Amy Scully interview

Summary

Amy Scully is an amateur fighter about to make her professional debut on Elite Fighting Championship on November 14th She speaks about her camp in Australia her social media content under different preparation from amateur to pro during the camp for the professional debut

Transcript (youtube_captions)

Perfect. I'm with one of my favorite people within the scene, Mrs. 1% better every day. Um, really love the content and I've really been looking forward to this pro debut. And you're abs you're on a card which is absolutely stacked. I believe there's I know a fight has fallen out there in the past couple of days, but I still think there's eight. Then a host of amateur fights. I want to say 25 to 30. Um, so first of all, thank you very much for joining me. How are you now that the the pro debut is upon you? And what kind of obviously after your last amateur fight, what led to the decision like did you know a before your last amateur fight that you were going to go pro or was it just after you went know it's time to go now? >> Yeah. So, I had um a fight booked for I think it was June, start of June um this year and that was kind of I was planning on being my last amateur fight because uh one of the things I wanted to do and I actually didn't really well technically for IMAP I did but for the regional scene I didn't actually get to defend one of my belts like successfully um because in shock and all last year when I went to defend it I lost my belt so I wanted to be able to defend the FCC one but the girl I was fighting pulled out sort of last minute so I kind of took that as a sign that you know I was already sort of in my head grappling with whether, you know, it's time to go pro. I had load of amateur fights. I've find it hard for people to get matched, you know. So, I after that fight fell through, I was like, "Yeah, now now it's time." Like that was a sign. >> Yeah. Cuz cuz like that I I had match and the females and I and this is being disrespectful. The female pool, the whole female pool of all the visions is probably the same as the featherweight for males, >> you know. And like you said, you fought a lot of everybody in the country. There's only so many people you can fight and then like that you said when fights fall out um the last minute and SEC what that's actually a fantastic promotion. So it was a good it was a it was a good show to be on. But in terms of EFC coming up, have you changed anything in your camp or were you always kind of training towards professional towards the end of your am career or have you changed up much? Yeah, like since I finished school really like I've kind of been basically training as much as like a professional as I can. So, um obviously I've been working in between, but now basically I coach full-time. So, that kind of allows me to basically live like a bit more of an athlete lifestyle where I can focus full-on um train like a professional, but I've always been sort of a professional. Like I keep myself disciplined. I put the work in getting 1% better. You know what I mean? So, um yeah, like not a crazy amount has changed, but now like the focus is much harder. Like I'm really f like really every training session I'm trying to get the most out of it, not just going through the motions. >> Yeah. And I know some of your tra training sessions recently have been on the opposite side of the world. Tell us about that. How long were you there for? What made you go? Because I know the thing what I like about you is you you're open to to to like go and train with other people. You're open to getting new experiences. And I think that's the way it should be as a fighter because you're only going to get this opportunity and it's not a long career either. What what made what made Australia because a lot of people would go to maybe Dubai or they'd go to Thailand. What was it in Australia that attracted you to it other than the sun? >> Yeah. So, um so Coach Renato um he's pretty famous coach. I think he has like almost 800,000 followers or something on Instagram basically put out that he was doing like a UFC girls training camp over there and had invited a bunch of girls over for the camp and it happened to line up perfectly with my camp. like I only got back there on Tuesday night and now I have about three weeks until my fight. So, and I was there for seven weeks. So, it was perfect. Like I basically got full camp over there. Um the star sort of just aligned like I saw um the post about it and then sort of messaged him and he was like, "Yeah, like we'd love to have you over and stuff." So, I was like, "You know what? [ __ ] it. I have enough savings. I'm booking the flights." And literally two days later, I was on a plane to the other side of the world and um it was definitely one of the best decisions I could have done because I really feel like I've had a proper camp now getting ready for my pro debut. >> That's that's that's fairly quick. Something like a trip to Australia, you think you'd be thinking about it for a year or a couple of months whereas within two days you had to think, but that just goes to show that you seen an opportunity and you took it. And um what was it like cuz obviously was there a lot of females there in there for you to spar? a lot of people your own size and like obviously when you're training in your own gym if you're training with the same people when they zig you know went to zag was it good to get a lot of different bodies and a different kind of styles to did you find that there was not that not that it's stale in SPG but you know what I mean that it was different you had to think about something different >> uh with these bodies >> yeah it was great to have like I I feel like by the end of it I think there's almost 15 girls on the mats like professionals yet