Warrior Life

𝐌𝐄 Story…

Born & Raised in Ireland, I wasn’t the sporty kid or most popular, prob class clown best describes 𝐌𝐄, I do like to laughing in life, 1 of 𝐌𝐄 favourite feelings. I wasn’t a fit kid,not fat either, I wasn’t aware of fitness but i loved the outdoors. Let me put it like this, if we were playing soccer among friends I was prob last to be picked. I was that kid. I was never in a rush to grow up either. Out of me close friends as teen, all smoked and drank as ya it was cool. 𝐌𝐄 i was happy being me. Once 17/18 the Irish in 𝐌𝐄 came out so to say. I found drink and the party lifestyle and did i enjoy it. Recession hit Ireland and before that all i wanted was to be a carpenter. Working with 𝐌𝐄 hands i loved it. When building became hard to find i was going into the army same as my father but even that closed its recruitment. Life had different plans for 𝐌𝐄. Back then i didn’t understand like i do 𝓝𝓞𝓦. Everything happens as it should, it is what it is. Don’t waste time trying the figure out life, just simply life. As i did i started working in factory loading trucks. Becoming a gym head i worked on what i knew/nothing and just worked out to look bigger. Thinking that was best, as i young man in life. Long Story short, I went to a fight night in the city, at Silver Springs Hotel. It was that night, life showed 𝐌𝐄 a new way/door/path.

By the age of 21 I found Muay Thai aka Thai Boxing, no not kickboxing. Sitting on edge of my seat, my eyes where opened and i seen something i wanted. My 1st training session i thought i was fit, haha how i was wrong.I loved the challenge it offered. Martial Arts opened 𝐌𝐄 up to challenge myself. Or thats what i could only see at the time. 𝓝𝓞𝓦 i understand it helped 𝐌𝐄 find balance, helped 𝐌𝐄 control my emotions better. I found discipline and once I had stepped back from the party lifestyle, I began to see and become more aware. I often say martial arts saved my life, I still don’t understand fully how to explain, honestly i don’t waste time trying to understand it either as often in life more then once I just found my answers. Like everything in life, just go with the flow, trust even when unsure where it is your going… Later, life has its ways to reveal. Even now I’m still finding balance as life never stops either should 𝐖𝐄. It took along time to control my emotions, haha I’m still learning. My ego was strong and both emotions and ego controlled me more back then then it does 𝓝𝓞𝓦 as I’m finding myself taking control, step by step. Always wanting to test myself, my vision was always simple and look where i came cause of my mindset. After 1 week of training/2 days i showed up, i asked for a fight. Yes eager for life i needed to learn everything has time. 3 months later he gave me that chance and I won against someone more advanced, I was hooked. 𝐌𝐄 Vision was simple try and turn pro. I was the hardest working person in the gym. I never compared myself to others and their abilities, the only comparing i did was to me, yesterday. I used others to challenge myself but ran against myself. When 𝐖𝐄 went for runs i didn’t run to beat who was beside 𝐌𝐄 or behind 𝐌𝐄. i had a rule in my own head never look back, if i see nobody ill slow down to my comfort. if i heard someone come up behind 𝐌𝐄, i couldnt let them pass not without trying. If i seen someone ahead in the distance, i was like a shark smelling blood in the water i pushed to Pass them. Everything was 𝐌𝐄 against 𝐌𝐄 in my head. From this mentality I had, Life was changing.

