Andreeas Binder interview LFL double champ

Summary

Andreeas joined me to speak about his welterweight championship win at Levels fight league in Amsterdam. We talk about his year, not being as active as he'd like to be but plans a big 2025 with plenty of options on the table

Transcript (youtube_captions)

Kind: captions Language: en [Music] okay so I'm here with Mr Andre sp there champ champ lightweight and welterweight at lfl with a fantastic Victory another finish yet again um he's not long home um how are you thank you very much for joining me how are you feeling with the two belts and have you got the two them back home with you now yeah yeah it was the crack da yeah um I only got back home yesterday uh it's just been a long week but uh yeah we're back home now of course I have the two belts in my trophy cabinet I'm just staring at them uh but yeah it feels good it's it's good to kind of like you know leading up to fights and everything you're in that kind of like fighter mentality like it's fight fight fight fight but now you can just kind of like just chill out man you know what I mean like you the work is done everything just you can go back to normal life I'll be back in work now tomorrow so uh yeah just back to being me again you know what I mean just working spending some time with the family and stuff so it's it's nice yeah and and of course you had good support with you as you always do you have a fantastic partner who supports everything you do and a fantastic family and a nice Core group we spoke about that before um obviously during fight camps and stuff like that not that you would neglect your family but like there's a there's a lot of kind of trade-off that you kind of have to do with that they they probably don't get to see as much and is that why you like when after the fight and you can and you can kind of celebrate with them because they've been with you from day one yeah yeah yeah 100% on when I'm in fight camp and they know that like I said I have such a a great support and friends and family that they know when I'm in F Camp I that's why I don't go back as often back to go and stuff like that to visit them I literally just do my routine work train home and repeat that every single day but um yeah it's just it's great you know like they understand what I do they they support me with everything they and it's it's it shows it pays off in my fights it shows in my personality and it's helping me grow as well as a fighter and as a person so now that everything is done like especially now coming up to Christmas just perfect timing you know what I mean it's just I can actually enjoy Christmas with with them and spend time with them and actually like enjoy being there instead of just kind of like being training training training obviously I still be training coming up to Christmas and stuff because I don't want to get too heavy but um no I'm I'm going to spend a lot more time with them like you know yeah and it's good like you said that the fight was before Christmas because I couldn't imagine what it's like if it was just say mid January because obviously you you're going to be there with your family but your mind's also because I know you you're so locked in when it comes to fight time you're locked in so when this fight came about how how did you feel about because like like I would like to see you more active I know you've want to be more active but to get to belts is quite an accomplishment no especially at Pro level um when the fight came about like how did it come about how easy did you say yes and and what was your preparations like for this fight did it differ to anything before uh so when uh so I was the alternate Fighter for pfl glasgo in September and obviously none of the lasts pulled out or miss with or anything for the welterweight tournament so I was on way then I was there I was flown I kind of like went through the whole experience of it and then after the tournament uh they said you'll be on the pfl Leonard on the 14th of December I was like gr so I was literally I was like this is perfect I I have no niggles I have no knocks anything so literally I flew back home I was back in train the following day I was like this is perfect and then my opponent declined the fight and they just couldn't get me a replacement so I was like you know what I I need to stay active so then lfl uh came around to Paul my manager was like look Melvin is looking to defend his belt H the belt were title and I knew of Melvin I knew he was very experienced as well he's a dangerous fight for anyone and I was like yeah I I'll take that I'll take that fight without even questioning anything you know what I mean because I knew I worked so hard like my last fight was in April against Victor Kuku and that was kind of like my first fight back at welway after obviously the two wave misses at lightwe for pfl and stuff and it's just like that was kind of like the biggest challenge throughout the whole year just getting back in there it felt like I was kind of like ring rust or like gunshot as well like to even throw or land but look I got the Finish and then this came about I was more than ready I was in I was in full in camp at that St so it was just literally just a week earlier than BF on uh everything was on track um Weight Wise training wise mentality I was just like I just wanted to prove a point I was like I haven't gone anywhere just because I fought once this year I haven't gone anywhere so obviously I would have wanted to be a b more active and stuff because I usually like to fight three four times a year this this time I only fought twice but um yeah just exciting man you know it was kind of like very very technical match because and that's all down to the promotors and the matchmakers like it was a phenomenal from top to bottom like it was very evenly matched towards for everyone and uh I knew Melvin is you know he has knockout power he's a Juro black belt as well Jiu-Jitsu black belt so as I look I'm I'm going to prove a point I'm going to win the double double uh way Champion so I was ready and you done it in style again and that's what I love about you is no matter how dangerous the opponent is you'll always take the fight a lot of