Brian Coyle

Summary

Brian Coyle competed in the Alpha project last year, fighting on Chaos fighting championship the longest running MMA promotion in Ireland We look back on his time during the project, what he's learned from it and taken it into daily life and how his life looks after it

Transcript (youtube_captions)

Okay, so I'm here with Mr. Brian Coyle. Well, you know him as one of the cupmen and part owner of Inside Out Care. He would have probably wrapped your hands, but Razley gets you ready for the show, but he also fought as well. H last year, he went and done the Alfred project, which is currently going on at the minute. Um, so we're going to talk to him about his experience, uh, the positives, what he found from it, what he didn't expect from it, stuff like that. So, thank you very much for joining me. How are you today? Yeah, it's a it's a wet, miserable Sunday. So, I am I I've trained this morning um with the guys at Stan Martial Arts. So, I am ready to put my feet up and relax today. Yeah, it's been a it's it's we had a nice summer and now the the true Irish weather has come back. Obviously, there was UFC last night uh with the guys. Unfortunately, Shauna and Reese didn't get the victory. Keith Cowi also uh got TKO. He got injured. I don't think he come out but Lewis Baron was the the the one who won over in Denmark and obviously there was the news of Tier and Lockan which will probably be discussed in more detail at a later date that he will not be able to continue to fight. Such a talent and such a shame but it's better finding out now than in time. But you said you were just at training which is really good. So since the alpha project you've obviously you you've kept up with training and stuff like that. So, like what what training have you kept up since since the competition? >> Yeah. So, I've I've been doing lots. So, I've kind of never really stopped the jiu-jitsu since then. Although I'm not getting as much jiu-jitsu as I want to, but I still get my my couple of days a week, couple of mornings a week um time with with Gareth, my coach. Um martial arts. I'm I'm trying to work on a bit of standup now and and see if I can maybe learn to fight. One of the one of the biggest things I took away from the alpha project when I when I the bell when the bell rung is maybe I should maybe I don't know how to fight. >> I I think I'd say you go into somewhere like that. >> It's teething problems. It's it's it's on the day experiences that that the guys this year may hopefully they'll not experience it. But you know the everything about it was was amazing and I'm I'm actually I'm glad I did it. I'm glad I did it. >> Yeah, cuz because I remember speaking to you before you did it and one of the things you said was that meant the most you obviously to get through it and then your brother to to walk you to the cage as well. So >> talk to us about the actual fight and getting there because we'll go through the training as well. >> You chaos >> won your f the first show you ever went to and it's what got you into MMA and then being able to compete on it. Talk to us about that and then bringing the brother into the equation. I'd say it was an emotional day and night. Do do you know what um the the like I I tell everybody I know who who will listen to me about chaos being my first love of MMA was the first time I saw MMA was the first time I experienced it and I was brought there my my brother actually took me. So when it come the chance to have the fight and and I remember uh like talking to to Jason McCabe who was who was my coach in Evolve and I says can can Mickey walk me out to the cage that that's all I want. And you know what? See see just to get out there, walk out with him and and there's a real um nice picture I think Nikki Nikki captured of it of of I'm walking out to the cage and he's like got his arm around me like pep talking me on the way out and I was going that's that's amazing. Uh once I got I I would have been happy then not to fight after that. That was that was everything I ever wanted. So uh yeah, big shout out to to Mickey Coy the the legend. Everyone around all known. >> Yeah. No, it's it was good that you were able to get it. Obviously, you went in h you lost the fight, but talk to us about the fight is kind of the cherry on top. Show the sort of way. I think maybe through through the weeks is the real kind of battle and the real victory cuz >> it's not an easy thing to do. A lot of people go into I went to like a a boxing beginner's boxing thing. Even just to throw a jab, you have to stand a certain way. You have to do it certain thing. I think a lot of people look at at the UFC or look at whatever and think it's easy. Like what were you expecting going in for the first week and and what actually was the first week like? Did it differ from your expectations? >> The the the excitement about the alpha project is the unknown. No, you you're going in there with an idea of what you think MMA and MMA training is and you're you're kind of have and then once you start training, you're like, "Oh, this is different from what I thought. This is this is completely completely different." And you know, you you can watch and you can mess about with your friends, but whenever somebody's trying to like correct your stance or or work on techniques and you're going, right, there's