How good is irish mma

yourdeadwright

So my question is
How long before we see a Irish fighter go on a good run in one of the big Global orgs like UFC,Strikeforce or Dream,Wec
I know its a relatively new sport over here and the likes of the US and Russian get a head start by competing in wrestling and Sambo from early ages in school and then college, Then brazil and Japan have a history of competing in Bjj and judo so many of there fighters are at it from an early age to,
But is there any good talent or up and coming talent that are good enough to make waves over sea’s

Just interested in seeing what you guys think

Roper

Lots of good individual fighters over here that are currently fighting at a high level internationally. Daly, Loughran, McCombe, Seery.

As for how good Irish MMA is in general, it has to be said that we're a good stretch behind most of Europe.

The key to any international success is a high level of domestic competition which is in turn generated by having a deep talent pool. We have a very shallow talent pool unfortunately. There are lots of guys training out there but not too many willing to fight. There's also a lot of people fighting once and then dissappearing. The sport is more popular than ever, and I would hazard maybe about as popular as it ever will be, but there's not too many competitors.

yourdeadwright

Good point
IV seen Neil Seery fight a few times and he looks really good,

I suppose if the guys in there teens training around the country at the moment keep it up and keep progressing they will be first ones to have been cross training in all aspect since an early age and maybe will have the best chance,
I guess like any sport the small population come pared to other countries always lowers our chance of producing world class athletes

I was only having the conversation the other day that maybe the sport has grown as big as it will get, I for one hope not but I guess only time will tell,

Valmont

Roper wrote: »

There's also a lot of people fighting once and then dissappearing.

I think you're right there. I remember the few Ring of Truth events I went to a couple of years back and a few up north that Neil Seery always seemed to be losing but then he surely turned that around and is now a top competitor.

SV

Roper wrote: »

There are lots of guys training out there but not too many willing to fight.

I have to ask..

Why on earth would you be like this?
If you're training for it then you have to be willing to fight..hell, what's the point otherwise?

Professey Chin

SV wrote: »

I have to ask..

Why on earth would you be like this?
If you're training for it then you have to be willing to fight..hell, what's the point otherwise?

To learn the skills and get fit like what really is the majority of people who do different martial arts.Only a minority really have the commitment & desire to compete and an even smaller amount who aim to compete at the highest level

Nothingcompares

SV wrote: »

I have to ask..

Why on earth would you be like this?
If you're training for it then you have to be willing to fight..hell, what's the point otherwise?

cage is a scary place for one's ego

Tim_Murphy

SV wrote: »

I have to ask..

Why on earth would you be like this?
If you're training for it then you have to be willing to fight..hell, what's the point otherwise?

1.Because there is a big difference between training a few times a week and proper fight training. Most people won't be willing or able to dedicate themselves to the training required to be able to fight pro MMA. This is fair enough, most people have better things to do with their lives than going training 10 times a week.

2. Whilst training is fun, getting into a cage with some guy who is going to try and punch, kick, knee and elbow you as hard as you can isn't everybodies idea of fun. This is also fair enough.

The League (amateur MMA) is more popular than its ever been. Most guys will be happy enough competing in that, a few will go on to C class (we've a good shot of C class fighters in Point Blank at the moment), a few less will go on to B class and a few less again will go on to A class. That's just the nature of it really.

calex71

I'd say risk of injury is a big factor when it comes to competing for a lot of lads, realistically most guys have to go to work on monday, where depending on the the job even a few bruises on the face could be a bad thing for them.

arybvtcw0eolkf

calex71 wrote: »

I'd say risk of injury is a big factor when it comes to competing for a lot of lads, realistically most guys have to go to work on monday, where depending on the the job even a few bruises on the face could be a bad thing for them.

I'd hate thought that would be way down the list of considerations for most people.

Maybe a good excuse not to fight, but legitimate? - I doubt it.

.

Tim_Murphy

Keenan Purple Knickknack wrote: »

I'd hate thought that would be way down the list of considerations for most people.

Maybe a good excuse not to fight, but legitimate? - I doubt it.

.

