Aaron Mcdonald interview, Fansviewmma

Summary

Aaron is currently on the reality tv show, the Oktagon challenge. We speak on how there opportunity came about, he thoughts towards the other competitors and coaches and his biggest takeaway from it.

Transcript (youtube_captions)

[Music] foreign [Music] McDonald who's recently as you've all seen as part of Team Ireland on the Octagon channel is a fantastic show I really love it he fought on the introductory uh episode and before this I was talking we were supposed to fight Maga this opportunity came along first of all I want to congratulate you on getting this opportunity and how did this come about like because obviously we were excited for you fighting Maya and then all of a sudden you were taken off the card and then we got word of this how did this come true to you and and what was your emotions and feelings when when it was offered to you yeah so um I was supposed to fight Maga and I I think I was about eight weeks out of the mega fight maybe maybe a bit more I'm not too sure actually don't think I'm gonna be less maybe eight to six weeks or whatever so I was just starting Camp I wasn't I was chaining away like but I was starting to really do sort of machine and formaga and then I was out on a Friday night watching me play football I got a call and says uh do you want to do a TV show MMA reality TV TV show in three weeks and I was like yeah let's let's do it you know what I mean he's like but you have to be in wait you have to be 70k you have to be ready to make 70k you know three weeks and I was going oh Jesus right right okay let's let's do it so uh obviously as a football Mouse there's a burger Mom I'm sitting there with a burger man so uh I had to put that down but yeah so I got the call Sebastian my coach he got uh he got the call the the um asking about me and if I wanted to be if I was interested in uh doing the show but I was like yeah let's go this is gonna be a great opportunity and um obviously it was for team honor to get the representative Ireland was uh like it was there was no question and there no hesitation and saying yes so yeah they phoned me up the the Pablo the Octagon promoter owner he rang me and was like look we just want to do some type of not like an interview type thing just rang me and asked me what was the crack with me and yeah they're like right let Stephanie get you on the show and they were loving me so yeah three weeks later I was getting the plane the Slovakia wow this is not the first time you were supposed to be in Slovakia as well because I've ever married Heather from Titan flights he really wanted you over because when we went over with Mike at that time he's like that's right he was like Aaron he's like Aaron I want Darren here Aaron so much good fighter Joe so like that um so this when you got to call and when you went over when did you find out who your teammates were going to be as well well like uh I'll be honest with you the viewport there's a few rumors going about and stuff and uh I sort of got a wee heads up that there we're good pal Dennis was was uh gonna be on it but like me and him after our our fight before and the amateurs we had actually got talked and became quite friendly with each other so I I had him up a message and find out that he was there and then I sort of really didn't know where else was going to be there I didn't know anything about team England or anything like that but um yeah so as soon as I got actually when I got to the airport I actually seen uh Matt Elliot because me and him were getting the same flight over and they were like yeah you do this on God's house yeah after this actually no he was sitting behind me in the plane so I hadn't seen him actually until I didn't know he was on it then next thing I know I turned around it was mad alley except sitting behind me with the with the cauliflowers and I was like you're going to the Octagon challenge he's like yeah going on upstairs I guess there's going to be some crack so and then we pull up we got the we got the Slovakia and then that's when I seen Armand and Dennis and I think we've seen the team England there are a lot there as well so yeah basically it was all just sort of bang like because I was only three weeks notice on the show like it was all pretty everything happened really fast for me you know what I mean so um it wasn't until the day I really except Dennis that I I only knew he was going to be on the teams and um you know it was uh you couldn't you couldn't have picked a better bunch of lads like for Kmart and like you know Harman Martin Dennis like we all got on like a house on fire and do what the funny thing was as well we all were able to have a better crack of each other like we're all slagging each other on stop as well and um we had a short box as well you know what I found a fan I went down we were we were ready to jump in like so um you couldn't have asked for a better bunch a lot to say that and then for the coaches as well you couldn't ask for two better coaches so um yeah it was it's you know what I see when you look at it look back and it's like it was all meant to be all that all them people all those people were it was all meant to be in a way you know what I mean I don't think he could have got a better a better grip a lot in terms of the way we all got on and the different characters if you know what I mean like we all were different in our own our own way so yeah it was um it was good to be with them Lads and it was good to be coached by the the uh Houlihan and uh Shamrock so yeah it was um yeah it was just it was all it was all quick it was all just it just was like it was a mod that couple of weeks for me as well just starting to get ready for it as well like I I was I was happy three weeks I like you know what I mean and then you know it was uh like I'll be honest yeah I was like I was basically coping with for two weeks before like you know what I mean I was right in this the sweat suit running for about two weeks before but um we got there yeah you did get there I like that it was a fantastic opportunity you were never gonna say no to us so even though you weren't heavy you you