there's actually there there's a method to the way these guys do it. It's not no a take down isn't just jumping on somebody, you know, there's there's control, there's a different there there's movement with striking, you know, it was more about the the the movement, the footwork and the mechanics of the striking. and you're going, I only thought I knew fighting >> and now I'm in here with experienced, you know, coaches and I know absolutely nothing. But, you know, every everybody will will will get to do it. Everybody who does the alpha project will get to do it. It it was one of the greatest things I've ever done and I am so so glad I did it. I didn't get my hand raised on the day, but I don't felt like I don't feel like I lost. You know, that's that's the way you come out. It was just the experience getting in there. um getting to go three rounds. Well, I didn't get to go three rounds. I got to go about two and a half rounds. Uh and then coming out, you know, and and the you know, meeting and sharing a cage with with Kevin from from Lamovat, you know, and that's somebody I I probably consider now like a a friend that that I've met through through MMA. It's it's mad, isn't it? because it it's one of the only sports where you really see like if you try to explain to someone outside MMA that two lads go and beat the [ __ ] out of each other for 15 minutes or what or knock someone out or submit someone choke someone out and then they become friendly after. We see it all the time with fighters. They end up training together and stuff like that. Why do you think that is in the MMA community and it's not in a lot of other communities? You know, there there's something about combat sports that's very very primal and and you know, you'd often hear like people saying once you get in there, you leave a piece of yourself in there and and you know, you're sharing the cage with somebody else who's leaving a piece of themselves in there. So maybe it's just some kind of psychological thing where that's you forever bonded through this combative sport. Yeah. No, I get that as well. But what was the what was the posit positives or what did you found you learned the most or the biggest positives from the AVA project? Cuz I remember you were saying I believe you lost lost a bit of weight then while you were there. Was there was there anything else as well that you found positive or you didn't know about yourself or >> do do you know what what I will say about the alpha project is the the kind of the fear of the unknown and then once you go in there at the start and then everything just you know you become you bond with your teammates you bond with your coaches um you know you you you start to be kind of almost become like a student of the game because you're so engrossed and in fixed in it and once you're training for something, your mindset and your your attitude towards training and and dieting and all is completely completely different. Um I I thought I was happy, you know, kind of the weight I was and then I lost so much weight training for the Alpha Project. Then I realized, no, do you know what? I actually like being the lower weight and that's why I kept training. the discipline aspect of training um as well as the you know the the camaraderie of of being in a club and and having teammates. I mean that's that that's it's it's you go to you go to the club you go to your training whether it's jiu-jitsu kickbox and MMA and and it's it's it's basically it's friendly murder and then you shake hands after it. I like that friendly murder. Uh one of the things she noticed or that you said there was discipline. Um, you found that since you went training and obviously you've kept the discipline because you you've continued training, but did that then positively affect your personal life as well? Did you bring the discipline through to that for other things like your diet, like stuff like that? Did it influence not just you in a combat sense, but you in a a personal sense, Brian, outside of of the cage? >> Yeah. And one one of the biggest kind of positive aspects that I think come from it was was my kids seeing me training and being disciplined. and your kids will will your kids will do what you do, not what you say. And them kind of following suit and and coming into their sport. So, you're you're you're setting an example in the house as well as, you know, trying to get better and train yourself for a fight. >> Yeah. No, that's good. But, how long is the So, for people that might not know Yeah. >> about the project, do you want to explain um how you would sign up? I know what's going on at the minute, but we can use this for for future ones cuz it looks like it's actually done quite well. Like how long is it? What did you learn in it? Uh how what gyms are available to it? Cuz I noticed after the first one more gyms got involved as well. So it might be different again. Next year we might have a couple more gyms. But talk to us about the program, uh the length of it, all the kind of details that people might need. >> Okay. So it's it's primarily based up in the Northwest. So we have um uh Team Rhino Causeway and Korean. We have team rhino leav um team evolve in dairma MMA um grappling in uh for mana and uh team rhino hq in Dublin. So there is one for people in Dublin. It's um 14 to 16 weeks