I mean I would have been probably one of the least experienced fighters on the mat which like the amount of experience I have here and like if I go to a gym here I probably have you know what I mean some of the most experience um at least like you I mean for the females anyways um it was awesome to see and also good to get like bash around get tested see my level and also in other aspects also see that I am at that pro level like I know I'm at the pro level now you know I've after spending seven weeks getting bashed and trying to bash you know what I mean some of the best in the world so um yeah it was good for me to sort like a good bit of character development kind of happened over there, you know. >> Yeah. No, I I can imagine. Was that what what was the like the commanding like what was it like? Did you all like I don't want to say like I don't even know did you form a bond on the field because I know over here a lot of the females you for form a bond because there's very few of you and did you get that same kind of feel by the end of of Australia with the the girls that you were training with there? >> Yeah, I was kind of surprised. We all sort of clicked like almost immediately. Um, I think it was also great that a lot of us had kind of come from other parts of the world as well that like for me I don't know the next time where I'm going to be in Australia, you know, it's not even halfway. It's all the way across the world. So like every time we got a chance every weekend I was like I want to do this, I want to do this. And I was like, who wants to do it with me? You know what I mean? Most people obviously were all down to go hang out. So not just in training, outside training, we all like I've made friends for life definitely over there. Like everyone was super sound and super welcoming as well. like Nina and Renata who obviously are like residents of the gym and like or live in Australia, they were also super welcoming to me as soon as I came. >> Yeah. No, and that's good. And that's what a lot of there's a misconception about MMA gyms and people think that it's all meattheads and all this and and me and you both know you're probably one of the nicest people ever I've ever met. Then you've got like Conor McCarthy who's super nice and all these other guys as well. And that's I like when people go in and and that if someone listens to this interview into a female that wants to get in fighting and they realize that's the reception you're going to get. But [snorts] in terms of this fight and being on the card, how does it feel to be on this EFC card because there is so many like for me if if it does end up with eight fights, I'm going to I'm going to hazard against say that's probably the most pro fights that's ever been on a regional card. How does it feel to be part of potentially a massive card, a historic card? >> It feels great. It feels perfect for my pro debut. Like I sort of battled with the idea of maybe fighting in the UK and stuff for my pro debut, but really like in my heart I want to fight in Ireland because like you know yourself, there's not really that many options to fight in Ireland. Like EFC is probably one of the only shows down south as well that like you know once I start once my pro career starts getting momentum like it could be you I mean years and years until I'm like Katie Taylor that I'll actually get to fight in Ireland again. So to be on this card and for it to be such a big card and I'm also the co-main event which is a bit mad. I I couldn't believe that when it got posted um it's really like oh I just can't wait to get in there and you know I mean kickstart this career. >> That's really good as well though. Like I I think you deserve to be main event because of like you said the experience you have and like you're very Mark like you're so good on social media. I love your social media and like it it it does it feel good cuz like I said there's eight or nine pro fights and there's big names on on on there as well. So it just goes to show does that make you feel better as a fighter as a person? You're like I'm on the main event of this and there's like like I said if you look down through those list of names every one of them we all know and they're all pretty big. Does that make you feel better as a person as a fighter uh that you're put in that position? >> Yeah, it makes me feel good that the hard work like I I put in hard work in the gym. People now know that like I'm a good fighter. I mean, I put in exciting fights, but I also put in a lot of work on social media. Like, when I was over in Australia, I vlogged every single day, which was super stressful. Now, last couple days now, I'm still a little bit behind. But I basically posted every single day that I was there. You mean no matter how I felt, no matter how tired I was because like in MMA these days, unfortunately, just being good isn't good enough. So, you have to kind of put your personality out there, you know, wear your heart on your sleeve. And that's what I like to do anyways. and just show people, you know, who I am, what I'm doing, and people seem to really like it. So, it's good to kind of see that that's also paying off as well. >> Yeah, cuz I think people gravitate to you when you're just yourself and you're authentically yourself. I love like the crazy frog entrance and I love all the different things that you do and and I love that you put that out there as well cuz like I agree with you. It's unfortunately it's not good enough just to be good enough. You have to have that side of things, but also as well if it wasn't for that side of things, I wouldn't be doing what I'm doing either. But and as well it is prize fighting so you're gonna be if you want people to get paid for it you're gonna have to bring people in in to watch it and you've done a