Oktagon Challenge review, episode one featuring Super Necessary

Summary

I am joined by James Quinn and Kieran Devine in reviewing episode one from the Oktagon Challenge

Transcript (youtube_captions)

[Music] thank you okay so I'm here today with James Quinn and Karen Devine we're going to be talking about the Octagon challenge the first episode was out on Tuesday team Island university in England is something that I've been looking forward to Once watch because I've followed a lot of these guys to their amateur careers and I'm sure you're the same so we're just going to discuss it what we thought of it what happened in it and what potentially is going to happen in the future so I want to thank the two of you for joining me tonight and how are you foreign for some reason but yeah other than that fun perfect perfect so what did you make of the first episode I really enjoyed it obviously it was always going to be like an introduction to the fighters and what I like about this show is and it's kind of with what I do and what yourselves do we I want to see people behind the fight or to notice or and that's what I guess the show gets to show you up close and personal which The Ultimate Fighter did at the start but I think is very commercial now uh compared to what it was so I really like that aspect of it and learning about the english team because I'd only be familiar really with George stage now familiar with all of them and it was really good getting Insight like what did you make of of the first episode so far a crucial part of what they do is is telling people's stories obviously digging big with shem's story and obviously one of Team Ireland's cultures and it's been really big with his story I know you've told um you know Acorn one was his story things like that I saw the fact that I think we will get to know the fighters a lot I think the house is going to be a big part of it being in there the fighters in there you know the shenanigans let's say that they're going to get up to um I think it's it's going to be if the First episodes I needed to go off it's going to be must see television yeah it definitely is and then the string pong I think is more C television um I think he's absolutely amazing we bought Norm obviously but I think he is more CTV and I he echoed something or you talk about something that I kind of really like about octagon especially with Shem I've known shame because obviously he's trained over in Ireland and for ages obviously he's fighting on the regional scene I was like how has no one picked this guy up with this story he's got the personality he's got the skill most of all but the story in itself like that is just a superstar story in the making because like that his skill matches everything else his personality and like you said they've done that with other fires and that's what I really like and I think that's why they'll be successful I think because if you look at all the promotions but bad UFC they can't tell stories like the UFC but octagon seem to have have that part down yeah I think they make you care about the fighters outside of them just being Fighters and like you said I think that's going to be a key part to this octagon challenge is you know you're not just going to see them as Fighters you're going to get to know the the people in there as well and it's using the fighters in that way in it you're like that aspect of it because you win really sure but some of Team England except for George things and I was just saying like I expected them to do it over a few episodes but the fact that they got it straight out each fighter as well I just thought that was really good the way they've done that just get them straight out and then you can sort of see the character of the move over the the time of the show and whatnot then you know and I think there will be more of those little bits as it goes on but like it was like I said it was very good to see that straight away I got to learn a lot about the english team which I'm now invested in as well um I'm invested in this show as as as a whole and that's what we were talking about they were able to tell stories um about the fighters we were talking obviously about Shem and how they're really putting a spotlight on him because I think people were mad not to to pick up sham for a long time I think he's always been a superstar and I think he will be a superstar but um yeah it was Gordon when the teams met each other like what did you make a delicious production the facilities and all it looked absolutely Sublime it looked fantastic yeah I mean it looks it looked top-notch to me in it I can't remember I think it was Dennis when he spoke soon said look like a lot of money went into it and you know you see that even sort of like the flags the little Studio that the gruff are doing the weigh-ins and that like the force of each part of it in our looks and The Villa as well like the fact that they've got their own little cars you know I mean I think yeah the the production production wires as well was brilliant I mean I couldn't couldn't knock it to be honest with you do you have like a proper I've gone to our proper boss production and on the media side as well yeah I think the major every little thing that could come up has been covered so about the fight is uh as comfortable as as possible because you know it kind of been easy being there for three weeks sort of I think they said there was no internet no um they couldn't like have the phones at least to begin with so they kind of just there together so the fact you've got to make them you