Paddy Holohan's No Shame Podcast

Whittaker Till | UFC Fight Island | Hooligan Report

On this weeks podcast Paddy breaks down UFC Fight Night 174 in a Hooligan Report edition of No Shame. In the last of our Fight Island mini series, we recap on the weekends events from Yas Island. Paddy breaks down the action from the card including Whittaker’s UD win over Darren Till, Shogun’s split decision over Nogueira, Francisco Trinaldo’s TKO over Jai Herbert & Chimaev’s stunning TKO over Rhys McKee. It has to be said its a very selective, quality over quantity, break down from the Hooligan, I guess that’s what you call No Shame analysis. Paddy gives an honourable mention to Rhys McKee on this weeks podcast. The Northern Irish fighter faced one to the toughest match up’s imaginable in a debut UFC fight few would have agreed to. Many are tipping Khamzat Chimaev to be the UFC’s next big superstar & after the Chechen Viking went 2-0 on the Island with an aggregate strike count of 192-2, its clear to see he’s the real deal. Take nothing away from Rhys, who at just 23 years of age still has a long career ahead of him in the UFC. McKee realised a dream this week on 6 days notice & nobody can ever take that away from the Ballymena man. We look forward to the comeback. This will be the last podcast for a while, we’ve decided to make a few tweaks & adjustments to the show. Paddy is using the time away as an opportunity take a break from all social media platforms. His digital detox is designed with the aim of spending more time living in the moment as opposed to trying to capture it on a phone. During the podcasts hiatus, the Hooligan plans to swim in the sea, work out three times a week & eat a bit better. If we eliminate the screen time, there is a whole wide world out there waiting to be re-discovered. We will return, rest assured for a new season, bigger & better than ever. Thank you as always for your amazing support, in the mean time look after yourself, stay positive & remember above all else to keep smiling. We will be talking to you all again very soon. The full episode #132 of Paddy Holohan’s No Shame Podcast. Is available now across all the usual platforms.

Marc Goddard | UFC Referee

UFC Ref Marc Goddard joins us on the line for episode 131of Paddy Holohan’s No Shame Podcast. Not only is Marc one of the top officials in the game but his incredible work with IMMAF has helped to make the sport of MMA safer as a whole. Goddard also officiates for other MMA promotions such as Bellator & Cage Warriors. In the latest instalment of our fight island series Marc gives us an update on what the whole experience has been like in Abu Dhabi from a referee’s perspective. Goddard has been officiating on the island over the last few weeks, he was ref for the main event at UFC 251 between Unman V Masvidal & took charge of the weekends action between Figueiredo & Benavidez 2. In a career stacked full of highlights, Marc admits that Fight Island will hold a special place in the memory vault. Goddard has been officiating in the UFC for over 16 years & speaks of his admiration for Dana White after seeing the work the UFC president has put in behind the scenes on fight island. Marc believes that the Abu Dhabi location will be a regular fixture on the calendar for the foreseeable future & discusses the positive energy on location between staff & athletes. Goddard is known for his control in the octagon & his level of professionalism has commanded the respect of some of the world’s top fighters. It’s no surprise given his previous career as a fighter with 14 professional fights under his belt. The BJJ black belt admits that refereeing & the feeling that comes with controlling high pressured situations is highly addictive. Despite being part some of the biggest moments in UFC history, Goddard gets the most satisfaction from his work with IMMAF. Marc has been an instrumental figure for the grass routes level of the game, helping to pave the way for a new generation of fighters. Also on this week’s episode Paddy & Marc discuss the 6th Anniversary of the legendary UFC Dublin Fight card at the Three Arena in 2014. Both men where present that night with Goddard officiating & Holohan kicking off events with a rear naked choke submission win over Josh Sampo. The UFC ref insists that in all his time in the sport, he’s never experienced an atmosphere like that night. He recalls Cathal Pendred’s comeback win over Mike King & the moment the crowd nearly lifted the roof off the building. By the time Conor delivered his iconic ‘We’re not here to take part’ speech after his dominant TKO stoppage over Diego Brandao, the event had already become MMA folklore. When it comest to reviewing his performance, Goddard insists that he’s his own biggest critic, based off his track record, he’s a bloody good one at that. “I’m married to this sport, I’m a human being, I’m not a robot, I’m not perfect, but I’ll give it all I’ve got every time you see me” The full episode #131 of Paddy Holohan’s No Shame Podcast with Marc Goddard is available now across all the usual platforms.

