Tag: Cardiff

My only dream is to make it to UFC, that’s the level I want!

Ian “The Future” Garry ticked all the boxes in 2019. Starting the year with a clean professional record and leaving the year with a record of 3-0. 1 x TKO victory, 1 x submission, 1 x decision. However you want them beat, line them up and a 6ft 3 welterweight will happily do whatever is necessary to be victorious. 2020 looks to be even busier for the Dubliner as he looks to continue pushing towards a Cage Warriors title.

“The next 12 months are going to be hectic for me.” Says Garry. “I plan to have 4 fights. London, then Belfast 8 weeks later. A little break over summer, go again towards the end of summer, then get 2 more fights in during the last 4 months of the year.”

Very few fighters in MMA have fighting activity as lively as him. Former UFC Featherweight champion Max Holloway is known notoriously for his activity as a fighter, having 3 fights in 2019 just like Garry. The emphasis on Garry’s determination and eagerness to keep stepping inside the cage is epitomized by the fact he missed half of last year with a broken hand and still had one of the most promising 12 months out of any fighter in the division.

“Having 3 fights last year wasn’t as active as I wanted to be, I wanted AT LEAST 4. Last year we improved massively, but this year we want to improve so much more. I wanted around 5 fights last year, but I broke my hand and that set me back 26 weeks. I returned from injury and did an 8-week camp, but my opponent pulled out. Then I had 2 fights in 9 weeks, I always want to be active. I’m not the sort of fighter that can take a year out or have 6 months off.”

With every intention of continuing to gain momentum through his skillset and disciplined work-ethic, “The Future” is sniffing out a prosperous end to the year with the scent of gold piquing his interest.

“After 4 fights, 4-0, I’ll finish the year with a record of 7-0. If that doesn’t leave me in title contention then I don’t know what will. I can guarantee they are going to be the same winning performances. No one is going to stop me getting that belt and making it to the UFC.”

The vastness of ambition and skill gives every indication that Garry is made for the sports elite. Although in the early stages of his career, there’s no sign of stopping the Irishman in marauding his way through each and every fighter that stands between him and success.

“My only dream is to make it to the UFC, that’s the level I want. Whatever happens after will be a bonus. If I can make it to the UFC then happy days, as I fully believe that I can, but only the future will reveal that. Until then I want to do my best and enjoy every day, that’s exactly how I’ll become a world champion.”

With an impressive Question Mark kick to finish his second fight, the hype around Ian Garry continues to build as much momentum as his winning streak. Having been named as one of Irelands most promising prospects, the hype is something that adds more fuel to his motivation.

“It’s great to have that sort of thing said about you. It brings with it more hype, and more eyes that want to come and watch my fights. The more eyes on me, the more hype on me, the better. People think that the more my name is under the spotlight the more pressure there is.”

Calm, cool and collected as much in the cage as he is out of it. When asked about the pressure that comes with reputation, he acknowledges there’s nothing left down to the typical Irish luck, but more about continuing to do what he has been doing to get him this far.
“There’s no pressure on me, I’m doing the same things I’ve been doing every day. I’m hard working and willing to do everything it takes to win, so if I’m being mentioned as the next big thing then it’s brilliant. It helps promote me as a fighter, and it’s a testament to all the graft that has gone into getting me here. I’m happy about it, and I’m going to keep it going until I’m at the top.”

On his journey towards the top, he’s absolutely confident that the road to a long-lasting legacy is going to be a memorable one. Rallying his fans to continue the support he appreciates so much; this next chapter of the story is one they will love.

“To my fans, get ready for a hectic year. It’s going to be wild. It’s going to be fast. It’s going to be aggressive. Don’t blink, enjoy it, because it’s going to be a special year.”

It’s all about positive vibes aboard the Irish locomotive. References to love for his family, his friends, his fans – people who don’t follow “The Future” will simply live to regret what he will have achieved in the past.

“People don’t have to watch my fights if they don’t want to. But what I will say is this, they’ll be kicking themselves if they don’t watch. In a few years they’ll see that they missed out on watching the start of something historic for one of the best fighters to walk this planet.”