know comfortable and not getting under each other skins and things like that um you mentioned there about when you first met he should have done one thing me and Kieran both said is team Island look like they just all knew each other for Gears straight away the the other sort of a camaraderie a sort of Team give it a team straight away um and you got a little bit of teaming one but not it wasn't the same as with Ireland yeah I found that too and obviously Ireland is there's probably more people in London than there is in our whole country and the circuit wouldn't be the circus getting bigger there's about maybe 10 shows but a lot of these Fighters would have crossed paths and I think that's just an Irish thing though as well it and like Dennis said it was like team England and then Hassan because the other boys are quite reserved aren't they Jake and evolan and George stains as well you're looking at them and that's what I like when you looked at George saying 16-1 and then he was like going oh he was like he's a bit of a nerd and I was like yeah that nerd would beat that absolute crap they all seem quite reserved they just want to let their fight do the talk and whereas there seems to be Collision Course between Dennis and Hassan that's so that I want to see now and I think the two boys have made it very interesting with how they how to get on but like I said I think that's an Irish thing as well when Irish people meet each other because we're all over the world it's just an instant sort of connection I don't know what it is it's a weird thing but it's probably the same with Scouts people though as well yeah yeah you can meet the sculpture in every single corner of the earth I remember being in a hostel in China and there was another discussion there that I didn't know it's just does an Irish pub in every single city in the world uh so yeah we'll just we get on with everyone both of us so you know it just makes it makes a lot of sense um but Jam kind of touched on that as well I like how he was welcomed into the vpnc when he was over in Ireland and things like that and it's just it is it's just welcome without around the Irish people in the same in sculptures yeah yeah we've got least Alan's got a long line of History to do with Liverpool and as well having these old things are just naturally to meld together I mean just get on with each other in that and um they writes about doodle that's being reserved like I can speak for for Jake because we've spoke to him before and he's very much I'll just let the fighting do the talk and he's not about calling people out what's in that um but even though they are reserved I think you will see them like in the fighting and people be like okay these are good faces you know um yeah I mean it's sometimes you'd expect plans to from both sides don't you but I think this Hassan's just gonna have a lot of trouble with Team Island through these uh Eight Episodes I think it isn't it so yeah let's see how he gets on yeah he he's him and Dennis have gone back and forth but then the other like that the other Lads are sharpening as well with Dennis I don't know what it is I know I know a lot of these guys and usually they're a lot more I don't want to say more quiet and I don't think they're putting it on but obviously I see a different side of these people we all know what Dennis is because Dennis is just Dennis um and that's what I like he likes getting into her heads he likes the mental side um and he's just good I that that Collision Course that has to happen in this and if it doesn't has to happen after this I think that fight is just just made to happen but um yeah like I said the Villa like they had supplements whatever they wanted um then you go and they've got cars and then they went and they done the first challenge which was a strange challenge but I get it because it's a team building challenge like what did you make it a challenge initially and then what the reward was okay Quinn um The Challenge was was a bit of a surprise you never know what to expect when you say challenges before it happens and um I think I think it was it was interesting it tests different skills that you know they won't they just won't have naturally whereas that did like to do a fight and so I think it was good to not necessarily test him in a fighting environment and getting them doing something completely different where there's a Level Playing Field I thought that was smart um but it's good that you know it's getting them to wear as a team as well I thought I thought it was just yeah I thought I thought it was a well thought out sort of Challenge and I'm looking forward to seeing what else Steve conjured yeah I mean I think again as we've said like about you know telling the stories of the fighter but a thing Challenger like that you get to see the side of the fighter that you don't see how they would go about solving the issue you know you're seeing them in a different environment and I think again I think it was Dennis Lee we're not mechanics uh we you know we're Fighters we we don't you know put things together we take things apart and I mean like you're getting to see their their mentality towards it and as Quinn said it's I knew it's a team building thing in it so it's seeing how they can work together as well and turns out that the challenges are actually very important well as you mentioned that the rewarders you get to choose the fights and I when we spoke to them Paddy mentioned he would have wouldn't have went with that first fight so I think that's interesting but like depend on who when