UFC 251 | Fight Island | Jack Charlton | Hooligan Report

It’s a Hooligan report edition of the No Shame Podcast as Paddy breaks down the long awaited UFC 251, Fight Island. Also on this weeks show Paddy pays a heart felt tribute to Jack Charlton, a man who brought so many happy memories to the English & Irish people in his lifetime. Jack was manager of the Republic of Ireland football team from 1985 -1995, during his time in charge he changed the culture of the game in this country & made us all dare to dream. Big jack touched so many lives on his journey with the Boys in green & some of the stories that have emerged over the past few days have given everybody a much needed lift, that’s true legacy right there. Paddy offers his views on the big fights from Saturday night including Kamaru Usman’s dominant title defence against Jorge Masvidal, Volkanovski’s controversial decision win over Holloway, Petr Yan’s impressive display over the great José Aldo along with the incredible rematch between Rose Namajunas & Jéssica Andrade. During the second half of this weeks show Paddy focuses on mindfulness & mental health. With everything that’s going on in the world at the minute it’s important to check in on those around us and make sure our friends & family are doing ok. In these difficult times we should always remember to breath when things seem to be getting on top of you. Given the week that’s in it we should remember how Jack Charlton lifted the country during some of the most challenging, darkest times this country has faced & take inspiration from that. There’s not a lot of hope in the air today but that doesn’t mean the wind won’t change tomorrow. Stay positive, stay strong but most importantly look after yourself. The full episode #130 of Paddy Holohan’s No Shame is available now across all the usual platforms including iTunes, Spotify & Youtube.

James Doolan | UFC Coach | Fight Island

UFC coach, James Doolan joins us all the way from Fight Island, for episode 129 of Paddy Holohan’s No Shame Podcast. James is the head coach & owner of Higher Level MMA in Bathgate, Scotland. The gym is home to multiple world champions & UFC talents such as Danny Henry & Stevie Ray. Danny is set to take on Makwan Amirkhani on the first of the eagerly anticipated UFC Fight Island card’s this Saturday & James is over on Yas Island making final preparations with his fighter. On this week’s podcast, James talks about Fight Island, coaching, BJJ, his career as a fighter & much more. “I don’t like attention, I don’t like cameras I’d rather listen to people than talk, attention’s not for me… I like to sit back & watch, study stuff. The same way we study martial arts, just study the game & the coaching side of it.” When it comes to coaching Doolan believes it should always be about the fighter first & foremost. James is one of the most down to earth people in the world of MMA & that’s certainly a quality he looks to instil in his own athletes. However, the Scotsman’s main focus is to create a fight style that suits the individual’s personality, one plan certainly doesn’t fit all when it comes to coaching a team. James also notes that a fighter will sometimes need to adjust their style depending on opponent & that’s when an understanding of the person can be extremely beneficial. “You’re trying to tailor a guy who’s not use to that type of fight. It’s about getting them to fight slightly different to how they want to fight sometimes...They’re fighting for their families at the end of the day" As things currently stand, Doolan has checked in to his hotel on Fight Island & has just completed the initial 24 hour quarantine, a mandatory procedure for every fighter & coach arriving on the island. James offers an incredibly thorough break down of his journey to the island detailing all the Covid-19 testing measures put in place to ensure the safety of everyone involved on the card. With staggered isolation phases & minimum contact throughout the journey to Abu Dhabi the UFC have left no stone unturned in their preparations. The Higher Level head coach also offers his views on how the fight will go between Danny & Makwan. Dolan believes no matter what the result it will be one of the most entertaining fights on the card. James had a formidable career as an MMA fighter with a record of 17-9-2, with his last fight coming in 2013. He retells the legendary story of a weight cut in Japan featuring Paul McVeigh. It was a very different time in MMA back then. Doolan admits he didn’t read the finer print of his fight contract which involved a severe penalty for missing weight, the opponents expense purse, costing anything in the region of £5,000, a fee the Scottish fighter didn’t have. McVeigh, who fas fighting on the same card found himself in a similar situation, panic ensued & the fighters challenged each other to make weight, after a drastic 18 hours of cutting both fighters reached their targets. A picture of the depleted duo on their way to make weight still exists online, despite multiple attempts to have the photo erased from history. MMA has taken Doolan across the globe, with stops in America, Japan, Thailand & most of Europe, not bad for a person who didn’t step foot on a plain until he was 22 years of age. His current hotel overlooks an F1 track with the beach in close proximity. Despite how it sometimes looks from the outside, James won’t get much of a holiday, there’s no such thing in the fight game. “People think I’m here on holiday but I’m here working, they don’t see the 20-30 years of training & hurt, helping guys make weight, fighting in clubs, community centres. Driving all the way down to England for guys to win in 30 seconds & then driving back up the road. They don’t see all that work. They think you’re flying all over the world & then they see you on the f**king telly but they miss all the shit that goes into it.” This Saturday's Fight Island card starts at 2.00 am local time with Danny setting to walk around 4.00am which involves it’s own challenges in preparation no doubt. Doolan explains how the island has been completely shut off from the rest of Abu Dhabi, making it one of the safest places to be in the world right now. Also on this weeks podcast Paddy & James discuss how Jiu-Jitsu has improved their overall problem solving skills in life. With the rate BJJ technique evolves at, James believes it should be a staple part of every coach’s arsenal. The mindset Doolan gained from BJJ improved his overall strike game. James has recently began the process of setting up IMMAF Scotland after being approached by Mark Goddard to get involved with the organisation. Doolan believes IMMAF offers the best route for any young fighter looking to break into the sport. This is a much watch for any fighter in MMA with buckets of wisdom from James, one of the very best coaches the game has to offer & we don't say that lightly. The full episode #129 of Paddy Holohan’s No Shame Podcast is available now across all the usual platforms including iTunes, Spotify & Youtube.