would you don't know the right steps to to get there you search on obviously jam and Patty did you only find out they were your coaches when you got there or did you know in advance no I didn't I didn't I had no clue who I didn't I had a clue who was going to be our coaches um I think on the on the um on the way over like where there's Adam's going to be potty and stuff was going potty I didn't have a clue it was going to be Shamrock and um yeah so when we got there we I think was it omelette I can't even remember but I think on the day the second day we then we see we met our coaches and stuff but obviously with the first episode and stuff so yeah in the first episode we we find out who the coaches were and um yeah it was it was a surprise because obviously party's alleged and Shamrock's alleged himself as well and um so finding out on the first episode because I I think I was literally when we because we sort of had we thought we had an idea but as you see in the first episode we got to see that it was it was the party and Sham and you know you couldn't ask for two better two better people to coach team Ireland so um yeah it was a privilege to be under there yeah no it wasn't like that Paddy's a legend and Sham is a legend in the make and with his story yes that's why I surprised that octagon are doing a very good job and that's what they're doing with this show to do a very good job of telling stories like saying this the other day whereas do you see a very good at telling stories you could get two prelim Fighters fighting on the main event and you'd be interested and after Ghana rainbows held those stories with the production and the storytelling I think they're fantastic but when you walked in first right because the facility with the cage and all your equipment looks average what was it like because I I remember now when you walked in you were front and centered right how did it feel seeing yourself up there yeah it was Mohammed like because the first thing is you don't know what to expect so you know we walked in that big facility you know um yeah I had no um like let's say like I wasn't trying to I wasn't trying to expect anything or like you know try and imagine all the things that were gonna happen I was just trying to go into this this show and this situation just with an open mind sort of you know I was like oh it's gonna be like let's call me like ah so when I even seen the pictures of the wall you're gone this is nuts like you know what I mean what's going on here my posters on on the wall there though and then you know and you look at yourself going what's going on here you know what I mean and then the facility that we were in like there was we coffee board or we we side but no and obviously the kids there was fitness equipment there was the mats you know you had everything and then you had all the pictures of all the boys all around the place and it was just it was a it was just it was just a mad experience because like you know as I said he didn't have it and like he I didn't expect it was all a big surprise in a way you know what I mean I think that's the best way to be like you know people say about like you know about fighting and all that they're thinking thinking about the fight every 10 what they're gonna do and what they're gonna do so I even think when you're going when you do that to yourself see when you go and do it it doesn't feel as good so like if you just let it be I think that's the best way to be so like when I was walking into that facility and all with no um expectation and you're seeing a lot to go [ __ ] me I'm from this after all this bollocks and uh and then obviously what happens to me at the end of the episode is called foxy clouds and then you see all that but um yeah I mean it was it was just great man it was great to be in that facility and um you know you couldn't ask for any more like no you couldn't it looked fantastic and even when you got to the house it was full of protein bars it had all the foods you needed it was absolutely like they didn't spare any expense they had everything he needed there was one thing I want to touch on that you touched on actually got yourself and the guys like I said you couldn't go over with a good bunch of lads you felt like it was meant to be the way you all ended up together it was mad how well in jail compared to team England because in in the episodes we've seen so far I'll see we can't go any further here but the episodes we've seen especially the first one it was team England and Hassan then against Gian and I know it's like I would know he from like you Matthew almond and I would consider like arm and quite quiet it's all quite reserved when I talk to him but that's obviously I would have a different relationship with him because it's like a media and a fighter ER got in on the action I was like this is going to be Dennis just talking [ __ ] and then it was everybody talking like it was if someone said something to your teammate you were straight in is that an Irish thing you think the way you bonded so quickly yeah I think it is an Irish thing you know even just on like with your mates and all just just back home or whatever like you know it's all been a crack like he reminds me it's back home like you can't get away with anything you know what I mean you say something and someone's on your background even the group chats and everything so like I think it's just an Irish thing as well you know what I mean so when uh when we all went over there like even when we all met each other on the first day and in the hotel just before we went we went to the Villas and stuff and before all that stuff um like we were all buying hard taking Club more a bit of crack and everything and uh that's just when it started and we just but we knew we had to have each other back you know we weren't we ran a house before other English Lads you know we weren't gonna let Ireland down and we were gonna let team Island time we're gonna let each other and ourselves done so we made sure that we had each other's back and then as I say it's an Irish thing you know we made sure that we had a short back and you know we weren't going