Just under 2 years later I became Champion of Ireland. I wasn’t beautiful to watch but entertaining best describes 𝐌𝐄 as i entered fights to give my 𝓑𝓮𝓼𝓽 no matter how many knockdowns. I was going out with honour. I stepped forward with no fear, left me with a lot of scars, me stitch count on my face/head is at 237. My first loss was with broken ribs, too proud to pull out, stupid is a better word. BUT i tried, and never gave up. I made that choice and i can live with it as it was just testing my ability, both mind & body. I Lost fights but never was discouraged from bettering myself and began to find value in testing my abilities against the best. I’ve shared the ring/cage with some of the greats of the sport. This feeling alone was an honourable moment no matter the out come, all i knew is a had to try. Learning from understanding where i need to improve myself and in which areas. Where i needed to balance myself more. Still learning I don’t like the label of teacher, as in my mind i will always be a student to which even now I SHARE with my students what i know and the open their minds to what others can share with them. In learning nobody is right or wrong 𝐖𝐄 all have our own ways, thats what makes us who 𝐖𝐄 are. Often my students have the power to teach me new things. This is the real power of life. Mind Blown as my dream/vision/goal was just to try turn pro in the beginning. I was hungry for work and the hunger grew with time, it still does. Even after me first loss, all i wanted was to get back training and work. I just work hard with what i can and work hard is all i know and have come to love. Title after title started to appear, some I won some I lost. 𝓝𝓞𝓦 as I reflect back, I see I was constant living each day by day growing pushing myself to grow. No joke I literally lived month to month on money as I lived the real thai way of life, when I moved to Thailand to further my growth. I was never worried what will be next month, As I lived from what I loved doing. 1,000baht was what i had to live off from the money i made. My savings was in visas, border jumps and all i needed to keep the dream alive. Honestly ask those who witnessed 𝐌𝐄 in those moments-Happy with life. Living it my way. Life gave 𝐌𝐄 people who are now respected so highly of by 𝐌𝐄 for the parts they played. Very gretaful for those who helped my journey be what it was. I’ve found peace and comfort for accepting all good and especially bad that entered my life. In the moments of hard is where the biggest lessons happened. I don’t have to love these moments/people BUT I am thankful they are who they are so I can be who I am 𝓝𝓞𝓦. Wish to know more lets chat and share and both grow together…

Fast forward in time I began to be the 1st Irishman to do many things. Fight all over the world. Holding my countries flag with nothing but love and pride. People from my country just a small number where aware of what I was doing and supported. Gave 𝐌𝐄 hope, energy and reason to continue doing what i was. Ask anyone 𝐖𝐄 get paid very little in Muay Thai back then. When i say little I didnt have comfort telling people how much i got paid for what I do but I believe 𝓝𝓞𝓦 that kept 𝐌𝐄 grounded and Humble. As money has power to destroy the 𝓑𝓮𝓼𝓽. I was doing what i loved and seeing the world. My record isn’t prefect and with losses i just got more hungry to better myself. Moving to Thailand and living literally like a thai, in the camp, making thai money. Eat, Sleep, train with them and try to learn the language. Eyang wah 555. I survived on about €25 a week. I lived from month to month and had nothing but happiness as I lived my life, my way. Fighting Thailands best and sharing the ring with the greats showed how much work I would put in. No matter the outcome it was always onto the next step. 2019 I became the 1st Irishman to Claim the famous green belt, the WBC World Title. I worked like i never did before for this fight as I knew it was a one shot chance I would get. No but respect for my opponent I worked hard, studied, gameplan, everything. I had no cuts during this fight and it was a moment I’ll never forget as I sat with Family/Friends after I really did just sit there with Belt around my waste and all i had to say was. Was it that easy. Understand I Worked harder then HARD. Also being awarded WBC Male fighter of the year for working me way up the rankings. Is another moment that filled 𝐌𝐄 with pride and satisfaction to all the blood, sweat, tears, emotions, the journey to this moment was worth it. I put my name down in History and still only a hand full of people in my country knew of this. All I knew was, I’m simply living life my way with no expectations and achieved so much and still going. Forrest Gump moment haha I’ve come to idolise how simply living life to your best without expectations. Life/Universe is always watching and it rewarded 𝐌𝐄 in most 𝐌𝐚𝐠𝐢𝐜 of moments I did not see coming Expect the unexpected, life is life, it doesn’t stop nobody either should 𝒴𝑜𝓊.