Gareth Murray | Sneaker Surgery

Gareth Murray joins us on the line for episode #128 of Paddy Holohan’s No Shame Podcast. Gareth is the owner of Sneaker Surgery, a store that specialises in many bespoke shoe services including repair, restoration & customisation. If you appreciate a good pair of Nike Air Max, if you’ve recently went on a ‘Last Dance’ Air Jordan spending spree or if you simply prefer the classic white Continental look then this is definitely the episode you’ve been waiting for. On this week’s podcast Gareth tells us how retro sneakers have recently surged in popularity, with huge sums of money being spent on vintage kicks. Although the scene isn’t massive in Ireland yet, it’s starting to take off & Murray believes he is ahead of the curve with his Sneaker Surgery brand. Gareth explains how he got into the shoe business. He was always a fan of decent pair of runners back in the day, however it wasn’t until he moved to Australia that he realised how big the footwear scene really was. After a visit to a Nike Outlet with friends, Murray rekindled his passion for trainers & began trawling eBay, Gumtree & various platforms to grow his collection. Later he moved back to Ireland, boasting the freshest kicks in town. By this stage some of his trainers became worn, when he dropped them into a repair store in Dublin he was horrified by the end result. Gareth believed he could do a better job himself. He began research & experimentation, buying old worn out shoes, cutting them up & restoring them to their former glory. After a while he realised that he had a talent for the restoration process & began taking on clients & the Sneaker Surgery was born. Anybody who knows Paddy will know how much he loves his runners, so much so he spent a chunk of his first UFC pay cheque on new kicks. However the Hooligan’s impressive collection is no match for Gareth who boasts a staggering 117 pairs of shoes, many being second hand purchases he restored himself. Murray sees it as a healthy obsession, or a steady investment depending on who’s asking. On the subject of most expensive sneaker in the world, Murray believes it has to be Nike’s 2016 edition of the Iconic Mag shoe. The Mag comes fully equipped with the self lacing technology made famous by Marty McFly in Back to the Future 2. Less than 100 pairs exist with a hefty price tag of 55-60,000 dollars per unit, ’60G’s BABY’ As things stand currently Gareth works a 9-5 job by day & operates the Sneaker Surgery by night. It’s perhaps a fitting parallel to Michael J Fox’s schedule for the first Back to the Future movie with the Hollywood legend also working two jobs during production of the film, rehearsing ’Family Ties’ from 10am - 6pm before rushing to the BTTF set to shoot through the night. Not only does Murray own an earlier version of the Nike Mag, but he also has a tattoo of the shoe on his leg, this man really loves shoes. The one piece of advice Gareth gives to potential customers is not to throw out their shoes, it’s the biggest regret for his existing clients who have seen stunning results from the shoe surgery. So if you have an old mucky, squashed pair of Predators that are set for the scrap heap, there is still hope yet. If Murray can’t save the shoe, or make it perfect, his guarantee is that he will always make them look better at the very least. Some of the custom designs are simply stunning & given the bespoke nature of his trade he is always open to developing new ideas with his clients. Ultimately Gareth’s main ambition is to create a legacy that one day he might be able to pass on to his 15 month old son. We’ll be rooting for him all the way. The full episode 128 of Paddy Holohan’s No Shame Podcast is available now across all the usual platforms including Spotify, iTunes & to watch on Youtube. Anyone else feel like ordering some retro AF1's?