Garry’s pursuit of making history in MMA would not have started without another Irishman’s influence who has achieved historic things of his own. Conor McGregor is a popular name that comes hand-in-hand when discussing MMA. Watching his countryman rip through the UFC, leaving high-caliber fighters as debris behind him, was something that made him contract the MMA bug.

“He is the reason I started this sport. I remember being back at school and everyone discussing the hype building up around his next fight. Watching him fight on the Saturday, then getting straight in to school Monday to talk about it. Seeing how exciting he was, it just drove me to want to do the same. The infectious chatter that surrounded him amongst Ireland was just so exciting. If he hadn’t of made the sport as big as he has made it in Ireland, I probably wouldn’t have got involved.”

  However, he knows it will be no easy task to reach the dizzying heights of the UFC. To become the best, you’ve got to train like you’re always in second place. Second place is not something Garry enjoys at all, but he prides himself on working hard and seizing the opportunity to become the greatest. Having someone at home face what is in front of them and work hard to continue pushing forward seems to be a mantra that Garry has himself emulated. Working hard, pushing through the tough days and taking every experience with him along the way. A family man, with his dad as an inspiration in always battling through adversity and the show of resilience.

“My idol growing up was my dad. My dad has a life sickness and he’s always pushed through and come out of the other side on top. For what he goes through, I have nothing but love and respect. He’s still my idol to this day.”

It’s a fantastic contrast to find Garry is such an animal in the cage, yet such a grounded and intelligent man outside of it. With all the potential at his disposal to go on and be another Irishman who went to the UFC to take over, not just take part. He exuberates an aura of confidence in his own ability. With his commitment to the sport forever present at the same time.

Big things are coming, and it is no surprise to the man himself.

“My nickname is The Future. It means that I AM going to happen, and nothing is going to stop me.”

The future is inevitable.

Ian would like to thank his army of followers sponsor and fans for their continued support: Esigns, Dethrone, Chopped, Core Distribution, Embassy Cleaning, Polar, Lux Media, Evolution Institute, Carry Out, Veracity, Peaky & Co, Fight Store 

Read more on Fight Store Ire HERE

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Read more on Cage Warriors HERE

Read more on Mason Jones HERE

Images by:

Dolly Clew of Cage Warriors

“The biggest thing that boxing has taught me would have to be confidence. That’s a big one for me. Its really given me a self-belief and made me feel stronger as a person and I think that has really helped me get to this stage today”.

Following family tradition is often a prominent thought in the mind of a youngster eager to impress their parents. It’s a concept which has kept fighting families alive for generations and one which has produced some of the most prolific fighters to enter the squared circle.

The name Spinks, Marquez, Mayweather, Klitschko, Chavez and Hilton all originate from families bound by gladiatorial allure. They have become synonymous with the sport, as the people in the bloodline have become synonymous with the domain.

No matter the size or level of the fighting family, whether it be an underground bare-knuckle tradition or a world championship name, the honor in carrying the family torch is insurmountable.

Welsh prospect; Rhys Edwards (10-0) is the newest generation of fighting men to lace up the gloves.

“My Grandfather boxed in the Royal Marines and my father was a great amateur, and I’d always wanted to follow suit. I wanted to be like them” said the 19-year-old.

“Growing up, I used to love Joe Calzaghe; it amazed me how he was able to dominate Jeff Lacy like he did and that was something which really attracted me to the sport”.

The eager-minded kid from Tonypandy who they now call Rhys Lightning, was drawn to the sport from an early age, and much like his father would begin his campaign as a vested amateur in the Welsh national circuit. It wouldn’t take long for Edwards to ascend the rankings and capture the attention of Gary Lockett, who quickly snapped up the prospect to add to his prestigious stable at Llanrumney Phoenix ABC.

Now a licensed prizefighter with both the resources and skills required to make the grade at international level, Edwards is already looking to become the first member of the family to hoist a world title around his waist. In 2019 alone, the Super-Featherweight fought a staggering seven times, winning all his contests in convincing fashion, stopping two of his foes within the distance.