fantastic job of that. In terms of your opponent have you do you obviously with being pro do you have you started looking at your opponent more or do you still leave that to your coaches and and and trusting the game plan that they're going to come up with you? >> Um so for this girl in particular there's actually I couldn't find any fight footage on her. So she's two and one and one. So, her first fight was a draw. She lost one and now she's won the last two, but her last two fights were in Brazil and there's no fight footage other than a few kind of like clips on Instagram and stuff like that. So, it's kind of been more or less the same as usual. Like, I tried my best to look in a bit more this time, but um there's not really much to see there and she doesn't have any amateur fights, I don't think. So, there's not really much to go off, but it's the same as usual. I I'm confident that I'm going to be better everywhere. And I've put in a lot of work now the last few weeks like really developing like my full full game as like an MMA fighter. I'm not just a grappler, you know what I mean? I can I can do it all. >> Yeah. Cuz it was one of the last fights I actually witnessed in person. I can't remember. Was it Emily that you fought? And I was like, we knew you such a grappler and I was there. I was like, whoa, Amy came to kill here. Amy, shut down like like the shots had intent in them. And was that something that you were conscious of? Obviously, we know your grappling level. H but you thinking like right before I go pro, I need to get my striking up. Like I said, they I was like going where did they who's been who's been striking with Amy? H was that something you cons consciously worked on coming up to the to to the pro and your amateur fights? >> Yeah, it's kind of always like a conscious thing for me. Like I know my striking is good. Like if I had to do just a striking match or something like that, I'd be pretty confident. But when you get into MMA and just with anything, like if you do a jiu-jitsu competition, whatever you do, when you're in that situation where it's life or death, you default back to what you're used to, if that makes sense. So obviously grappling is what I'm really really good at. It's what I like I mean I could close my brain and I'd be confident. I could double egg whoever. But I've been trying to sort of rewire my brain to sort of especially with the longer rounds now. I don't need to rush for takedowns. 5 minutes now. You know, I'm trying to rewire my brain that like, you know, I can be def my default can be everywhere. My default can be striking. My default can be grappling. You know, um because I'm confident in my striking, it's just I haven't got to show it as much as apart from that Emily Vadme uh fight. Um I haven't got to show it as much as I'd like to. So, I'm hoping now I get to show a bit more in November. >> I think the longer rounds are going to suit you. And like I said, you can mix it up a bit more because there's a fight. I won't say who it was cuz he he he I I contacted on fighting he even said it he he gra tried to grapple the first round it wasn't working he started striking and he won the round but then when it came to the third round when it came to when he needed to win he felt he felt so he didn't feel comfortable with the striking and went back and then I was like I'm not being funny but you lost that fight because you stopped striking do you know and is that something that your look the way like the level you're striking at is going to be like oh this guy can strike and if they've only seen you strike and then it's like I'll take his ground well you do it if you want. >> Yeah, if you want. Yeah, go for it. >> H, but there was something you said that actually want to that I'm only after thinking of again. You said about being in Ireland. You obviously you wanted to fight. You were looking at abroad. Do you [snorts] think sometimes see especially at the start of your your pro career if you're going to be on the region, you're going to be fighting in Ireland. So, do you think a lot of people don't save for those moments and they want to rush to these other shows and rather than stopping and smelling the roses while you have them? Cuz this moment won't come back again. Fight, like I said, fighting in the way your career I predict your career to go. I don't like you said it's going to be a long time before you're back in Ireland after your first few. Do you think a lot of people try to rush through the end destination rather than enjoying the journey? >> Yeah, that's it. Like you know um like I was talking with FCC and some other shows like in the UK and across Europe as well for sort of pro debuts, but the more I sort of thought about to myself and the more I kind of like you only get one pro debut and you're going to remember that for the rest of your life. You know what I mean? Obviously, all the fights in between getting up to the UFC is going to be, you know, another thing and they're all going to be special in their own way, but for your debut, that's your that's your debut. Like I still remember my first amateur fight as well, like it was yesterday, you know. Um, and I think like I really just want to you I mean, I want to have all my friends, all my family there, you know, like getting to these shows is expensive enough anyways. And like it's not just a moment for me, it's a moment for all of them as well cuz they've supported me through gum and thick and thin through when I, you know, my mates when I'm shy crack and I'm not going to parties and stuff, you know what I mean? They'll come over for family dinner instead, you know? Um, and then obviously my family like, you know, my like my cousins and stuff like that, like it I I want them all to be there and like if it's in the UK or something like