people would be cautious about taking a fight about potentially losing and know losing that momentum but for you you're a fighter you're going to take the fight and like that you wanted to prove and as you as you have been doing for years I feel and and it took a long time for you to get the recognition you deserve in my opinion that you're going you're doing how like to get these Knockouts like you're just like you've your last couple of fights are just highlight re the potential highlight re how does it feel feel to be finishing people as opposed to just just winning it's we we have that saying in the gym Jesus loves Knockouts you know what I mean like people when the people pay to go and watch a fight they want entertainment they want Knockouts they want like beautiful performances not just the Bor in three round fight like you know and if it is a three- round fight it's going to be just back and forth absolutely punch the out of each other because that's what we're pay to do like you know what I mean but it just shows my my skill level like as you as you can tell every single fight I go into my skill level is grown where it's my striking where is my just my MMA game in general like I'm just more composed I'm more mature I'm I'm not rushing into stuff anymore like I think it's it comes to that stage that I'm kind of hitting my Prime at the moment maybe I didn't hit it yet but I have a feeling i' say the next year it's going to be a very very big year for me like and I'm just so composed you know I it's not that I start slow in the first round but people don't see the first round they think I'm not being active but I'm just visualizing your moves what you're going to do next what's your your little uh kind of like your game plan what's what's your head movement where are you going to be next and then second round I put it on you and I know exactly where you're going to be you know and when I landed that first big overhand I knew he was going to keep on shifting over to the right side I knew every time he chop leg he moved to a different he has you have a pattern every fighter has a pattern and then second round I said I was like I'm knock him out this round with the same hand and that's exactly what I did yes like like Floyd Mayweather when you think about when remember Floyd maywe was start first two rounds downloads the information and yeah you said you know your opponent is going to move that way and is that just because it's like a muscle memory as opposed to being conscious about the movement that that's the way his body's naturally going to move so you're looking at that you throw a faint you know he's going to go this way and that's the way they always divert that is that like muscle member or is that I I don't know really I think it's just experience- wise you know what I mean like the more you fight the more you see these things like um even at the amateur level for me staring off I had the same pattern I had the same thing as you progress and the more fights you're going to have and stuff you just kind of develop all these IQ level gets better should I say but MMA IQ level gets better so you see all these opportun these openings and every Fighters has those patterns you know what I mean it's just how you adapt them how you change them training and stuff because you don't want to be repetitive Movement we get drilled into our heads from Ry every single day you don't want repetitive movements you have to react differently you have to hit and don't get hit like you know what I mean you just you don't want to be there you want to be somewhere when they throw the like it's and and what made it easier with him he had a Dutch style hit Boxing so like those typ hit Boxing for some people that don't know it's like hro combination you combinations you know what I mean so I I kind of visualized I was like right he's throwing this I'll throw that and then I I wave what's his next move and then I just kind of download downloaded all that information the first round finish him off in the second yeah and and it must be some feeling to get it and one person who's really high on you because I I i' watched the the fights not the robin black when he speaks about you on comary how does it feel for someone like Robin black who's worldwide renowned and and he's not the only one like the commentators speak highly OB when you getting this recognition from people that are in in the business so long and they're so good at what does that feel like for you to get the recognition of people like that obviously I'm just so happy and privileged and yeah I'm definitely privileged working alongside all these you know all these people like I've been in the game for such a long time where it was fighting where it's commentating where it's you know what I mean it's it shows that all the hard work that I'm doing it's paying off and I'm I'm showcasing my talent to everyone like and it's it's just the way I am you know what I mean you either like me or you hate me said but I will never change yeah well well we all over here you know we love you and I know I love you and I love your style and and uh one of the things you talked about obviously uh Rody what he says talk to me about Rody I was actually watching an audc fight I could hear Rody uh talking to Conor and I thought that's mad because I see him every now and again at shows and and to hear him on TV again is a bit mad but talks about Rody what he means to and what he means to that Gman and how good he is cuz he's probably the best striking coach with Within in the country in my opinion yeah 100% look Rod is not just a phenomenal qu but he's a he's a he's a great friend he's um he's a he's a mentor to all of us not just to me but to everyone in the gym like and we really look up to him you know what I mean so obviously he paved the way as a coach for for a lot of Fighters out there you know what I mean and especially on my career he's uh he played a massive part into it when I stepped in the gy four years ago obviously I was I was nervous I was like this is a new beginning for me it's it's a new head coach what do I do or anything so yeah he just developed me as a fighter as a person it's it's just fantastic he like I I said