“I’m feeling good. Really good infact. I’m training twice a day, six days a week, sparring with the British and Commonwealth Super Bantamweight Champion (Brad Foster), Mick Conlan and Chris Jenkins, getting high-quality rounds in consistently and putting everything into these camps”. 

Edwards, who is still only 19-years-old, appears to be making all the necessary sacrifices needed to become a champion. More often that not, young fighters with limited experience all have the same mentality; to get through each fight as it comes. Although the Welshman still understands the importance of staying grounded within such a turbulent sport, there is no disguising the far-reaching aspirations that the youngster has.

“My plan for the end of this year is to capture a Welsh title. From there, I’d be looking to secure the British title at some stage, but its definitely a case of taking things as they come and not looking too far ahead”.

“If everything goes according to plan, in the next five years I want to be a Super Bantamweight World Champion. I’m fighting at Super Featherweight now, but I know for a fact that I can make the 9 stone limit and it does make sense to go down in the near future”. 

Since lacing up his first pair of gloves as a youngster eager to follow in the footsteps of his predecessors, the sport has given the Welshman a fortitude of purpose in which Edwards has managed to transcend the achievements of his childhood heroes and begin writing his own story. In all of the lessons that boxing has taught him, Edwards credits his mentality over anything else in his early rise to domestic contention.

“The biggest thing that boxing has taught me would have to be confidence. That’s a big one for me. Its really given me a self-belief and made me feel stronger as a person and I think that has really helped me get to this stage today”.

Not only has boxing given him the personal characteristics fit for a champion, it has also correlated an able fighter who has shown glimpses of brilliance in the nine fights in his career to date. Rhys “Lighting”, who has since lived up to his alias, employs a sharp, European style jab that is intelligently used to craft openings and opportunities for credible power shots, which have resulted in four of Edwards nine opponents to fall at his feet. Much like his father, the Welshman carries a strong amateur pedigree in which the basics of his craft have been exercised to optimal condition, and with the help of experienced trainer Gary Lockett, these skills are only able to flourish further.

“In my last contest, I stopped my opponent (Stefan Sashev) with a lovely body shot. The second it landed I knew that he wasn’t going to get up. It was certainly an amazing feeling but focus quickly shifted to the next opponent (Jonny Phillips), who is a step-up in class for me. I still know I’ll beat him though; I would’ve beaten him in my debut really, I’m going to box his head off. I know I’ve got a fantastic jab and I plan on stopping him like the rest of them”.

Rhys would like to thank his army of followers, fans and sponsors for their continued support: Roof Top Tiling Wales, LMT Academy of Performing Arts plus many more

Read more on Roof Top Tiling Wales  HERE

Read more on LMT Academy of Performing Arts HERE

“Boxing helped me a lot growing up. It taught me how to stay disciplined not only inside the gym but, outside as well.”

At 25-years of age and three years into the fight scene, Tyler Davies has been brewing up a storm in the South West of England.

The Bristolian’s most recent triumph came against a durable Rhys Saunders in a four round contest that saw Davies move up to seven victories in seven appearances and heading into 2020 with a clean slate.

But, where did it all start for Tyler?

Like most professional fighters his roots date all the way back to his youthful years, a time spent delving into his personality, figuring out his own interests as the transition from boy to man takes place.

“Boxing started out as just something to do for me and it only really got serious when I started to develop a buzz for it, the sort of buzz that I’d never felt from playing football or rugby, which I did a lot of back then.”

“Boxing helped me a lot growing up. It taught me how to stay disciplined not only inside the gym but, outside as well.”

Inspiration plays a huge role in the lives of young fighters, especially within boxing. So, who is it that Tyler looked up to and what posters hung above his bed during his younger years?

“My idol growing up was Ricky Hatton. I loved the man’s style and his aura in the ring, you just knew that it’d be an exciting fight is he was involved. In today’s game I think Tyson Fury in an inspiration. His comeback was nothing short of sensational, and the way he got up off the canvas after taking a punch from the most devastating finisher in the fight scene was incredible.”

Looking back over what has been a short career so far, Tyler has dazzled on several occasions but, one moment stands above the rest for the 25-year-old.