When ONE offered me fights I was never going to say No. They gave me literally Thailands Best and most decorated fighters. The odds where against me but in me heart if i just had 1% chance at winning, then I’m game. Watch the fights and see for yourself I never feared what came, knock me down and watch how I will always keep rising. When I shared the ring with Tawanachai at ONE. Covid was happening and I had to prepare for the fight with my trainer who I paid his salary and another friend Owen showed up to help. Us 3 worked as best we could with what little we had. Round 1 he gave me multiple fractures to my eye socket, to which my eye stopped working. Really no joke, true story. End of round 1 I started to see blurred images from my left eye as it began to work again. I stood into round 2 & 3 and took all and kept coming as I still had that 1% chance to win. Watch and see even with that head kick, the ref had to stop me from standing up as I was going to finish the fight with honour. Pain is only temporary, call 𝐌𝐄 crazy i really don’t care cause it’s my life and I’m doing it my way.

A good friend of mine believes we all have power, everyone has different power. He told 𝐌𝐄 this was my POWER in life. To Inspire…give people passion for life. Chase their dreams and see where life takes them. After becoming aware I started to place 𝐌𝐄 attention into this and observe. I noticed when I shared my mindset, they would share theirs and 𝐖𝐄 would discuss what steps best fit their life to implement what suits their comfort and needs 𝐌𝐄/𝐖𝐄 seen results. They felt the change. So did I.

Knowledge really is power as i read minimum of 1 book a month. Books of interest, books recommended and books that i feel drawn to. As i started to take on more and more people. I Couldnt just share opinions and thoughts of life, im still learning. I wanted to lead by example. My life so far has been a great example of working hard on 𝐌𝐄, 𝐌𝐄 dreams 𝐌𝐄 happiness never expecting anything but always trying 𝐌𝐄 best not matter the outcome staying true to what made 𝐌𝐄 happy in life. So i shared as i do. As a new father, books, online and people would tell me kids don’t do as they’re told. They do as they see. I thought perfect. I’ll do same with people I’m helping. I learned how better 𝐌𝐄 health and better 𝐌𝐄 miind. Clean body and mind, detox everything toxic from who I am. From food not good for 𝐌𝐄 to unhealthy thoughts, toxic thoughts i started taking the steps to removing them from who i am. Then I could share what i do and not lie about it. 𝐌𝐄 dream in life is to be the 𝓑𝓮𝓼𝓽 𝐌𝐄 i can be. So all these steps where actually what I’ve always wanted from life. This Helped 𝐌𝐄 grow, to a better 𝐌𝐄. 𝐌𝐄 dreams of helping people grew and grew also, ABT was born. If ya wanna see change in the world start with yourself. BE the Change.

I helped people to find vision. Some already had but where stuck and basically couldn’t see their next step. Some tried skipping steps and end up going backwards. I shared as they share, 𝐌𝐄/𝐖𝐄 both grow together and I’m only getting better and better at what I do. From living life, yes even mistakes still find 𝐌𝐄 and I welcome them more then ever finding my mood is up on a high more. Greatness isn’t easy and work is key. Mindset to everything in life is the real Key. A strong mind and knowledge of your abilities lets you realise your limits. Everyone has the power within them for greatness. As you read this i know you feel it too. You feel life has more to offer you but it doesn’t just find you. You gotta go find it and work for it. The laws of attraction. 𝕎𝕠𝕣𝕜ᴡᴏʀᴋ𝐖𝐎𝐑𝐊 create that energy in your life and watch as life around you begins to change. Understand what toxic energies hide in and that life simply test us all to see who deserves the good life. 𝐌𝐄/𝐖𝐄 all do. 𝐖𝐄 just gotta work and take the steps, to where we want to be. Standing still isn’t for me as life waits for nobody. I’m not asking you to train 6hrs a day,6 days a week. I’m asking you to team up and 𝐖𝐄 find 𝒴𝑜𝓊r goals. 𝐖𝐄 find what works for you. 𝐖𝐄 make the 𝓑𝓮𝓼𝓽 𝒴𝑜𝓊.

It’s an old saying nothing happens in your comfort zone. I share with you steps how how to find comfort with steeping out of comfort. I hope to help you, find 𝒴𝑜𝓊. Find happiness with who 𝒴𝑜𝓊 see looking back when looking into a mirror. Love and become your own best friend. Think positive and life a positive life. Its all about you & finding the best 𝒴𝑜𝓊.

A saying I say daily, out loud for all things living to hear and know, about 𝐌𝐄 “Everyday by day, in every little way, i am getting better & Better…in every little way”