it time and time again he's one of the best striking coaches in the world not just Ireland and people underestimate his Jiu-Jitsu as well like he Jiu-Jitsu is insane like he's I say if he comes out retirement right now he'd start dropping people for fun you know what I mean he's just that good but he's so technical you listen to him H when you're fighting you win your fights it's that same and uh sometimes maybe I need to listen a bit more because I just get carried away with the Striking so I think I'm Mayweather now but um no he's just great he's great to us all and it just shows the achievements we're bringing in the gym starting from like the the teens the kids up to the pros and it's just it shows the level we're improving every single day yeah and like you said it's a family feel and when I see like especially your Fighting Championship you usually have a lot of Fighters on on that show and I do see When Sarah's not on it she's all like she's always shouting people out and you're all together like so well and one thing talk to us about the teens coming out there because obviously you've got Morgan you've got uh Ben M you've got so many good there there's a new prop coming through when you look at these these uh coming true and how skill they are are you thinking like like how good is this gym going to get and and how much has it evolved since like you were that age because the the training has evolved in over time like what are you looking at when you see these teams and you're like they're good yeah I see I see all these young Lads like you see you see arand he just made his his I debut there and he's I think he's Jesus I think he's just turned 16 or something or probably younger than that uh then you have Cameron as well you have Ross you have there's so many names out there like you know what I mean like young kids are like under 15s and stuff and you see them progressing through and then you see the the crop after that then you see the likes of Ben Morgan and then you have like the more experience like Alex Aiden Max you know what I mean like it's just it's something else and and the good thing about it it's like when someone has a fight it's kind of like we everyone is in fight Camp you know what I mean so we bounce off each other we get information of you I I try and share my knowledge with you I learn off you like that's the way we are like we're just like a big family like there's no Eagles in the gym whatsoever so it's just perfect man you know it's we're evolving as a team as an individual because I know it's an individual sport going in in the cage but you need a good team behind you to make that cage walk if that makes sense you know it does cuz I remember that was one of the the points in MMA in depth that you really kind of stuck in my mind at the time because it is individual but you wouldn't be there with the people behind you and I'm going to give a quick shout out to Aiden who told me he was going to put on a clinic on Sunday and he bet a very good guy in Rory lavry um it was good to see him back um but yeah go going forward obviously this it's a nice way to the end of the year you've got obviously coming forward what what are you looking at next year have you got plans or you just going to kind of wait to to see what happens will you be looking at to defend F lfl right are you gonna be looking to defend your the belt or is there any word on pfl or if you can't talk about that that's completely fine as it stands I really don't know uh like I said I'm G to take a couple of days off we have a lot of options now at the moment like you know there's H UFC there's pfl I can go back to on lfl there's just a lot of options you know what I mean uh but solely I was just kind of focus on this fight I didn't look anything past this fight because I knew I had a very very big big challenge in front of me so I'll definitely just relax for a couple of days once we sit down there with the team in the coming days we'll uh discuss what we're going through what we're going to do next or whatever but regardless I want to have a busy 2025 whether it's I don't care what promotion is with I just want to be active I want to have at least three four fights uh next year because you know obviously it was it was hard enough making way or lightwe but I'm I'm sticking on WWE for another while anyway so I'm I just want to fight I just love fighting and uh yeah I just enjoy it so we'll see it's going to be a big 2025 that's all I can say yeah I'd love to see a lot more actors than you are obviously there was there was what for whatever reasons that there was and like I just want to say what you you went through in the past year and a half as well mentally to be able to come back from that and and withstand the things that happened and then go forward and and keep performing the way that you have I just want to say it's incredible and you are like that you're probably do like the in the gym you're probably one of the more senior members I suppose uh how does it feel for people to be looking up to you because you're on these shows winning these titles yeah it's it's it's good but it's bad at the same time because if I don't if I don't perform well then it's like I can't let the lads down kind of thing you know it's but it's kind of like pushing me to train harder every day you know um some of the ls are like oh yeah you're the team captain and stuff and everything I'm like why do I have to be the team captain kind of way you know what I mean everything falls on top of me but no it's it's great man I'm I'm I'm blessed to be part of this team um The Lads look like some of the younger Lads and everything look up to me as well so that's a good thing like I give back to them you know and I if I if I have a good performance and everything I know they'll try and mimic that as well so they will have a great performance you know so it's like I said we're just bouncing off each other and it's always is it's always is good being supported by your teammates your family your friends so whatever I set out to do I will do it like you know whatever whatever it takes and um yeah it's just it's just it's a great feeling it's a lot of pressure but it it's a great feeling yeah it's