to let anyone walk over it's like you know what I mean so um I think that's where it just all came from and you know the crack was the crack was class and uh you know as I said the boys that the the characters of all of us they get all jail very well and um you know as I said man no one's gonna allow anyone talk [ __ ] that's like I mean we were gonna let that team England talk [ __ ] so you'll see him with more of the episodes so I we actually even became more of a Brotherhood in a sense and um yeah it was uh Team England didn't seem like they they had that Brotherhood but blur kisses are as loud and this is we're Irish boys you know and we uh we made sure we stopped by each other and stopped together and you can clearly see that within within the first two episodes yeah it was evident from the very start and the other English guy seemed very reserved like the Jake your stains uh but and then obviously Hassan and Dennis that's a collision course waiting to happen because I've seen little clips of trailers and stuff like that that so I know that fight's coming and that's I can't wait for that fight because it might not be it might not be coming you never know thanks again this this is true well it looked it looked like it was those who fight him anyways I don't know because I said it to Dennis and he was like nope I can't tell you but I don't know I don't know either you're just gonna have to wait and see no I want it because when everyone kind of got back I was like I want this I want all this to be a surprise I don't I want because if if I if I knew what was gonna happen at the end why would I watch this whole thing and ruin it for me yeah I'm invested in yourself Armand Dennis Matthew because of like what I do on on the regional scene so like for me this is like this is really interesting I'm getting CE in your elements in there but um yeah but we go towards obviously the fight you lost the challenge and then obviously they got the pick and one of the theories was I think it was from Dennis was do you reckon they picked you did you come in because you had said obviously you were coming in a bit heavy were you noticeably heavy do you think they know us do you think that's why they picked you or did they just fancy that matchup for their fight or do you reckon I think I think it's a bit of both David you know I do I think it's a bit of both um obviously I think they were going to try and pick out the two big Lads before anything that was the bigger lives obviously because you know Armin and money I fought a lower weight class before so I think they've seen that you know between me and Dennis and they're seeing the me and I I'm not gonna say like I don't I don't know what Brad's thinking was but I I you know what my I knew I was gonna get picked first I just had at my back of my mind because I knew I got the wake up that I had to do and there wasn't it wasn't a mile week on the day like because I was just trying to cut so much like I I didn't really eat any college for about two weeks so um you know I was I was I was going in there to play it but like I just knew it was going to get for uh um I was going to get back first but I think Brad had you know proud of his pride was very um strategic in his pickets as you can see in the first two episodes um so you know I think that they just go for me but you know they might have seen it a good match up for Bowen obviously it was a good matchup because ball won but um yeah I I I think that they were going to look to the Earth to pick the between me and Dennis first but they picked me obviously and uh it went to where it went and um you know there's nothing we can do we just have to roll on you know what I mean yeah so I was going to get on to the fight as well because you came in and you were looking very good with the knees and you were going hell for leather and anyone that's watched you kind of over here you usually more Clinic not more clinical but you usually you kind of wait a bit more you rushed in was there any reason for that like because it looked like if you would have kept going with the knees it looked like he could have dropped did you just get over excited once you've seen they were hurting them yeah yeah I I I I blew the load as they say um I I felt after a few days actually I don't get me wrong a few of the knees were hitting those arms and stuff but I think I'll have the like two clean knees and then I was like oh [ __ ] I've got him I've got him uh the other says like you know I was I was down for that knockout on those cameras for the TV show and stuff and I think that's what happened to me like obviously you know that's a big mistake in my in my um on my side uh you know I should have been clinical and I should I should have took my time and be patient and obviously it was the first fight of my and five minute fight for me as well so you know I needed to you know take my time and stuff but yeah when at the very start I tried to take his hat off and uh yeah it went totally against me and I think that's what happened to Blue balloon and um yeah just sort of I went all downhill from there but uh look at the end of the day man if there's no excuses but it was the better man on that day and um I I can't really say anything else in that because you know I've had my time to think about the fight I had the time over there in the house while bull was eating breakfast beside me the next day so I've had to already deal with this fight you know a long time ago and um yeah it's uh it was a it was a mod thing as well like you don't have the deal with that but apart from that like uh yeah the first rhyme was just one of them things where I went out and tried to take his hat off in the first ride not what I do as you can see as you said like it's not that I'm usually more patient but you know when those TV cameras and all that I was like yeah first episode I'm gonna go and take his hat off and you know go make a statement and uh it went the opposite direction they went the opposite way so um but look man like I I as I said these are all lessons and uh you know obviously I wasn't happy about it but um you know I've had the day with it and it's