of training depending on on the gym schedule. Um it's basically it's it's much like you know people would do like a couch to 5k for running. This is coach to cage. It's for complete beginners. um people who who have a bit of an interest in MMA, anybody who wants to experience what it's like to to compete, you you come in as a beginner, you're you're watched throughout your first few weeks, the coaches are are constantly talking to each other. You're you're assessed by your skill level, your weight, in my case, my age, because I was I was a lot older and they team me up with people around the same age as me. Um and then you're put in based on skills. So, you know, if if you're coming in there with completely no experience at all, having never thrown a punch, having never grappled, having never done MMA, just a fan, you're not going to be thrown in with someone who's had like, you know, 25 boxing fights, whatever. Not not that those guys would be doing Alpha Project, but you're you're you're steadily assessed by your coaches and then you're you're matched accordingly. you know, we've got like, you know, coaches like Andy Ryan, Jason McCabe, um Jerry Oanoma, um uh Daniel Thompson, who's who's about to make his pro debut, you know. So, you've got experienced people in there who know fighting, who know MMA, and and who can gauge your level and will match you accordingly. And at the end, you get to, you know, you get to make the walk, have the have the fight, and you know, brag to your friends that you did it. Yeah. No, 100%. Uh, with that as well, you don't actually have to take the fight either though as well because a lot of people or you can do like modified rules that maybe there's no head shot and stuff. So, people who might not want to fight but might want to do the the thing as well, that's it's also available that they could just kind of do the course as well. But >> yeah, if you just want to join up and and do the training and, you know, maybe train like the the the last season of the alpha project, I trained the whole way through the season. I never fought, but I just did the training cuz I really really enjoyed the training and you know it helped keep me in shape. So, you know, there there is that that option if you want to just come and train. You don't have to fight, but um it's it's it's a great test if you do, you know, to just to get in there just to make the walk. And and look, I I'll tell you this, that that cage that we use for chaos last the last time, I've been in that cage maybe thousands of times in my life, you know, between going in and out and going in and out and um greasing people and treating cuts. It never felt as small as it did when they closed the door. I have never actually been in that cage when the door has been closed and it was just me, Kevin, and Decki. And you know, that was the most surreal experience of my life. But yeah, yeah, you can come do the training, get fit, learn a few new skills, you know, get a bit of confidence, and who know, who knows what the future holds. You don't have to, you know, if the if the the the striking and and getting punched in the head isn't for you, maybe you'll stick at the the jiu-jitsu and grappling end. Um there's loads of competitions in grappling if that's what you want to do. >> Yeah. No. And do you think to what you're saying about the cage feeling small? I've been in the cage. Well, Alex said it doesn't feel small. I've never been in when it's been closed. Do you think that was a mindset thing knowing, okay, I'm here, my opponent's here, Decki's there, obviously the ref, and this is it. This is what it comes down to. Whereas when me and you would go in, the door's left open, we breeze in and out. We do whatever we do. Do you think it's cuz you were like, "All right, now I'm actually here to fight. That door's closed." >> You think it was a mindset thing because because you were about to enter live competition? >> What? I I'll take you through the whole kind of scenario of the day. So, we we went we weighed in cuz it was same day weigh in. So, we weighed in and then we went and kind of refueled and got something to eat. And I went back home, got shower, changed, packed my bag, went back to the the Millennium, and I swear to God that morning I did not need a laxative. I was absolutely terrified. So we we we went and you know I'm used to going to the the the arenas early and and the the venues early and wrapping hands and things like that, but this was a completely different mindset. And I remember I was standing at the cage. Um, Big Z was still building the cage and I was like talking to him and Kevin actually come in and I remember like I went up and says hello and shook his hand and I had a bit of a how's it going kind of thing and I remember when I walked away, you know, he he's actually he's about the same size as me and I thought he looks [ __ ] massive. This was the kind of mindset I was going through. So then I went up I actually wrapped a few sets of hands just to keep myself occupied and between you know my family been I was up and down and um running about a lot. Then when it come time then to get my hands wrapped and you have to remember I've been on the other end of that so many times wrapping hands and see when it come time to get my hands wrapped and I was just it everything just kind of sunk