Legitimate enough IMO. After my fight with Steve McCombe I couldn't walk properly for weeks. That would have kept me out of work in a lot of jobs I'd imagine. If it had been my elbow I wouldn't have been able to work.
Pay checks for most fighters won't really pay too many bills.

arybvtcw0eolkf

Tim_Murphy wrote: »

Legitimate enough IMO. After my fight with Steve McCombe I couldn't walk properly for weeks. That would have kept me out of work in a lot of jobs I'd imagine. If it had been my elbow I wouldn't have been able to work.
Pay checks for most fighters won't really pay too many bills.

But with the deepest respect to the vast majority of people training in MMA clubs, and any other style for that matter - few have achieved the success and high profile status you have and are unlikely to fight the caliber of opponent you are.

.

mark.leonard

Keenan Purple Knickknack wrote: »

But with the deepest respect to the vast majority of people training in MMA clubs, and any other style for that matter - few have achieved the success and high profile status you have and are unlikely to fight the caliber of opponent you are.

.

Doesn't mean they wouldn't get hurt though; a guy just barely into B class is still capable of sitting in mount and hitting you in the face. Similarly and arm bar can be put on fast by someone south of top flight A class level.

Jason Mc

I've seen more bad injuries at judo competitions than I've saw at MMA matches funny enough

I'm sure wrestlers take some serious knocks too with suplexing



The big dfifference with MMA matches in a ring or cage is you are entertainment and all eyes are on you. It's not the same with a lot of other MA. You can be on the matt competing and the whole place could be watching or just a few people. You don't really know.

I think the fear of getting KTFO in front of people inhibits some people and for those that do get in it hinders their capabilities.

yourdeadwright

I think possible the fear of losing is a huge reason for people not stepping in the cage,
Nobody minds entering lets say Bjj competion's because if you lose it's something you deal with every time you train,
Most people if they roll 3 times a week are going to be tapping in training at some stages other used to it,
But its a different story in the cage, its more of an unknown of how you'll feel or react if the other guy give you a good beating that may be keeping people from putting them self’s in that situation

arybvtcw0eolkf

mark.leonard wrote: »

Doesn't mean they wouldn't get hurt though; a guy just barely into B class is still capable of sitting in mount and hitting you in the face. Similarly and arm bar can be put on fast by someone south of top flight A class level.

I take all that on board but I still maintain the fear of being hurt is most likely not the number one reason why people don't fight.

I'd say the biggest hurdle is self doubt and fear of losing.

.

arybvtcw0eolkf

Jason Mc wrote: »

I've seen more bad injuries at judo competitions than I've saw at MMA matches funny enough

.

Sounds like you were at last weekends Leinster Open?.


.

Jason Mc

No I haven't done judo in about 5 years.

But I've seen some serious dislocations and knee injuries and I saw one guy get his foot snapped completely in half.

SV

Cheers for the reasons there.
I guess it makes sense, I just never fully understood the mentality.

There was always a few of them in boxing. They'd train and spar all day long but you mention a fight to them and they're out of the door quicker than you can imagine.

arybvtcw0eolkf

Jason Mc wrote: »

No I haven't done judo in about 5 years.

But I've seen some serious dislocations and knee injuries and I saw one guy get his foot snapped completely in half.

Yup, thats regular enough at Judo competitions.

A girl from Portmarnock Judo Club had a pretty serious elbow dislocation - it was pretty awful , poor girl.

.

Pingu

Keenan Purple Knickknack wrote: »

A girl from Portmarnock Judo Club had a pretty serious elbow dislocation - it was pretty awful , poor girl.
.

Not to sidetrack the discussion but how is she actually? I only got to chat her for a sec at the BJJ on Sunday as we were leaving.

colinlaird000

I really only did MMA to see if all the other stuff i was learning was any use! I lost more than i won, but it didnt stop me from competing. I would say that more often than not, the stuff i learned worked. I may not have won, but i survived a good while against a fairly high level of competition. (You can pay me later Mr Leonard ) The problem was that once i turned the corner and started winning, the opponents standard got higher and higher. I actually found that A class and C class were fairly similar to me, whos game mostly revolved around takedowns and my ground game (What there is of it ) The little injuries dont bother me, and i got worse playing rugby at school. But the main issue was i work in a professional job, and the boss was never to pleased with me coming in on a tuesday ( i always wisely took the following monday off!) with 2 black eyes and a broken nose. To be honest though i never minded losing. Lol the only video of my fights is where i was on the wrong end of a very nice KO knee to the face!