they can go different ways you know so yeah yeah because tires make matchups and like obviously we'll get onto the fight later but uh different styles or different Fighters might sue a certain fighter to progress in the competition but we'll talk about actually the cultures now that you brought or Paddy like Paddy to us over here obviously he's a man he's actually a politician over here as well he does a lot for the people he passes a lot of legislations he's got there's a lot wrong in our country as you probably know it's the same in all countries and Paddy's one people that wants to fix it and as a fighter obviously he was the first fighter on the Dublin card he's a legend his career was unfortunately caught short but you can see now in Ireland I see the fruits of his labor she was him Sean abandon obviously get into UFC he's got George as well who's probably the best bantamweight in uh Ireland at amateur I think he's gone prone soon and he's just you've probably seen him on the show like he's like that in real life he's at every uh providing Sean is not away but he shows you he's done fast he's at every amateur show every Regional show and he wears his hat on his sleeve and it was good to see someone like him go in because he can bring that Unity together I think um and then you obviously have sham who I think I don't know what a lot of the people from the UK felt about him obviously being coach on team Ireland but like I said he was welcome to the community he trained in Dublin combat Academy and he fought here and he held titles here and like said Scouts and Irish just go together and he's one of the rising stars as well I really like that combination both have great skill sets and both of our people of the people in my opinion what does like Brad and Akon like what does what do they mean to you over overseas in the in the UK okay sorry I think a lot of what you said about Paddy is you can say the same for for that is you know he's a legend of UK MMA he's very focused on breed in the next the next batch of stars obviously gb's top team is gone from strength to strength over in the UK got a lot of great Fighters out of there and it's all all down to him and obviously is you know to stand out for him is you probably say Nathaniel would um so yeah that's just again I don't think I don't think you really I don't really think he got to see too much of Braden in that episode um I feel like a lot of the focus was on uh it felt like it was a bit more focused on island that actually maybe the next one would be a bit more focused on England so I don't think you got to see the the true Brad Pitt just yet um but we had I spoke to Acorn not so long ago as well um regarding this as well and he was just talking about Brad and how he's just down to earth he just gets on me every day he's the most focused individual he's ever met um type of guy who doesn't understand why he's famous and he said people will be going up to him asking for autographs and pictures and they're kind of just being looking at them thinking why are you asking me for this um because that's that's not what he got into you know that's not what he got into it for that's not his style so um I'm looking forward to seeing more of both of the English coaches but as you say the Irish cultures I mean do you speak for themselves I think Paddy as you mentioned is you know he's he's a legend as you say he's one of the biggest stars Ireland's ever had and Shem um said it on whether it's the other day then there was no way he was developing the Saint George's cross over them so it was only ever going to be an island for them Justice um but I do think the combination is really good Paddy obviously a wealth of knowledge um I think Shem is is more knowledgeable than people will realize as well and um has even uh that he said that he's learned a lot from Shen in the time they were there so I I think that the whole thing of well of having two legends and essentially two contenders or like often comers in octagon and I I think they've they've done it really well because obviously acorns are others first fight there he's going to be on the Manchester card I think the the bringing the whole Focus to the Manchester cards what they're doing with the finalists having them at the top of it uh I think um as I said it's it's great for the sport especially UK and Ireland you know because you've got shame on there you've got Akon and you've even got the Paul Smith and Jake quicker than fight on there so for them to to do that is that enough sorry to just jump in is that not the headline I thought Jake Paul and quicker than most because the the advertising it is like octagon I think it's 48 or something like that no I I think when I've seen seen the fight card the Octagon challenge fans at the top all right okay I believe they are the main event and and if that's the case like I think that that's brilliant because it's influence of 18 000 people probably haven't seen crowds like that fruit obviously for damages career than that and having a few Pro fights so and I just think the way they've set it up coaches they've got like skating towards that big Manchester car and I think they've done it right I think they weren't spot on what I would say about the cultures as well is I don't think any I don't think there's any sort of accidents in there and what I mean by that is mention there like Jake and I think George both said they were you know doing Ned's kind of thing dude ready into like all the Sci-Fi stuff and things like that acon is a big Star Wars fan himself Brad pitty which surprised