in then and it felt like it felt like the whole world was just getting you know the hangovers were the room spinning. >> Yeah. It was kind of like >> sink in then. Um, so wrapped the hands, done a bit of a warm up. Um, and then it was crazy because there was so the the dressing room was so busy and and there was so there was loads of people and loads of noise and people moving in night out. See when they call me it was my time to fight. It seemed like the whole place was empty. >> Just >> you just get in the zone. Um, walk down the [ __ ] like 3,000 steps in the Millennium Forum. to get down to the cage. Um, I don't remember my my song coming on. I remember walking out to the cage uh and getting in and do you see the minute I stepped in that cage a strange kind of calm come over you? No, like there's no nerves. There was nothing. You were just calm. It actually felt like you were in a movie. It didn't feel real. It was the most surreal experience of my life. >> That sounds >> That sounds epic. It was absolutely epic. And I think me and you spoke as well, you talk about getting your hands wrapped and when someone was wrapping your hands, you knew then how the people felt so when you're wrapping their hands. And do you think that will as time gone on or since how you would speak to them or or do you think >> Yes. Yes. >> Has that had a big influence on how you'd speak to them now because you know kind of the feelings they're having at that time? >> Yeah, I've I've kind of always been good at talking to people. I've always been good at gauging, you know, whether people want to talk about fighting, whether they want to talk about something else. And and I will talk to you about the most random stuff in the world, you know. Um I remember at the uh the cage conflict, the outside one, the fail in the park one, um telling Mario, the hound, I'm explaining to him that I was Northern Ireland disco dancing champion in 1993. And it just completely threw him out of the moment, you know, and it kind of calmed him down. I Well, that's what I tell myself anyway. And he won that fight because I uh calmed him down. But he always reminds me it's the one thing he remembers. It obviously did had an effect on him if he's if he says it's you >> from then on because I talked to you've probably seen >> uh settle your head >> uh that a lot of people have done and I talked to him outside of of the interview done and a lot of other fighters. Do you think that the mental game and obviously that's that's a mental thing for Matty that when you said that to him it kind of >> like it threw him off hand down. Do you think it's overlooked sometimes the mental side? Yeah, sometimes just saying something random takes them completely out of the moment. Takes them completely out of their head space and you know the I mean I' I've had talks on and things about um know whether you prefer tomato sauce or barbecue sauce on pizzas. You know the things like that that are just random and it gets people talking. It gets them debating. It takes them out of the the moment and then there's guys just want to talk about the fight and what they're going to do and and that's okay. You can talk about that too. >> Yeah. You know, it's it's like that. I just think that's why I started doing interviews. There's so many people different. They're wired different ways. You could have two people from the same kind of area. They grow up and they go different. And I'm interested in what makes people what makes people tick. But would would it be an experience that you would obviously you said you've been training with them for kind of this season as well. >> Would you ever look at at having another MMA fight? I know because you've been doing jiu-jitsu competitions since, have you? >> Yeah. Would you ever look at doing MMA again or you just going to continue with the jiu-jitsu? >> Well, they're they're they're doing this season's alpha project and they're doing the finale in Chaos in the Everglades, which is where I started, which is what which is where it all started for me. I mean, maybe it would be good for if it all ended there as well in terms of fight. >> Have you reached out to Kevin and maybe look for a rematch? Because you did rematch him in grappling, didn't you? >> Yes. Yes. >> And how did that turn out? >> Um I So he guillotined me in the MMA fight and then I guillotined him in the grappling match. >> No, no. If if we're if we're having a trilogy, it's going to be involving alcohol. >> We're going to have a drinking competition. And uh he uh he he will won that easily. >> He He's a good Well, I've had a couple of drinks with you. You're not too bad. I'm not that good. You could drink a lot more than me. Um, but yeah, I think that'd be close competition. We should have that after chaos in a bar of a neutral person's choosing and we can see how it goes and and see who does the best of three. But it's it's a really good I like the idea of it. There's the train ala which is down south. Um, and you see, but a lot of other different gyms are doing stuff similar. Valor are doing stuff. Uh, you had fit to fight. Um, >> yeah, >> it seems to be very very popular at the minute, MMA and people wanting to kind of to to bridge that gap between a fan and competing. >> Do do you know why the Alpha Project's brilliant? It's a it's it's it's almost like