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Post date: 10-Jan-2015 14:26:16
Can you introduce yourself , record, style, team, sponsors.
Hello my name is Craig "Mop" McIntosh. I'm currently 1-0 as a professional Mixed Martial Artist. I don't favour any one particular style. I train and fight out of Higher Level MMA as part of the DNFT.
First off Paul McBain !! The boy has done what everyone else could not , what’s different this time round?
To be honest I think Paul beat me in our first fight for a number of reasons but the bottom line is he was the better man on that day. Since that day I have put every bit of energy I have into becoming a better fighter. I've been to Thailand to train Muay Thai, I've been to California to work on my Jiu-Jitsu and the biggest improvements have came from joining HigherLevel MMA.
How has your transition Armature to PRO been ?
The transition from amateur to pro has been a long one. I was looking to go pro in 2013 but a few fights fell through with guys getting injured. It got to the point where I hadn't competed in MMA for a year so felt I should take another amateur fight so I wasn't rusty. I entered the Headhunters tournament and defeated two good guys and performed well. I had been training at HigherLevel full time for a few months then and spoke to James about getting a Pro Fight after. My first pro fight was set for March last year but the show got cancelled the night before the weigh ins. This was rescheduled for April then my opponent pulled out the morning of the weigh in. I finally got a fight at the end of the year and won by TKO. To be honest I'm glad for everything that happened last year as I got 3 fight camps last year and learned a lot. Not getting the fights at the end made me more hungry.
Hows has your transition to Higher level been? Lots of skilled assassins there!! Training with World Champions and UFC level fighters? Travel must be a bitch?
The transition to Higher Level has been without a doubt the best decision I've made as an MMA fighter. The coaching is 2nd to none and its a great feeling going to a gym and knowing it's packed with a bunch of talented athletes dedicated to getting better. The guys there couldn't have been more helpful. Danny Gray even wanted to have my fight poster as his profile pic but I told him to leave it as it was a bit cringey. Travels not that bad it's about 45 mins roughly and there's 4 of us that go all the time. Myself, My brother Stevie, Calum Murrie and the young apprentice Jordan Struthers so it's not too bad on petrol either. Well worth the travel anyway
Can you talk a little about the late Josh Gavin , his legacy I know he holds a special place in your heart.I miss Josh a lot. He was the first person that believed in me before I believed in myself properly. I went a run up to visit his grave on New Year's Day actually. If there's an afterlife I'm sure he's up there playing pranks on people and throwing people about. Hopefully I make him proud.
The UFC, Bellator , ONE FC, Cage warriors, What’s your favourite organisation and your favourite fighters?
The UFC is my favourite organisation as it has the best fighters in the world and they do their best to put on the fights people want to see. My favourite fighter is without a doubt Anderson Silva.
Aspirations in the game, are you looking a the long count- after fighting getting into coaching , running a gym etc or are you just laser focused on the short game of building your way through the ranks and the promotions here in the UK , leading towards a UFC debut?
The game for me is martial arts and competing is a good way to speed up your progress and test yourself. I'll be training martial arts until my body doesn't let me or and I'll continue to compete as long as it's fun. Wherever I end up is fine with me. I will say this I've put everything else in my life on hold for MMA since the first day I found it and I don't regret it one bit. I've worked my ass off to get to where I am and expect to win decisively in every contest I have.
Life as an active professional fighter , working a a full time job , any advice for any young aspiring armatures looking to take it to the next level?
The level for amateur fighters in Scotland has definitely gone up a lot. Some of the young guys we've got in the gym are frightening and gonna have big futures. The best advice I could give is not to take a fight too early. Join a good gym and fully commit to the sport because it's not something u can do well in halfhearted.
Diet, exercise, drills, strength and conditioning, cage work, corner man ship, mental training/visualisation. Can you take us on a we trip into a typical week of fight camp?
I diet very strict and train almost every day. I train on my lunch break at work and at Higher Level at night. The sessions are laid out so that we cover everything we need to.
QuickFire
Jon Jones – Punish him , let him off?
Let him off
Gus or Rumble
Gus
Norris or Van Dam
Norris
Segal legit or fame whore
Legit compared to a normal guy
Dolce legit or fame whore
Dolce legit
How can folk follow your progress? Twitter, fb , website etc?
I keep my Facebook for friends but my Twitter is @emohpee or my Instagram is CraigMopMcintosh and are both public.
Final words (sponsors, thanks etc)
I'd like to say thanks to my girlfriend Claire for putting up with me training all the time, my coach James Doolan and all the guys at HigherLevel, The 10th Planet Corona SQUAD and everyone that's trained with me and helped me get better over the years and On Top Management . Massive thanks to My Sponsors for their continued support. Big Stevie from The Cairn/Devon Park Inn, Kev Paxon Blacksmiths, Chris Meighan @Santa Cruz Custom Tattoos, Naomi @ SPASM Therapies and Funky Gums Mouth Guards. I should have tickets for my upcoming fight next week. Get in touch if you'd like to go. peace out.
Bringing Taste To The Fire!!
https://www.youtube.com/user/BigRobbsHotSauce
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(Scotland Hot Sauce, Scottish Hot Sauce, Glasgow Hot Sauce)
"hot sauce" "chilli sauce" "chili sauce" "Scottish hot sauce" "scotland hot sauce" "carolina reaper" "moruga scorpion" "bhut jolokia" "ghost pepper" "chilli pepper" chipotle
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