The UFC’s explosion of popularity in the past decade has taken the sport of Mixed Martial Arts to higher levels than even the most ardent of supporters could ever have imagined. Indeed for many, UFC and MMA are one and the same.
As the professional MMA scene exploded, it attracted millions of eyes to the UFC, making it one of the biggest sports organisations in the world. And while this was undoubtedly good for the sport, John Kavanagh believes that it caused MMA to be perceived in a false light.
“The UFC is the 50,000 pound gorilla in the room, and it’s kinda like the best thing to happen to martial arts and the worst thing to happen to martial arts,” Kavanagh said.
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“When I started off there was maybe one other MMA gym in the country up north, now we’ve probably 100 MMA gyms in the country. That’s a similar story worldwide, so thumbs up that’s great.
“But on a negative side people only get to see the pinnacle and the professional and lets say somewhat ‘razz-matazz’ showbiz side of Saturday night fighting and big arenas and all that comes with that.”
Kavanagh achieved fame in 2013 as the coach of UFC superstar Conor McGregor. ‘The Notorious’ has achieved more than any other person in the sport, has broken countless records and headlined the biggest events in MMA history. And while being a part of all this has been an amazing experience, Kavanagh’s true passion for the sport remains at the grassroots level.
“I couldn’t tell you the amount of weekends I’ve been out in Dublin over the last two decades, and a guy will come up after a drink and say ‘I’d love to do what you do but I know you only train pro fighters.’
“And I've been pulling my hair out for years saying look, that is part of what I do. I have a fairly well known professional fight team, but I also have about 500 students from 4-64 years of age in my gym that are not training for any competition.”
“They’re just trying to better themselves. And what Alta’s really done has made that on-ramp much easier to explain.”
Connecting with regular people and helping them is a cause close to Kavanagh’s heart. Through the Alta warrior programme, he has been able to introduce people to the sport of MMA, who may otherwise not be interested in field sports or, as he puts it, “don’t have it in them to run on a treadmill for half an hour.”
“So our most popular program is the one that’s been running the longest called the Alta warrior program,” says Kavanagh.
“It’s a 20 week program where we take a bunch of people and team them up with a local MMA gym. we provide the syllabus for them to follow and it’s kind of a gradual introduction to MMA we really assume that everybody’s doing their very first lesson, maybe they caught a UFC show or Bellator and they have some interest in martial arts, but they’ve never set foot in a dojo”
“At the end of the 20 weeks, they train five days a week so at the end of the 100 lessons they have the option of taking on their first amateur MMA contest, or we have the option to do a technical test, so that’s it from a physical point of view and that’s what people start off with.”
Kavanagh has been one of the true pioneers of the sport in Ireland. He set up Straight Blast Gym in Inchicore back in 2001, and despite having a roster of elite professionals, the kick he gets out of helping the average person, which is what he feels MMA training is really all about, is untouchable.
“We already have some of the top names signed up whether it’s Xtreme Couture in Las Vegas or Daniel Cormier’s wrestling academy, Gilbert Melendez is running it. And that’s kind of a cool thing as well for me as a coach,” says Kavanagh.
“I have my pro fighters, and our two gyms might battle in the lead up to a contest and obviously on fight night there’s bragging rights on the line. But both of our gyms are running this programme for as you would say ‘normal people’ or civilians whatever you like, and us coaches say ‘You know, this is what it’s kind of about, getting the message and the benefits of MMA training to the masses, not just dealing with a hyper athletic super-athlete.
“I would sum it up by saying that if you take someone like Conor McGregor, you’re taking someone that’s already mentally and physically pretty tough and you’re making them a little bit tougher, it’s not the hardest job in the world! I’m kind of talking myself down here, but you’re taking this group of super-tough, very dedicated athletes and we add things onto them.”
It’s been a life goal of Kavanagh’s to show that MMA isn’t a sport for just the elite. Not everyone who steps into Coach Kavanaghs' SBG gym or takes on the Alta program is going to claim UFC gold one day. And that is exactly the point.
“You go on the website or you go on the Instagram page and you’ll see a lot of people that look like you. For example, you might see a mother of two or someone that just didn’t play sports at all in school and now they want to try something new,” says Kavanagh.
“We really want to push the image that MMA is for everybody, as long as it’s delivered in a sensible and an intensity that’s suitable for the group that’s in front of you, that it’s very enjoyable and it’s a lot of fun.”
Despite all the fame and success, Kavanagh’s enjoyment for the sport stems from the same place as it did all those years ago when he first entered a dojo. The bright lights of Las Vegas or New York are simply the icing on the cake.
“I could walk away from pro fighting tomorrow. I enjoy it and it’s a lot of fun and I’ve had some great experiences. But what I wouldn’t be able to walk away from is the Monday to Friday on the mats with the guys, the camaraderie, the fun I have with them.”
- John Kavanagh was speaking exclusively to The Irish Mirror as part of his work with the Alta Warrior Training Programme, which is launching in gyms across Ireland
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