me when I spoke to wake on is a big star how was fun so I think they've kind of got stuff in there where they can you can all link with each other and I've sort of talk about and then obviously you know hashem's a bit of a joke with himself he fits in perfect with the Irish Lads so none of it is it's all very purposeful it's all being well exclusively yeah it's all been very meticulous by octagon and I think I think they deserve all the credit in the world for it yeah the importers are getting very well and like I said I like the English combination as well obviously Brad Pickett uh bet Mike mouse back in the day as well as WBC um and then I really like is it a car Acorn or acorn acorn yeah Akon um I really like him I seen his fight actually and I've kind of looked back into him as well and he's a very interesting character and one on the rise as well and I like his mentality and how he spoke as well like he said there wasn't much of him but he was talking about the mental side of it and how he's seen when uh hit the fight was getting ready for the fight but obviously that he was switched on and I think he like like you said like him and champ for they're still currently in in in fighting in their primes kind of that they've got this knowledge with them as well that and the fact that you said that Paddy had said that he learned Hashem it just shows how much MMA is evolving that someone that's around longer can learn from someone and because it's so vast as well there's so many different facets of it yeah yeah yeah I mean it's it's as you say it's always well keeping that white belt mentality in it you know you're constantly learning regardless what you've been in a game for you know 12 years whatever it may be you can always learn something new I think I think he was talking about being on the back and uh protecting like getting hooking and stuff and it's yeah you're right it just it keeps on expanding and new knowledge comes and even young ones coming up behind sham and all that they'll probably have knowledge that can be passed on to further down the line as well yeah well potty said to us did me he's he sees himself as a and I think him um Shambo said that they see themselves with martial artists first fight to the second yeah I decided he's a stu he's still a student to this day he's learning something new every single day and that I think that's the mentality you've got to have if you want to have a long career like yeah definitely and and like that mma's just getting better and better when Paddy would have started you wouldn't have had to train in the facilities to help the safety every Everything Has Changed and it just got for better and that's why we've got stuff like this with art gone and I think this is going to be a hit and England obviously won the challenge I think it was like 20 seconds or something about them by the Irish made a mistake they didn't actually both demand I can't or some there was there was a magnetic note so they went and they got the pick I think this is where it's interesting because a lot of people say Fighters will just go out and fight anyone or here where this is where it becomes very tactical and strategic that they're gonna try and put the best matchups against the best matchups to win as well and that's what when ball was bought against Aaron I thought I was looking at two of them obviously Ball's been out for quite a bit as well I think 2000 and and then Aaron was active a bit last year as well and there was the size difference so I was curious how that would if Aaron could keep him at range obviously both smaller he's more compact he's gonna and his fast way power as well so I don't need to keep him at range Paul needed to get in and Aaron's got a chance uh balls very strong and wrestling so I thought that was it was fascinating what did you make because there there has been a bit of back and forth but there's still been a lot of respect shown between a lot of the other Lads but uh Hassan and Dennis that's not that's not surprising at all to be honest with you um no but in in terms of fights I think so I'm not that Paddy said as well which was interesting is because usually when you're in a fight the announcer and then you start and you're off but the fighters are waiting around for like a little bit while they were getting the cameras ready and I think he said I don't know if it was Adam's life and they spent at his knees and I think but I was on his on his toes and he said obviously that that has like an impact all the time if it's like five minutes the blood's getting to your legs and that um obviously he wasn't making an excuse but it's interesting to hear that sadly because obviously we don't see it do we um in in terms of the fight I think I was kind of surprised with it because as you said Alan's got the size difference but I think when you look at um the whole Mighty motion um the other fella who said he could beat Mighty Mouse obviously that's Studio 2 but again that's saz and whatnot in it so but it did surprise me but then Paul looked really good he was um he looked very strong I mean he's small but he as you say he's powerful and I mean it didn't look like you had to cut weight but it is weird it definitely because of Audi status if I like the fight was was quick if you get me yeah so it's yeah but that I thought it was it was interesting matchup but uh I would have liked to seen what it went like the other way I mean to see who who deal with the pick the other way if if I don't want but I think to have to fit the first fight for the first show I think it