the the the idea of of going on holidays and not jumping straight into the pool, but dipping your toe in first. That's what the Alpha Project is. You get the experience, the big the big fight field, the big show feel, but you're still in in a novice and controlled environment. and and that's that's most important. I mean that that'll be a decider then whether you're going to go any further or not. I mean you look at the likes of um Danny McCormick in Victa Champion who started off and a wed warrior Ala. >> Yeah. And then who has like renews I believe done fit to fight maybe or did he? >> He did. Yeah. That's how he started like three years ago. Um, and I like like you said the rule set that you're a novice because obviously we know the different rule sets. A novice you can't ground the pound to the head and especially for people who are just doing this for a one time thing and will never compete again. Safety is at the utmost importance. So, but then again like you said if people go I would like Joe I like that strap. I like punching it then could go on because a lot of people do go on. They might have a couple of amateur fights. People might go pro. Obviously, Danny is the biggest standout on that, but we'll see over the next uh couple of years. It it might be a base for getting people into MMA and and fighting. >> Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. It's it's it's it can only be positive. It can only be positive. And even in terms of getting the the gyms, in terms of getting, you know, new members for the gyms and for people to stay on, like even if you don't want to do MMA, if you just want to grapple, you know, or or if you want to go and do kickboxing or something like that, you know, it's it's it's a good kind of Yeah. dip your toe in the water. It's I I would recommend anybody to do it to do it. If you have the slightest interest in combat sports, test yourself in there. If anything else, you'll have stories to tell when you're older. >> Exactly. And it'd be cool stories like said to your grandkids walking out into the blending forum. Um, but uh, one of the benefits I think as well of starting something like that is is there's a group of people that start together because a lot of people like that, you know, yourself even at my age, if I went to start go to a gym, an MMA gym, I'd be quite apprehensive. You might think it's intimidating. Do you think the fact that a lot of people are starting at one time, it kind of helps the nerves? And then like you said, what's the kind of friendships like you get out of it because you've all gone through this uh 14 to 16 weeks together? >> Well, you're you're you're talking you're you're you're more or less bonded by blood, I suppose, cuz you're in there training and learning and beating each other up. Um yeah, I've made some cracking like friends that that I would consider probably lifelong friends now, although I'm a lot older than them. I have a have a bit more life experience in them. But, you know, I still keep in contact regular, you know, with with most of them. Um, even in the in the last in the virtuous card there and one of one of the kind of the closest guys that I would train a lot with Orin, I got to commentate on his fight. >> How did that feel? >> Uh, do you know what? I don't think Paul Brown or Phil Campbell have anything to worry about for me coming along and commentating. >> It's like that is another thing that over time that it would get better and better. It's >> I find it hard to remember the names. It's It would be different commentating on, you know, like the shows where where we know the guys and we know their names. >> Yeah. >> But when when you're doing with guys you've never seen before, complete beginners and having to constantly and you look down for the name and you look up and you go, "Did I miss something or >> whatever." But thank thank God I had Paul Brown and he has the patience of a saint and he carried me through through two fights. He he basically he carried me. He's very good and and what he does I know because I spoke to him because I when I was starting to do the country I was like these names and he just goes I I send him a message get them send me a voice note back in how it's pronounced and then he will work on that like that just shows how much cuz like I said there's I mess up Irish names let alone if you have a Brazilian someone from Portugal Italian someone from from different countries trying to to do their names and I know I've probably butchered a few but Paul Bur Paul Brown for me is is like that. He was the first person I done the comedy with and like I said, he's the patience of a saint and he'll sit you down and he'll talk you through and and if he sees you're struggling, he'll he'll he'll help you as well. >> Yeah. Yeah. And and and he feeds you, you know, he doesn't just like he he'll he'll feed you if if you're being too quiet, he'll feed you to get your opinion. What do you think about that? Or no. And and he was just it was great. just made me feel so relaxed and yeah, I listened to it back and and I was just like, nah, I'll stick I'll stick to cuts. I don't think people should be hearing me. And here's the thing, just cuz you like fights and you like talking doesn't mean you should be doing commentary and I'm the perfect example of that. >> I think you're