THUNDER BAY – Sports -After UFC 154 in Montreal, to offer some local flavour to the mixed martial arts scene in Thunder Bay, it’s that time again and NNL is sitting down with Thunder Bay Pro MMA fighter Mike “The Caveman Bully” O’Neill.
NNL-Thanks for sitting down with us again.
O’Neill – No problem, always a pleasure.
NNL – So any more fights coming up in the near future? I had heard you are going to be fighting December 14th in Calgary again but not now? Whats the story?
O’Neill – Yeah I was matched with Allan Munroe for that show but Munroe had some work related issues i was told and would no longer be able to compete against me on that date. So now it’s looking like i’ll be fighting in Calgary again but in late January instead. I really wanted to get that last fight in before the New Year but what can you do. It’s a frustrating part of our sport there are tons of curve balls that get thrown at fighters on this level.
NNL – I bet. Have you had lots of bad luck with that kind of stuff in previous fights?
O’Neill – Yes a lot especially this year in particular. I was supposed to fight on a show in the states called Fearless fighting championships in I believe it was February or March, then 2 weeks to the event they cancelled their show.
Then for a fight in September for Hard Knocks FC in Calgary, my opponent Marc Savoie got injured in training. Then with a month and a half they scrambled and threw out a few names but none panned out and I didn’t fight on it.
Then I got on the King of the Cage show in Calgary and was supposed to fight Desmond Johnson but his coaches told him to pull out of the fight. Then I was matched with Rob Roy but he had work conflicts so he pulled out. Another guy wanted a ridiculous amount of money for the fight and it was not looking good for me but luckily Agostino DeNatale took it and I was able to beat him. (Editor’s Note: Mike Had quite the smile on his face when he mentioned that fight).
NNL- Wow that’s got to be stressful and make it hard to focus on training would it not?
O’Neill – For sure every day was hard to keep motivated cause I don’t know if I booked time off work for nothing or will I be fighting. I hate it, it’s really the only thing I hate about this business…wait I hate the dieting and weight cut too.
NNL- No doubt, we all love our pizza don’t we?
O’Neill – Pizza, pastries from the Current River Bakery but most of all everyone knows I love Ice cream.
NNL – Can’t forget that can we. So any idea of who your fighting in January?
O’Neill – None yet a few ideas but still waiting for them to say yes to it or no.
NNL – And the grind begins again for you. When do you start training again?
O’Neill – I’m thinking mid December fight camp will begin.
NNL – No pastries and ice cream for you on Christmas then?
O’Neill- No no i’ll diet til then Christmas day is open for me (Huge smile ear to ear)
NNL- Ok Mike Thanks again for catching up with us we appreciate it, But Before you go any other news you’d like to share?
O’Neill- Yes I need to give a special thanks to my sponsors – Crossfit 807 , head cheese there Scot Dawson does an excellent job getting me in wicked shape for my fights, and get whip anyone willing to work in shape.
Also Fast Lane Bar for their sponsorship, If you want a place you can eat awesome food play some pool or do some dancing, check em out. And of course, my my newest sponsor Allied Electric, They do awesome work at competitive prices, they cover everything from Commercial Residential and Industrial.
NNL – Sounds like your doing better now since the first interview we gave you
O’Neill – Yeah things or moving in the right direction just never fast enough, but when you do things to fast you make mistakes so it’s a gradual thing. Thanks again to News net ledger as well for giving me this time and much needed exposure.
NNL- Thanks Mike always a pleasure having here.