Ayo Daly: Win at Cage Warriors 63 will be my calling card when I turn pro

Exciting amateur champion, Ayo Daly, caught up with PETER CARROLL ahead of his Cage Warriors 63 bout with Keith McCabe, revealing why he thinks he’ll have the edge on New Year’s Eve and his ambitions to turn professional in 2014.

Ayo Daly used all the tools available to get himself onto the Cage Warriors 63 card. After a big combination dropped Paul Lawrence in his Ryoshin championship defense in November, Daly finished the talented Rush Fight Academy prospect with guillotine choke all before appealing to Cage Warriors amateur match maker, Andy Ryan, for a place on the December 31 show.

Although the interview with Severe MMA’s Andrew McGahon seemed like it had been planned out by the Lucan man, he revealed that it was in the heat of the moment having suffered due to home comforts last Christmas.

“To be honest when I had won my first amateur title last year, I think it was November 10, I did want to fight but I enjoyed my Christmas dinner a bit too much,” Daly laughed. “There was probably a lack of enthusiasm, I wasn’t as dedicated and I took some time off so Tony Carrick gave me the back of the hand when I reappeared for training.

“That interview wasn’t really planned out, it was a very spur of the moment thing – I was on a real high but it’s been a tough week. Cutting weight at Christmas is awful. If my girlfriend wasn’t there to keep me away from the food, there could’ve been trouble.”

Although he may have talked his way on to the card to a certain extent, there was no denying the performance of the amateur champion. Coming off the Lawrence win, a man considered one of Ireland’s top 170 amateurs, Daly is brimming with confidence.

“Getting the win over Paul was massive. I really respect him and I trained like lunatic to get my ground game ready for him. I’ve never fought to a decision apart from a draw in my first fight, but I was sure that we’d go the full distance and it’d be a real jiu jitsu fire fight with lots of scrambles and submission attempts.

“To get it done so quickly was unbelievable. It was because of how highly I held Paul that I got so hungry and made an appeal for the Cage Warriors bout. I’m undefeated as an amateur but if I get the win for Cage Warriors that will be my calling card for when I turn pro,” said the charismatic Lucan fighter.

With plans to gain his pro status in the near future, Daly has had the privilege of travelling and cornering his Ryoshin team mate, Henry Fadipe, who has been on a tear under the African EFC banner. Daly also revealed that he would be interested in fighting for the promotion himself, with some opportunities already appearing on the horizon.

“That was the second time I’d been over there with him and it’s very inspirational to see your training partner getting on so well. When I was over there for the first time in September I met the owner and I had a great conversation with him in the EFC head offices in Johannesburg.

“Henry is raising the profile of Ryoshin Fight Team and I would love an opportunity to do the same thing. I don’t know what I can say, but there’s a small possibility that the EFC might be doing an Ultimate Fighter kind of show and there’s a small possibility that I might be in it if I continue to do well,” revealed the amateur champion.

Despite good times in Africa, news of his original opponent, Steven Moore, pulling out of the bout nearly stopped the New Year’s Eve date in its tracks for Daly. However, Tony Carrick made a decision to put his young protégé up against another formidable welterweight, Keith “The Butcher” McCabe.

“As soon as I got back I found out that Steven had pulled out of the fight and there were surprises there. His gym have done this kind of thing before and when my mate Anzor didn’t look like he’d be ready for Keith McCabe, Tony made the decision to put me in.

“I heard Keith jumped at the chance of fighting me and that’s really got focused on the fight. He’s a young and hungry guy just like me, I think it’s a great matchup and certainly a step up in competition. I’m undefeated and going for my second amateur title in March, so I know that I have a lot more to lose than him.

“I know he has a great ground game, especially his armbar, he’s well known for them and it’s something I’ll definitely be looking out for. We match up well for grappling but I believe I have a clear advantage in the stand up department. I’ve been working a lot on my striking with Henry and it could easily end if I let my hands go,” he said

With the new year just around the corner, Daly outlined his goals for 2014:

“All I’m focused on now is getting this win for Cage Warriors. After New Year’s Eve I will still be an undefeated amateur champion who has won every fight inside three rounds – it will be my calling card when I go pro.

“I’ll probably look to get two amateur fights in, I’m scheduled to fight for another title in March and hopefully I’ll turn pro half way through 2014.”

By Peter Carroll – @PetesyCarroll