very knowledgeable in my from what I know from you outside and we've talked about MMA a lot. you were one of the people who know a lot from a long time ago and the kind of roots of it, the history of it, stuff like that. I think you'd be part like that. >> I think if I think if you kept doing it and doing it, I think you'd be quite good at cuz like that you know a lot more than people would think you know like you spoke to me and I'm like I didn't know that. I didn't know that. There's stuff that you would know a lot of people would know and like that you know the fighters as well and a lot of people would see your media show. So, I think they probably would like if you were commentating on them. But if that's not your career choice going forward, that's not your career choice, stick to cuts. But, um, I'm going to let you go in a minute, but I just want you to say if there was someone just say on the fence, okay, that they were like, will I want to do it? What advice would you give them that might give them that push towards the alpha project? Um so the the the alpha project the way it has been set up and the way it has been designed it's it's been designed by uh coaches who understand everything that that you know a person who wants to enter an MMA gym has went through I mean you're talking decades of experience here um so that it has been designed by them everything that that you will do in terms of the alpha project will will improve you physically mentally um you know spiritually whatever the way you need to be. The the first day is always the hardest, stepping through the door, but you come in and you'll see just how friendly and how welcoming an MMA and martial arts gym is. And and that's the way it is throughout the world. Come in, you'll meet people, you'll learn people, you'll you'll grow as a person as as you as you go through the the course. Um will you want to compete or not is is entirely up to you. The nobody will force you to fight if you don't want to fight. So, don't think you're going to be going in there and thrown into the wolves. You're not going to be. Um, and you will definitely you you'll come out at the end of it a different person, a better person. And, you know, you'll you'll feel once you do that, there's nothing then you can't do. You'll feel like you can conquer anything. And that's the beauty of the Alpha Project. And you get to go, you get to have a big fight at a on a one of the major regional shows, full walk out. Um you can watch your fight back later. Your your family and friends can come and watch you and it is the um the ultimate human transformation experience. >> Yeah, I think it is something that every MMA fan should do cuz like that it's in a controlled environment. It debunks some of the theories that when you go to an MMA gym that people like you might be intimidated. Like I said, I think this community, you've been around different communities. I think the combat one, especially, not just MMA, is really together. You're always going to get that 1% that are [ __ ] in a gym, but that's very few and far between. Um, and like I said, once you go through the door, it's the hardest bit. That just going through that door is the hardest bit. Kieran Davin said that to me when he started fighting, just going through the door is the hardest bit. But it does get easier. And like I said, the benefits that has had to you personally and like like physically, mentally, everything, it is well worth it. So, I would urge people to try it if they're interested in it. Like I said, you don't have to fight. You can grapple. You can do something else, but you get to get that experience that a fighter gets as well. But I want to thank you so much for your time. I'm going to let you go. Is there anything you else you want to say before you go? >> Yeah. Anybody that's thinking about doing it or thinking about doing something like that? So the 15th of November, Chaos Fighting Championships is in the Everglades. Buy a ticket, come down, watch the show, experience what it's like, and then you'll decide then whether you're going to sign up for the next one or not. 15th of November, Everglades and Derry. It'll be the best night. It'll be the best experience you've ever had. >> Yeah. No, and it is a fantastic show. The longest running one in Ireland as well. So the boys have done some job to to keep it going throughout the years, especially we were hit with CO a few years ago. The whole scene was up in the air. The scene seems to be stronger than ever now. The show is everywhere. So like that get to chaos. Uh if you want to find out more about the AFA project, I will put links in this where you can go to the different coaches maybe or the different people who are involved or even if you want reach out to me or or Brian and maybe speak to them about I can put you in touch with people >> uh about their experience. Obviously, we've just had Brian's here, but if you want more questions, I'm sure he'd be open to to ask them for you. It's been a pleasure to talk to you again on camera because we see each other a lot behind the scenes. Um, and I will see you next weekend, this day next week at your fighting championship. >> Fighting championship. >> It's It's going to be a good one to get back to that one. So, thank you very much and enjoy the rest of your day. >> Thank you.