JOE caught up with featured fighter Neil Seery from Team Ryano to talk about his last fight and why the future might not be so bright for Irish MMA.
When we last caught up with Neil Seery he was preparing for talented up and comer Damien ‘The Rage’ Rooney on the Cage Contender 7 card in Belfast in November 2010. The fight turned out to be a three-round war that claimed the unofficial fight of the night honours amongst the fans in attendance. It also represented a first decision victory for Seery in his 16-fight career spanning back to 2005.
“Damien Rooney was an absolute gent before, during and after that fight and it was a pleasure to be in the cage with him,” said Niell of his opponent. “He’s a tough lad; he took some big shots but gave me a few big shots as well. I thought the fight could have been stopped in the second, his eye was practically closed and I reckon he couldn’t see out of it, but fair play to him he was game for a war and that’s what it ended up being.”
The Dubliner added, “Damien is fighting Mark O’Connor on the Cage Contender 9 card in Belfast in April and I’d like to wish him the very best of luck in that one.”
Seery’s tone darkens a little when discussion moves to his next career move. Since establishing himself as one of Ireland’s top bantamweights, Seery has been one of the more active fighters on the circuit. He fought three times in 2007, four in 2008, five in 2009 but only twice in 2010. So far has only managed to get one opponent to commit to a bout in 2011.
Some fighters and their coaches are more about protecting their records, trying to stay undefeated, than stepping in with who the match-makers have lined up.
“I can’t get a fight man,” he explains. “I took a few weeks off after fighting Damien but was back at it in January training for fights – but they kept falling off.”
And Neil isn’t the only Irish fighter struggling to find matches. He continues, “It’s not just me; John Donnelly and Norman Parke are probably in the same boat. It puts Irish MMA in a bad way if fighters are avoiding fights. Some fighters and their coaches are more about protecting their records, trying to stay undefeated, than stepping in with who the match-makers have lined up.
“What’s also happening is, for example, promoters are coming asking me to fight on their show and I accept. Then they ask someone to fight me and the other fighter turns it down. Then I’m bumped off the card and the other fighter stays on and gets the fight he wants. It’s madness. If you turn down the fight you should be gone,” explains Neill.
The drought may come to an end in June when Neill is hoping to make a trip to Liverpool to fight on the Olympian MMA Championship card against a UK opponent. Neill’s sense of frustration stems less from an unwillingness to travel and more from a disappointed that the posturing by some within the Irish MMA community is preventing the sport putting on the best fights between the top talent in Ireland.
Neill’s time spent in the gym is never wasted, however, and while he’s not had to focus on an opponent of his own, he’s concentrated his efforts on coaching the Irish Team that recently took part in the MMA Sport Federation Ireland v USA show in Chicago on 12 March. Full review of the event to come.
In an era when full time fighters are now gracing the Irish circuit Seery still gets valuable support from sponsors that allow him compete while holding down a day-job. “I’d Iike to thank a Glen Murphy for his on-going support of me and the Team Ryano MMA club and Caged Steel apparel who’ve provided me with some kit recently.”
Fergus Ryan
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