was a good pick by a by Brad yeah yeah definitely I think I'll probably surprised a lot of people um I don't know if he was the only one who didn't but he didn't know that he'd been awesome for three years until he watched it himself on Tuesday um so I don't know how known that was within within the competition itself within Steam Island um but he's got when I lost the ball I thought he's got a very Michael Chandler build about him he's that shape he's he's very he's wide topping he's got a strong base and and adding come out to all guns please and I think I think he just wanted to finish I think he I think he wanted to finish a bit too much because he knew it was like going out on national television and big competition you know massive hype behind this sort of thing he wanted to make an impression and I think he's probably over exerted himself a little bit especially with Joaquin I'm saying there what Paddy said about um sort of Crouch down for five minutes before the fight even starts it's it's going to have an impact that you probably don't realize at the time and I think he's probably just over regretted himself a little bit and trying to get to finish and Bob's been smart about it he's talked what he's he's talked to damage a little bit talking down and then the Finish was was lovely to be fair to only done really well yeah I I enjoyed the fighting like that I was wondering how it's gonna go I don't know she had like said he had success early he was going with the knees and then when it came to the wrestling there was a couple of scrambles Aaron got back up and Aaron was obviously Aaron's Muay Thai he was head movement and it just like he it looked like he kind of went that way and Paul kind of read it and just he caught him beautifully um as well and so you mentioned as well about way cuts that didn't look like there's too much weight what did you make this made me laugh the boys went to the shop to get drinks for Aaron and came back and started cooking bacon in the in the house and when Dennis ring pong said Lads that's bad that is bad you could smell the Vegas throughout the house what did you like that made me laugh that was a typical kind of Irish Irish thing to do yeah I mean that that was when he was in the bath when he yeah was that yeah yeah I thought I thought that was funny but I I'm wondering if that was also um and making the chicken because obviously later on your fans the chicken gets set to me so I'm wondering if that's in making chicken as well um but also just didn't make some food but I guess you know it wouldn't surprise me if the each of them done it he saw an I mean because it's it's it's a joke and obviously the most thing you want when you wake on or whatever it's food you just want it done and you want to get food and refueled so I think it's just that Banting it's the banter that you'd expect yeah it was funny like yeah just um yeah same as kitten well it's just you you get that sense with them with tea Islanders they're all gonna sort of take the piss out of each other a little bit you know I've got crack and you know and then when it comes to team England it's they're gonna make sure that they know that today well let's say team England pass on they're gonna make sure Hassan knows that they um yeah it's just it's good fun and I think we all sort of got that for that same do you know what they're doing to each other it's it's just a bit of a plague on the side here's a good one yeah it's also the food bit as well I think it was funny when Dennis was having a Hassan about his past abortions they usually that's massively are you gonna make ways and that's just little things like that no I mean that probably gets us and thinking well is that a big portion you know as yeah it's funny you look like a big portion to be fair though didn't it yeah yeah and that's the thing with then I said he's going to call it obviously he's like are you sure you're gonna maybe that's quite a big portion of pasta there no I'm looking forward to the rest of it but in terms of the results and what you were talking about earlier team Island came together quite quickly I think this result is very important because I think this will actually help jail team England more they might come together a bit more like I said that they're not that they're not together but it just seems that there was a connection where I think winning this will help them their bond for the next couple of episodes more and I'm excited to see what is next it looks obviously what Dennis you're always going to have a gold you're always going to have gold and then with the other Lads but what you're making results and what we'll do for for England going forward in the competition um yeah I think I think you're spot on to be fair to think it will putting them together and Sham was saying it was it was important for this first fight because everyone now knows what to expect um it was a bit of an unknown it's a different scenario I've been being in before um but block like we said the England landed a bit more reserved but I think getting that win quite convincingly in the end as well um it's only going to spare spare them all on and I think um yeah they'll they won't want to lose the next challenge because I don't think they I think whoever wins challenges will have the advantage in the fight um showing them won't want to give that you might want to give that Advantage up but I do think it'll bring unconsciously together do you think well challenges will like impacted his mental sad I could do because you know if if the same team's losing the