it's got a lot it's I've my resiliences went through the roof because the fact that I had to set beside this fella for two weeks three weeks whatever after it and uh I had to just get on with like you know what I mean I could be walking about like a sloppy soppy [ __ ] you know what I mean I had the [ __ ] pull the socks up keep the Hat high and get on with you know what I mean even just for team Ireland just for the next few fights I had to make sure that I wasn't walking about like a negative Negative Nancy you know what I mean I mean I had to make sure that I was there and helping these boys so as I said yes I lost but I learned a lot about myself as well yeah I like that because I didn't text you immediately after I seen it and I was like I can't remember because you would mention something about letting people down I was like you didn't let anyone down whatever you're like well like I'm kind of dead and then because it was fresh in my mind but obviously I didn't take into consideration that Audi this was filming quite some time ago so you've obviously had to get over it one thing I wanted to ask you as well because you were saying obviously you're sitting there if the camera's on you obviously to the net for the next couple of weeks or they you knew they were only anything when you were in the house when you're doing your daily things like you're just walking around eating chatting were you like how invasive let's say are the cameras did cameraman stand back is there are the cameras hoisted somewhere like are you constantly aware that they're always around you uh yeah you are it said you know it's a reality TV show like you know the cars were always on and it wasn't like you know you sort of I'll be honest with you so after the first few days you sort of have to put it to the side and like just get on with it you know what I mean because you know when we first got it we were all like yeah yeah [ __ ] the cameras are honest you know what I mean you're watching what you're saying you're watching what you're doing but see after a couple of days you're like you know what I mean do you know what I mean I don't care what I say I don't care what I do and you know what I mean so it uh it was hard and it was exhausting that device dark because you knew the cameras on it and stuff like Bob after a while you get used to them you know what I mean like I tell you that's me and dance we're actually talking about this when you when we got home we were like you know you look up I'll be the same cameras because you're used to you know what I mean like you're not trying to be like you know [ __ ] you know big hat or whatever but like you know because you were so used to that Karma's being on you and stuff like it was weird coming back home you know what I mean it was like it was just a weird it was a weird uh like uh experience coming back home you know because there'd be people walking up behind your cameras and [ __ ] and then you come home and then you know you're looking about you go where's that camera you know what I mean but uh yeah it was just it was just not to me it was nuts we just had to make sure that like we didn't say anything over the top like you know what I mean half of the time because you also I still have to be we can come up with some mod [ __ ] like so um but yeah like uh yeah it was a mod experience with them cameras being around you every day 24 7. basically like you know what I mean so and then uh you know no phones and all that sort of like stuff as well like it was a it was mahama like you know and then that's annoying like we're so addicted to using our phones that's what I realized about myself and so like that wasn't like there's so many lessons with this in the show you know what I mean so like yeah like I try not to use my phone as much anymore and stuff like that there because I can see what it does it damages your brain and some [ __ ] I don't know what way but yeah we're addicted our phones and stuff man so you know those sort of weird things like just keeping your phone away and stuff and putting your phone away you know it's just helping me as a and and my life as well and my lifestyle you know yeah I'm the same I've noticed that as well obviously with the page I'm on it a lot and I just say to the fact because I don't really use my personal one I don't use my personal one so it's okay but it's not really because my my phone is absolutely hopping all hours of the day and especially when you're trying to sleep you need to have it away and I think I went somewhere recently like that I think we went on a walk and we didn't have it and you just had you were able just to think and you're kind of free in your mind rather than oh did someone comment on my picture or did someone like my post you were living in the moment and enjoying time like we used to do years ago it's not it's like like if someone loses their phone it's like their life has been lost nowadays isn't it yeah me that's it like you just said something really really good they're like living in the moment man like uh I think like customer there's a it's like a virtual world man like you know what I mean like people have their own it's like a different [ __ ] person on their Instagrams or their social media or whatever so like you know it's like two different lives you know what I mean and um I feel like you know you have to put the phones way marks you need to be leveling at the moment so you have to check it up and your your mouth is you check it up on your comments check it up or whatever you know you're not really getting experience tonight and that's the only way the mind can be calm you know if you're sitting there on your phone every two seconds [ __ ] generally as [ __ ] you know what I mean you know you're never experiencing the nine and not 11 and the nine and that's that's one of the main things that we're not sure that I realized as well I was like you know what my name I'm not 11 in the moment I'm not here I'm in this [ __ ] virtual world I'm in my head so you're stepping out of your head mom like it was a big thing like so you know um these phones man they're dangerous man the guy as you said