“The highlight of my career so far has to be when I made my professional debut in front of all my friends and family. So many people came out to support me, which was amazing. It gave me such a buzz.”

As well as inspiration, motivation plays a key role in the success of a professional fighter and Tyler needs that drive to keep ticking over and over.

“I motivate myself by staying focused and keeping myself in the gym. I always want to perform my best and give my fans good value for money when they come to watch me fight so that keeps me motivated. I also have goals I have set for myself and I focus on that.”

Warming up and dealing with pre-fight nerves is one of the biggest challenges to overcome in the professional fight scene, each fighter has their own unique way to get pumped before a fight or even to stay calm cool and collected. Which methods does Tyler implement into his game?

“I normally just try and stay relaxed and focused before a fight rather than getting too pumped up. My walk out music is all of the lights – Kayne West, this comes from watching the Kell Brook and Golovkin fight and the reception the song got. The next walk out song may change in the future though.”

With a current record of 7-1-0, Tyler is showing great determination to progress through the ranks and to make a name for himself in the lightweight division.

“This year I want at least 10 victories. Looking beyond that, I’ve got my sights on becoming the British Champion. Anything that comes after that would be amazing.”

Tyler wrapped up with a token of gratitude to his fans for buying the tickets, making the journey and coming out to show their support for him.

“ I just want to give a massive thank you for continuing to support me, the reception i get when i walk out for fight night makes all the stress and graft worth it.”

Read more on Pawel August HERE

Read more on Aaron Sutton HERE

Tyler would like to thank his loyal fans, followers and sponsors or the continued support:

Design Scaffolding, M.G Plumbing, Fight N Fit, D+D Shoe Repair.

Read more on Design Scaffolding HERE

Read more on MG Plumbing HERE

Read more on Fight n Fit HERE

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MASON ‘THE DRAGON’ JONES

“The first mistake you made was signing the dotted line with my name at the top….try not to make any more.”

Ursula K. Le Guin said “It is one thing to read about dragons, it is another thing to meet one.” This couldn’t have been more true for Aleksi Mäntykivi, who stood across from one at the main event of Cage Warriors 108 in Cardiff.

Mason “The Dragon” Jones set the Viola Arena alight as he walked out to a jubilant hometown crowd. Welsh through and through, Jones confidently swaggered down to the cage wearing the welsh flag draped over him like his second skin. Facing a solid fighter and strong striker in Finland’s Mäntykivi, someone very capable of taking Jones’ unbeaten record away from him. However, with momentum on his side and a skillset envied by most in the lightweight division, the Welsh support would always see their man across the line as he headlined the card.

“Fighting in Cardiff is indescribable,” Jones says. “Not only is it the capital of Wales, my home, but the crowd is always electric. Everyone’s roaring and shouting your name, whether they’re looking for you to succeed or fail, they’re all watching me.” Off the back of two big wins, Mäntykivi wasn’t the only fighter in the cage with momentum. A test that would further teach us about Mason Jones as a fighter.

Jones went on to produce a stunning win in the main event, and couldn’t have looked more at home with the bright lights and keen eyes watching on. With one of the most mature performances of his career to date, Jones starting the bout exchanging shots on the feet, and began to feel his striking started to damage the Fin.

“At end of the first round I thought I was going to finish him on the feet after rocking him on 3 consecutive occasions,” he says. “I got a bit overzealous and traded without being as clinical, and ended up with a cut.”

Emphasising the mature head on the shoulders of a fighter still evolving, Jones admittedly recognised the cut had the potential to cause him some grief, and opted for other skills in his well-rounded arsenal to take the fight an alternate route. With a feeling of regret in not securing the finish with a kimura in deep, a lesson was learnt that night for the young Welshman. “After that (the cut) I obviously took him down, secured the Kimora but started to run out of time. Looking back, I made a few mistakes that cost me the finish. Mistakes I won’t be making again.”

The fire in “The Dragon” is only going to burn with greater potency as he continues to fight hard and train hard. Big opportunities to train at one of THE most famous gyms in the MMA world, Team Alpha Male, certainly won’t hurt his chances of developing into one of the world’s best fighters either.

