MMA

JOE has been busy profiling some of the biggest names in Irish MMA of late. This week we look at rising star, Kilkenny man Myles Price.

Name: Myles Price

Club: Straight Blast Gym, Drimnagh, Dublin. Kilkenny Top Pro, Irishtown, Kilkenny

Fighting Weight: Lightweight

Success at an early age can sometimes be the ruin of the modern athlete. Not so for 22-year-old Myles Price. Winning his first championship belt in July merely confirmed what he’d thought since taking up MMA, that he had what it takes to succeed.

His first victory came at nine-years-old when he convinced his parents to allow him take up kickboxing in his home town of Kilkenny. Having excelled at the Kilkenny Top Pro gym, one of Ireland's the premier kickboxing academies, Price thought it natural to transition to MMA.

He took his first amateur fight at 16 and turned pro at 18. With a successful record of nine wins and two losses he has rededicated his life to achieving the highest level in MMA by fighting in the UFC. "I'll get there some day,” says Price. “I know I will."

Price is incredibly confident in his ability, which isn't surprising for someone looking to make it to MMA's premier league. The confidence stems as much from his belief in the excellent coaching teams he now has as it does from his ability. At Kilkenny Top Pro under Paul Cummins, a former professional world kickboxing champion, Price sharpens his striking game. Then at the Straight Blast Gym (SBG) in Dublin under John Kavanagh, Irelands first Black Belt in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, Price works to sharpen his ground game. “Really, I’ve the best of both worlds,” says Price of his two camps.

Interestingly, it was a loss to Norman Parke in the Cage Contenders Featherweight tournament in February 2010 that prompted an offer from John Kavanagh to come train at SBG. Price had felt his submissions and wrestling needed some work and Kavanagh felt there was potential in his new student.

The refined skill set paid dividends almost immediately as Price got his hand raised as the new Cage Contenders Lightweight Champion in July 2010. The win came early in the second round by submission – a rear naked choke.

What’s evident from Price is an incredible willingness to learn. Some fighters can create a bubble by staying firmly in their comfort zone in training, which can be devastating if the bubble is burst in the ring. Price demands a tough training partner so he can learn new skills in the gym that he’ll repeat in the ring.

Price has always worked hard on his game. As an 18-year-old he spent three months training at MODCOM MMA, an SBG facility in California. Last year, he spent two months training at Tiger Muay Thai in Phuket, Thailand. While in the States he had the opportunity to fight for the Art of War promotion that has featured MMA notables such as Jeff Monson and Pedro Rizzo, but unfortunately the fight fell through.

Price knows his life is different to most 22-year-olds. He trains seven days a week, five to six hours a day. His last pint was six weeks ago and before that he can’t even remember. He’s quick to acknowledge it’s a tough existence but realises that sacrifices have to be made, like dropping out of his Law Degree course after a year. “It wasn’t really for me,” Price admits. He plans to return to study after fighting – although to something with a sporting slant.

According to Price, he does it “for the love of the sport, simple as that”. However, he is quick to acknowledge the massive encouragement he gets from his coaches, Cummins and Kavanagh. He also receives invaluable support from Kilkenny Active Fitness Club for the use of their gym, his sponsor Colin Ryan at FightersPlanet.ie and his manager John Ferguson of fight.ie.

He trains seven days a week, five to six hours a day. His last pint was six weeks ago and before that he can’t even remember.

Price is also the brains behind his own shows, Tuff Nut Promotions, and he’s working towards his next event in Waterford Institute of Technology on Saturday 27 November.

The Ultimate Fighter TV reality series is something that is on Price’s radar and could play a crucial role in getting to the UFC. Having fights booked already during this year he was unable to make the auditions for the most recent series of TUF that featured lightweights. Price feels he would have been competitive amongst the cast and would relish the chance should lightweights feature on the show again in the future.

In the meantime, Price plans to remain active, taking more fights in the UK and hopefully the US. Next up is a 4 December bout against an undefeated English fighter, Mike Wilkinson, on the Olympian MMA Championship card. He also has an eye on re-matching Norman Parke, possibly as the first defence of his Cage Contenders belt. With time on his side and experience already in the bag it’s unlikely that Myles Price will be distracted by any success to come his way in the future.

Fergus Ryan