that, they can't be there, but they've been part of the journey as well. So they deserve, you know, I mean, to be able to get to see this moment as much as I as much as I do. >> Yeah. cuz because you have a very loyal fan base and one person is obviously I cuz I follow and she follows me. Your mother is really supportive of you and and like that she goes I I believe she goes with you when you do travel though as well. Does does she? >> Yeah, she's been to every single fight, every single jiu-jitsu competition. Literally, there hasn't been one thing that she's missed. >> Wow, that's that's amazing. Especially when you factor in How many jiu-jitsu masters have you had? >> Hundreds. [laughter] Since I was 10, you know what I mean? So, um he's always taking the time off work. even like when I went to the worlds and stuff like that, like she took, you know, I mean, took the time off and stuff. So, she's been there for everything since since day one. >> Wow. Shout out Olivia because I know you're going to be watching this. I know you will be watching this because anytime we have an interview, she always sends me message messages to say how much she liked it. So, but in terms of we're not obviously looking past your opponents going into next year or are you just focusing on this fight and this fight only and then after that you look because then obviously after this fight you're going to have Christmas. Enjoy yourself. you've had a lot of camps and a lot of training this year, enjoy yourself, or are you looking are you looking forward to next year and looking at a certain amount of fights or anything? Or do you just want to just get what's ahead of you out the way and then not out the way, but have the fight and then and then decide? >> Yeah, like I'm focusing 100% on this fight now. I'm not looking past it. Um like it's going to be November anyways, halfway through November before I finish that. So, I'm not going to get any more fights before the end of the year. But, um next year I'm looking to be as active as possible. Like I'm not massive for the weight class, so you know, I can do short notice, I can do whenever. Um, but I want to try to get maybe at least three or four fights in next year minimum. >> Yeah. Know, and there one thing I want to ask you about your social media as well because you you've been so consistent with so like you like you said, there's some days it's hard like I know with myself. I'll come on and I'll do 20 interviews today. Well, not that many, but I'll come on and then tomorrow I'm like I said I was going to post something daily and it feels like oh jeez. So you life catches up on you. How how how do you manage to stay so consistent? Because you do it on a daily basis as well, like you do daily vlogs. It's not like I can stockpile 20 interviews. How do you keep motivated to do that? Or do you just have is it discipline that's like right, I need to do this. This is part of me, my brand, and who I am. >> Yeah, it's just discipline like for stuff like when I'm away on a camp or something like that and when I've committed myself to it, like I told myself when I was going to Australia, I'm vlogging every single day. And um obviously now I'm back like I'm going to take a bit of like I take breaks. That's the most important thing cuz like I used to basically vlog I think when I started almost every day for a couple months you know what I mean? Um and then maybe I started doing every other day but even then you're still you I mean you got to remember like oh then I'm doing the interview then I'm you know what I mean like doing all this and like you got to you got to be conscious of it the whole time and like when you're trying to just live life and be in the moment it's a little bit difficult as well. But um I do think taking breaks is important and not feeling guilty about it. Like when I first took a bit of a break, I was like oh like my views are going to drop, you know what I mean? The algorithm and all that stuff, but like I don't give a I don't care now at all. I'm just posting it just to get it out and if people like to watch it, they watch it. And if not like you I mean that suits them, sure. So it's more now rather than looking to you I mean get the good hooks and like you know what I mean? Like I was posting memes and stuff for a while which are good sometimes but some of them were just like literally just trying to get views you know. So now I just want to post what I enjoy to post and I you know if people watch it that's great and if they don't then that's good for them too. >> Okay. So uh I going to let you go. Thank you very much for your time. Is there anything you want to say before you go or anyone you want to shout out? >> Well first of all I want to say thanks to my coaches in SVG um John Dave and then Sam in Brew. Uh I want to say also thanks so much to Ronaldo as well for the training camp for the last seven weeks. It's like I've really evolved as a fighter now and I can't wait for this pro debut. And then obviously Richie who's been my coach since day one. He's been working with me every day. Still keep in touch with me as well as I was in Australia seeing what I'm learning, seeing what I'm doing. So um yeah, I want to thank all them. And of course my sponsors. Uh I'm not going to be able to put all the sponsors, thank them all. So maybe I'll just tag them somewhere in this cuz I'll end up forgetting one and that'll always end up looking bad. Um but yeah, thanks to them like for making everything possible. They're the reason I was able to go to Australia and able to do the training and get this good camp in. And of course, thanks for you for having me on the interview. Um, it's always great to be on the interviews with you. You're such a good host. So, um, yeah, thank you so much and I can't wait for this pro day to