challenges all the time and you've got a saying and then you've got to clean the house as well I know it's and they're not getting much time to do that you know it's like that's gonna that's gonna annoy them that's gonna get under the skin and it's gonna eventually be like you know if I ever lose three in a row and clean the house all the time they're gonna be like I'm seriously cleaning this up so we've got to win the next one so it's gonna again it could be a it'll be like a motivational thing for them as well but yeah it's just it's going to be interesting and I like the fact that I haven't got a clue what's coming next like if it's left there in so many different sort of ways you think it could go so I'm excited I hope we see Dennis and a son next up because I mean the the way the end you know those two like clashing ads essentially I I'm hoping that's what it's gearing towards that's what the source is set in Europe for um because I think that'll be be a sick fight um but yeah to go back to what you said I think momentum is a big thing and I think morale a bit higher teaming and you know it'll be be round bow you know celebrating the win especially after a long time out and it'll just want to make them win more and but same as the team Ireland to think that'll make them come together even more and want to win so it I think it goes both ways I think it's gonna mostly team Island to to win the next one you know because they're essentially gonna come together um as well yeah yeah I think did England have a lot a lot of confidence going into the next one hmm yeah I think it's pivotal now the next fight as well like I said the momentums were England and like I said if people keep losing it's going to get the more vain so the next one is very crucial for Ireland to swing the the momentum back in their way and if england get to win that just pushes on more and I think that'll bring them more together but overall the show I couldn't wait for it to come out I was really happy with the product that I got from the guys I was really happy with how uh Brian Lacey was in it and how we narrated it and and the shots like just the production the everything was fantastic about it and it was something that UK and Ireland can get fans can get invested in and that's what I love the most because mma's feared more towards America so I was very very happy that we've got something like this where people that we know and we've talked and interviewed before that we can really get excited about so I was really happy with this episode and I'm really looking forward to the next one yeah yeah same here and I I hope it suddenly continue because I think it'd even be interesting to bring like the season ones back you know to do some even some coaching roles because they're being in that position before but obviously that's getting a bit fair that um but it's just that I think it's going to come off really well I think that will make them do even more seasons of it you know even if it's not necessarily team Island in England I think as I mentioned you might do Scotland and Wales next but you know I think if they keep doing it it's going to come off well and it is I'm looking forward to the next one um and that's the thing and thing to try to make a difference because obviously when you see it's like oh it looks like deals with Visa but they've they've I think doing a UK UK and Ireland in teaming in Ireland it just opens her up more um so yeah I am looking forward to the next one yeah same um the concept is it's not a New Concept it's not new to even octagon you've done it before in in sort of Continental Europe but we've never had anything like this in the UK or Ireland and I think it's it's absolutely huge for for the regional scenes both in Ireland and I'll be in the UK it's going to be enormous and it gives it gives people another platform to work towards you know a lot of the time it's everyone saw the end game is I need to get to the UFC and it's this is now oh and obviously there's other promotions out there they were doing big things but now this gives them something to really work towards and I think Brian Lacy you mentioned that he's been he's been one of the sort of vocal people about making about octagon coming to UK and Ireland and make another big thing and I think you've got every chance of doing it if they if they keep doing what they're doing I think it's it's exciting times to to be in octagon um and yeah it's just uh I wish they'd brought them all out at the same time I just wanted to binge you as soon as his first episode was over I was like right on episode two um they need to adopt the Netflix approach also and then just throw it all on at once but but that shows that they're doing something right if you can't wait for the next episode shows like they're doing something right and that's all yeah I am glad they didn't to be fair because I might have missed work the next day watching her also um let's just die but no way it's it you just you wanted more as soon as it was over and I think that as a company making a television show that's the best thing you can hear is that you didn't want it to end you wanted more so again drop soon perfect well I'm gonna let the two of you go I want to thank you so much for joining me and I look forward to doing this every week as well I actually can't wait for the next one um it's been an absolute pleasure and I will see you this time next week or we'll make a we'll make a time for whenever suits all three yeah yeah of course mate thank you very much perfect thank you very much thank you guys