good because like that at the end of the day you have your own fights stuff to worry about and then but at least like that you're looking up and we've talked in depth about yourself and your career and that you like being able to give back to the community and to your gym and two kids coming through and and that's really essential I think in MMA that there's a nice good role model like that like I think it's it's mad like you have to go back to work tomorrow and I've worked in the same business and I know how tough it is it's not easy how how much is it uh like a shot back to Earth is that when you have to go in tomorrow or will you be waiting will they have a little home coming for you I think more than likely there's going to be like a bit of cake and stuff and everything but all like the guys in here in in Aldi where I work like they're just it's like a big family as well you know what I mean they're very supportive in a way that if I need time off for fights if I need a week off if whatever they we'll cover for each other and stuff you know what I mean so they always have my back but yet again I've been with the company for six years so I have a bit of a leeway but when I'm in there I work and especially now coming up to Christmas like it's absolutely hectic so yeah it's back to being back in work early again um for the rest of the week and leading up to Christmas will be long long hours um I'll be back in at 5: in the morning so it's just another day you know what I mean like you can be all all Champion all you want or whatever once once you get home you're just back to normal life unless they start making those Millions you know what I mean yeah life is life and and that's why I like the fact that you openly talk about having the job and all because a lot of people coming through might have this misconception they might look at the likes of Connor Connor's a unicorn no one's ever going to make the money he made that a lot of Fighters have to work when you go through it that like if you're into fight you should be into fight and not for the money and I think it was Lio Griffin said that to me when I was talking about fighter pay he shouldn't be expecting this big money if you want to fight it's it's crazy like honest to God like I so many people like random people that will come up to you and be like oh you're a pro MMA for you must be absolutely Mentor I was like bro if I was mented you think I'd be still working a full-time job and like having you know like still having to pay rent and stuff and everything you know what I mean it's not it's not that easy like it takes a long time like you won't be making any money maybe in the first six seven eight years depending where your career takes yeah like J know but yeah it's um it's it's a different lifestyle anyway I'll tell you that much there's a lot of sacrifices but sometimes they pay off yeah I know I I can imagine what it's like when you win like that when you win the the the double status the endorphins and I say everything is just it's just it feels surreal I would say at times does it when when that happens you're hold the belt you're in there you're getting the interview and you just stand there like this is it like how how does what was that feeling with the two of them you know what it was it's like I think it's every fighter could say this it's like when you win right and you're getting all these attention and these congratulations and all that stuff then after like three four five days I get you know say a week it's you're not getting that anymore and it's like just back to normal life and normal self and stuff and it's like I need that again it's like an addiction you know what I mean it's like oh I want that more so that's where you're chasing then the next fight to win again and then be like get more of these likes and this but it it was gmond honestly I I trained so hard for this the team trained so hard we put in so much work for this and it was more of a relief more than anything like it was a relief I can actually just go back to my owner again for for a while and um just relax for a little bit like you know put my feet up for a couple of days and just just zone out you know that's why I turn off my phone after the fight um turn off my phone for for a day or so and then just kind of got back to everyone as as I go like I probably stilling it back to half the people but no it's great it was a it was a very very proud moment just to see kind of like see my mom looking at Israel winning the the two belts and I was like she's been literally at my fights since my first amateur sorry since my first nois fight I was like this is something you know what I mean from what I started to where I am now it's been a very very long road but we got there in the end you know yeah that sounds like a such a such a special moment to have with with your mother that she's been there from day one and like you said we spoke about your day one people and what they mean to you because yeah everything outside of it can be white noisy at times and like you said MMA is kind of what have you done for me lately what the attention will go after a few days it'll come back but you know yeah real people lie and where your priorities lie but look yeah absolutely fantastic spee again thank you so much again for taking us into you it's been great talk to you is anything you want to say before you go no just look thank you for everyone reaching out to me for the fight and stuff uh Dave thanks for having me on again it was nice catching up again because it's been it's been a while obviously we're still talking back and forth but it's been a it's it's been a while I've been on H on on on an interview with you and yeah just big up to everyone that's been on on top of this journey with me and stuff and just wish every single one of you a happy happy Christmas and a lovely holidays for from me so yeah tune in for 2025 will be a very very big big year it'll definitely be a breakout year for me and my career yeah no I think so too and you enjoy your Christmas CU you deserve it it was a good thing to fight was before Christmas so oh thank God thank you very much and enjoy the rest of your evening all right thanks da thank you