyone and I'm really good that's really picking up now. Talk to us about your experience or or just say if there was a female that want go to gym but they're unsure because when they hear of MMA and this people think certain uh like they think it's going to be all juiced up men or this like that. talk to us what what a gym experience is like for a female and how easy it is to kind of settle in once once you kind of get in there because it's not a scary environment that you would think it is. >> Yeah, I feel like a lot of girls like overthink the whole like going into a a gym like it's going to be all men, but you actually be surprised at how many like girl is in it. Like we have a lot of girls in our gym that are like up and coming as well. And like I feel like when you get the first day done, like you fly it then. Do you know what I mean? Like it's like the first time it's only a first time once literally. So like I feel like once you just take that step, it's grand. Like people be thinking like, "Oh no, like I wouldn't be able to do what you were doing like for a play." And I'm like, "No, you would be able to do what I'm doing." >> I like that it's only your first time once. I it makes sense, but I've never heard actually someone put it like that. >> Um because the hardest thing is walking through the door, isn't it? >> Yeah. The for the hardest thing is your first day. Once the first day is done, then that's it. You've done your first day. It's only a first time once literally, and then you fly it. Then I think a lot of women should be doing um martial arts, especially with how the world's going nowadays. >> Yeah, it's And yeah, a lot of women should be doing it. There's a lot of men that should be doing it as well. It's cuz >> Yeah, true. Even when I was walking, I was going up to get train to Belfast the other day and it was 6:00 in the morning or half five or something and I'd be walking up my road that I'm I'm used to but even when there was there was a ladder or two behind me and I was just kind of like know whereas years ago I wouldn't have thought anything whereas now I'm like >> what's like know I was a bit who's behind me but now it's just the world's gone a bit mad. It's a bit it's getting worse as we kind of progress going on and on and I think there's there's a lot of issues but that's that's a whole political issue. Patty Hulahan is the man for that. Talk to us about Patty. >> Thought to us about Patty, what he means to you. >> Oh, Patty is just the best. He's like the best person you could have as a coach, honestly. He's such even like if it's nothing to do with MMA, just as a person to have to guide you through life, he's amazing. Like he's just so good. >> Yeah. I like he's a man of the people. Like sometimes, and what I love about Patty is you can if you don't have the same views at him, you can talk to him about it, you know, the sort of way. He he might not see your point way, you might not see his, but you can agree to disagree. He's he's open to everyone and he's for the people. That's what that's what I love about him. But look, it's going to be your second fight this weekend. I'm really looking forward to commentating on again. I'm not going to ask you for prediction because I don't like asking for predictions, but do you have a getting ready for for your opponent? because it's novice, there's not much uh kind of footage or anything on them. Or would you prefer to just kind of go in and and be you and stamp your own kind of style on it rather than worrying about another person? >> Yeah. See, I think like when I look back at my last fight, like I feel like I got caught up in like the whole not touch glove situation and I was just like going for it. But I actually feel like I didn't get to showcase the skill that I actually have if you know what I'm saying. Like I feel like I have so much more to show and I'm like so excited for Saturday. >> Yeah. Know I'm looking forward to seeing you and commentating on your fight again cuz like I said it was it was really good. It was really kind of the no glove touch actually added a lot more to it and then with the finish it was a bit of a mad story. But look, I'm going to let you go. I want to thank you so much for joining me. Is there anything you want to say before you go or anyone you want to shout out? and I appreciate your time today. >> Yeah, I just want to say a big shout out to all me sponsors as well. I had a lot of people that jumped on and helped me h this comp. So, a big shout out to me sponsors, me coaches, me teammates, and everybody. Thanks so much for having me out. >> Perfect. I will see you on Saturday. >> See you Saturday.