when you're a younger man like you didn't have all this crap and you didn't give a CR there was not a car in the world not all these phones it's a controller mechanism we're controlled by our phones with you know what I mean so yeah like three three or four times a day get out the phone and you know do what you need to do on it and then apart from out there you shouldn't be on it because remember years ago when you were kids you'd go we're all gonna meet here at four o'clock and you're all just yeah at four o'clock and no no one stayed home and if someone wasn't there you just there was something wrong with him and everyone went out and you had fun whereas now it's too easy to make plans cancel plans I think phones are Wonder the internet is one of the greatest things that's ever happened but it's also one of the worst things that's ever happened 100 yeah 100 depends on how you use it but anyways we're going to just talk about yourself kind of you can't give any more away but what was your biggest takeaway let's say from the first episode and from can you still see me a bit yeah two seconds here how do you someone's drinking me right no all good is it yeah it's all good right man sorry man just keep us I have what was your biggest uh from Europe your fight on that episode or from from the show as a whole but obviously you can't give away anything so we'll just focus on maybe the episode what was your biggest takeaway from that fight and that episode and the show if it doesn't obviously talk about something that that happens the biggest takeaway from the fight bar from the fight mom was getting used to the pro the pro rooms the pro set that the five minutes even though they need and we made a couple of hours or 30 seconds more than the amateur rides so uh yeah monitor learned a lot about myself and what I need to do to be a professional athlete and to be a professional MMA athlete in terms of the five minute rounds and how your head needs to be and how you need to be training and how you need to be living your life as a professional athlete that's the biggest takeaways that I got from uh just even their whole experience and and the show and then you know even just within the fight you know high that you know it's a different it's a different capital of fish with um you know Armature compared to Pro rinds even the Globs you know you can't be just getting like sometimes I thought I could take a dig no problem with the with the amateur gloves in a car but like when those Pro Gloves you can't be he can't be leaving that chin hanging open ready to get smacked like you know the main take one to get one you know what I mean but so those sort of things there um and yeah as I said from the show from as a whole being with those the different athletes and with the coaches you know learning that you know the high the beer pro athlete and how to try to live that life and how to live that lifestyle you know what's it's a it's a it's an all year thing you know it's it's not just you know an eight-week camp or whatever it's gotta be like you're a martial artist and you need to be doing this every day every day of the year and you know you can't be out there aren't about on the weekends or whatever and you know getting up to no good Jesus that's fun boy can you see me yeah uh it's about research on it but uh yes the you know it's just even the life and the life that if you want to be the best and if you want to be a top professional athlete you need to be here break one and agriculture accordingly to that lifestyle so like that's just the major things that I took from it even just even from the thing timing them boys the way they live and stuff I made sure that when I came back that I had everything in order and then I was living the best life that I could do could be and could do to make sure I reach my goals as a professional athlete and that was the that was the biggest takeaway for myself um uh from the show and uh yeah that's that was basically it man it sounds like the show obviously had a positive effect on yeah obviously the five percent wasn't positive in the result but yeah as a person and as athlete actually it's giving you a new outlook on life between the phones and how you want to live your life to be a pro athlete so that in itself is a massive take it like that was a it's a massive opportunity we're going to see more of you obviously as the show goes on because you're still in there for the next few weeks and I can't wait I can't wait to watch it I know your battery is going low so I'm going to let you go is there anything you want to say before you go um no it's just that uh I hope everyone's enjoying the TV show I hope everyone's loving the Octagon challenge uh there's so much things that are gonna happen in it so everyone keep tuning keep on watching the episodes uh yeah and um yeah just wait and see what happens you know there's gonna be a lot of stuff happening for myself over the next couple of months until the end of the year there's a few things that I'm gonna I'm gonna put out there as well but I've got a bit of good news coming out as well so um outside of the cage and stuff so um yeah everyone just keep tuned in keep tuned into the episodes and um yeah thank you very much David for having me on and it's been a pleasure man um I've enjoyed the enjoyed this and yeah everyone just keep tuned in keep on watching the show and um let's see what happens with Team Island perfect and thank you very much I appreciate your time uh you were able to come on and be quite honest and like that we've had a couple of conversations before uh we need to have them more regularly I think because I really like yeah are you going to here on Sunday yes yes I'll keep talking to you there bro perfect perfect I'll have a proper chat with you there thank you so much for your time enjoy the rest of your day and I'm glad that the show has changed your outlook as from an athlete and a personal perspective and that there was uh apart from the fight being flight was all being negative overall it was a part of the welcome for you so I really want to respond thank you for the time and enjoy the rest thank you bro CMD