Team Alpha Male is primarily based in California, and has been represented by fighters like former UFC Bantamweight Cody Garbrandt, Urijah Faber and Chad Mendes to name a few. “Training at Team Alpha Male is exceptional, there’s close to 20 UFC/Bellator/One Fc fighters on the mats at one time,” Jones says. “I’ve found some amazing sparring partners there that have really pushed my game to the next level, I will definitely be going back soon.”

A fighter with huge plans for his own future, this is a perfect environment to be in for a fighter with gold on his mind. Surrounding himself with top fighters at Team Alpha Male will help refine the young fighters’ abilities and help him climb his way to the top of the division.

“My ambitions for the future are to fight my way to the top of the UFC Lightweight division and destroy the best they have to offer. Set myself up with a solid investment portfolio and make a nice exit when the time is right and I’ve accomplished all my ambitions.”

Fulfilling ambitions of greatness requires a winning mentality, and even at the age of 24, Jones possesses maturity beyond his years in knowing what is required of him to achieve what he wants in the sport. “I motivate myself by reminding myself of my goals, how far I’ve come and how far I’ve still got to go before I’m the greatest fighter in the world.”

Having just faced a fighter like Mäntykivi and won, becoming great in modern MMA goes much further than attitude and heart. It is becoming more common that every fighter on the roster can now compete in all aspects of the game; whether it be wrestling, striking, submitting.

A well-rounded skillset can ultimately prepare any fighter for what comes through the cage door, and Jones can pride himself on this mantra with Cage Warriors wins via TKO’s, submissions and decision victories. “Everyone at the top is mixing it up and have a well-rounded style,” Jones says, and highlights some differences he’s picked up on between British fighters and those fighting out of the USA.

“I do think that wrestling in schools gives Americans a slight advantage against most fighters but I’m really starting to see a lot of fast, fluid movement strikers rising to the top.” Travelling to Team Alpha Male and mixing up his training will only surround him with top versatile fighters, and as young man still on a journey to reach the top, it is a perfect way to make that climb. “There’s levels to this game and I’m nowhere near peaking,” he says.

Now 8-0, Jones has surely put himself in a position to contend for the Cage Warriors belt in the near future, and exuberates confidence discussing the year ahead.

“In the next 12 months I’m going to keep fighting the best fighter’s I can, win the belt & vigorously defend it,” he says. “At the end of 2020 I’m looking to sign with UFC and start my climb up the ranks.”

He doesn’t look like a man feeling an ounce of pressure from his own expectations, and looks man-made for the MMA life, everything seemingly taken in Jones’ stride. From answering questions, fighting under the bright lights and training hard like a rookie preparing for his first bout.

His love of the game is the motivation, and fortunately he’s got the talent to springboard off his passion. “Winning alone isn’t something I really put much thought into,” he says. “I visualise beating opponents and overcoming their strengths leading up to fights. I love the work, the walk out and the fight itself more than anything else.”

This makes for interesting viewing. A guy who loves the graft, the fight night and everything that surrounds it. Many fighters have come and gone due to not being accustomed to the big stage, and flopping as a result of it. Yet Jones is become a fighter for the occasion, with every one of his fights becoming known for being fought at a high-paced level, pursuing a finish and noticeable hunger for a raised hand at the end of the bout. “People should come to watch me fight because I belong in the cage, my fights are exciting, violent and fast paced,” he says. “I look to constantly finish my opponents and I promise you it’ll be a night you won’t forget.”

Like his fight night performances, Mason “The Dragon” Jones is becoming truly unforgettable. A man on a mission, ready to leave a lasting memory on the best the game has to offer. “I want to fight the best in the world and dismantle them.”

Mason would like to give a massive thanks to his sponsors, supports and army of followers for their continued support: P&P Builders, Tatami Fightwear, Patent Seekers, PKE Nutrition, Hilltop honey, sd Sealants and CCS Scaffolding, 15000v, Rogue Tattoo Parlour, The Lion Hotel & Restaurant

Mason Jones TKO of the year 2018 Watch HERE

Read more on Ian Garry HERE

Read more on Cage Warriors HERE

Read More on 15000V HERE