Paul Redmond is in no Rush for the Future

Paul Redmond is in no Rush for the Future
by Tom Rooney - @oldmanrooney

Unbeaten in his Cage Warriors career to date, Irish lightweight Paul ‘Redser’ Redmond is rapidly distinguishing himself as one of Europe’s best, but as he tells Tom Rooney, he never thinks too far ahead.

At Cage Warriors 55 in front of a home town crowd in the Helix, Dublin, Paul Redmond (8-3) submitted Marc Allen via toe hold to win his fifth consecutive fight almost a year to the day since his promotional debut. The 26-year-old Team Ryano MMA export was at the epee-centre of what proved a banner night for Irish MMA, with Cathal Pendred taking out Che Mills in the main event and teammate Neil Seery submitting Mikael Silander to capture the inaugural fly-weight title in the penultimate bout.

Redmond was, of course, delighted to be part of such a momentous event, but it was the convenience of fighting in Ireland that made it all the more sweet. “It was a great night for everyone involved in Irish MMA, I like fighting in Dublin; get to sleep in my own bed, cut weight in my own house and there’s no dehydrating sitting on a plane for hours.”

This sort of lese fare attitude is one of the most striking aspects of the genial Dubliner’s personality. Hardly surprising for a guy that only got into MMA five years ago to shed some extra beer weight. The Team Ryano facility is only a stone’s throw from his home, and he has been under the tutelage of Head Coach/Founder Andy Ryan from day one ,a man for who he carries the upmost respect.

“Andy’s been in the sport all his life, over 30 years. Himself and John Kavanagh were the first MMA guys on the scene in Ireland. I don’t think Andy gets the credit he deserves in Irish MMA. You can ask him anything and if he can’t find it on the spot he’ll go and find out for you. The way he works is brilliant.”

Redmond is both refreshingly humble and admirably cerebral in his approach to fighting, as well as being cognisant of the detrimental effect ego can have on  one’s mind-set.

“I was chuffed when Chris Fields said to me on the MMA Review (Irish podcast) that I’m an intellectual fighter. Some people like to bite down on the gum shield and swing for the fences, why?
“ It’s not a fight in the street, it’s a sport. There’s ways of winning, if I’m better than a guy somewhere, I’m going to take advantage of it. I have no problems standing up with anybody, it’s just in some fights, like the Lewis Long fight last year, he’s a world champion in Muay Thai, so I’m not going to stand up with him because I’m not there yet.”

Redser was on a two-fight losing streak prior to signing with Cage Warriors, the second of which was at the hands of Tom Maguire back in March 2012, compelling him to go back to the drawing board and augment his training, particularly in strength and conditioning.

“I got beaten fair and square by Tom Maguire. Wasn’t my night, I got caught in a crucifix late in the first round and just got hammered. I hooked up with Dave McConkey from South Dublin Strength and Conditioning then, I had been doing horrible weight cuts. Since then I’ve been having easy cuts and I feel much stronger, my technique has got better ,too.  It’s just a combination of everything.”

Since then not only is he unbeaten, but yet to go the distance . Strikingly, all his Cage Warrior fights have ended in the second round, is there something he’s not telling us?

“I don’t know, things just come off in the second round. I try to put fellas away in the first, I seem to come to life in the second and third, I feel like my cardio is that bit higher. Sometimes in fights I need to be woken up with a punch or two. I’ll have to put money on myself in the next fight.”

With little white smoke emanating from Cage Warriors regarding how they plan to fill the lightweight title vacated by Connor McGregor, it’s difficult to know who is or isn’t in the mix, which doesn’t concern Redser in the slightest.

“I never read too much into it, to be honest. I fight because I enjoy it, obviously if belts come I’ll take them, but it’s not about anyone else.”

 As it stands Redmond has no date or opponent for his next fight, but having fought five times in the space of a year, he’d be forgiven for taking a step back from the cage. “I feel great. It’s not about racking up the numbers, if the call comes in and as long as I’m not injured I’ll take the fight, you’ve got to do it when you can. As soon as I hear something I’ll get cracking.”