Kent Brockman

I trained in Bjj for a while and did a few MMA classes. My sole reason was for fitness and i could never be bothered going jogging, pumping iron or sitting on stationary bike.
I tried weights but stopped as soon as I was tired. With Bjj I kept trying to escape/win no matter how tired I got.
I found training to be great fun and I met a great bunch of lads through the gym which was a bonus and made going to training enjoyable rather than a chore.
It was never my intention to fight. There are two reasons for this
1. I am afraid of fighting.
2. I have no desire to hurt other people.

I am a big fan of MMA and have great respect for anyone who who actively competes, But it will never be something that I personally would do, even though I thoroughly enjoy the training and craic.

I would imagine there is a lot more like me?

colinlaird000

yeah. i have the not liking hurting people too. That tends to go after they punch you in the face a few times. I think thats why i prefer take downs to striking. I believe i have a subconscious dislike of intentionally injuring people! Unless theyre my friends, and oddly that makes it ok

Roper

Just a clarification.

I'm not saying that everyone who trains should fight, just that MMA's popularity in Ireland is no representation of the actual level of competition. My comment about guys fighting once and then dissappearing was a bit unclear too. What I mean is that 1) there's a lot of fights on a lot of cards but that doesn't mean these are experienced fighters and 2) maybe more can be done to get people back in the ring/cage after their fist event.

Pride Fighter

Roper wrote: »

Just a clarification.

I'm not saying that everyone who trains should fight, just that MMA's popularity in Ireland is no representation of the actual level of competition. My comment about guys fighting once and then dissappearing was a bit unclear too. What I mean is that 1) there's a lot of fights on a lot of cards but that doesn't mean these are experienced fighters and 2) maybe more can be done to get people back in the ring/cage after their fist event.

To get more people in the cage one thing is needed. MONEY!!!! The Cage of Honour show in November will be the first step IMO.

clap-for-trap

Pride Fighter wrote: »

To get more people in the cage one thing is needed. MONEY!!!! The Cage of Honour show in November will be the first step IMO.

roll on november

cowzerp

Pride Fighter wrote: »

To get more people in the cage one thing is needed. MONEY!!!! The Cage of Honour show in November will be the first step IMO.

I dont understand this, does that mean there is lots of money spent on the event or paid to the fighters?

if its on the event fair play thats good for the fans but that does not make a difference to the lad who misses work on a monday after fighting.

Pride Fighter

cowzerp wrote: »

I dont understand this, does that mean there is lots of money spent on the event or paid to the fighters?

if its on the event fair play thats good for the fans but that does not make a difference to the lad who misses work on a monday after fighting.

It is the a fight show with about 10 A class fights, no B,C or D class. Castlebar has a high capacity. I'd say this will be the highest grossing indigenous MMA show ever and as a result the fighters will get higher pay.

Roper

Pride Fighter wrote: »

It is the a fight show with about 10 A class fights, no B,C or D class. Castlebar has a high capacity. I'd say this will be the highest grossing indigenous MMA show ever and as a result the fighters will get higher pay.

I wish the promoters the best of luck but Cage Wars have been bringing in big names and filling the King's Hall for quite a while. Cage rage filled the Point. Rings too.

I'm sure it will be a great show but I don't think it will suddenly make pro fighters wages higher. Even if it upped them by €100 a fight it would still be amateur fighters fighting professional rules. People will still have work on Monday morning and still have to deal with the disruption to their careers that fighting causes. It won't have an effect on the talent pool in Ireland.

sul02

Is it the case that the A class rules fighters in ireland have their hands tied? In that for them to reach the next level they need to train full time, but if they did that the money they get from fighting isnt enough to live on - so they have to work and cant train full time?