Bradley Brown is relishing the challenge ahead of him at Rise and Conquer 11 in Aiden Rooney. The pair will lock horns on October 1st in the Rainton Arena in Houghton le Spring.
Bradley enters the bout in high spirits coming from a debut victory in May, which saw the TFT fighter defeat Caius Burr by unanimous decision.
Recharged and ready to collect his second win as an amateur, we caught up with Bradley Brown ahead of fight night. Read the full interview below.
Interview With Bradley Brown
Your second fight is on the horizon. Talk us through the experience of your debut in May. Did anything surprise you, or did it all go as expected in your mind?
My debut went exactly how I wanted it to go. I felt I dominated the full fight, and I won every round. Caius Burr was a very fast kicker, which surprised me, but I dealt with that the best I could. But in my head, that fight has long gone, and my full focus is on Aiden Rooney.
Having got the first fight out the way and off-course, you left with your hand raised. Does that release some pressure from your shoulders, or is there always going to be pressure leading into fight night?
In every fight, you feel pressure, but that pressure is good. I respect every fighter in the same way they are in the cage sharing it with me. However, then nerves turn into energy. That’s when I want that cage door to shut and showcase my skills.
Bradley Brown on MMA Debut
You defeated Caius Burr by unanimous decision. Although getting the win, I’m sure there were some things you took away from that fight that you needed to work on. What were some of the things you identified in your own performance that you need to work?
There’s always room for improvement in every aspect, but I think the main thing for me has the confidence to go for a finish.
What was the reason for getting into MMA? What made you walk through the gym doors at TFT for the first time? Can you sum up that feeling?
To be honest, Spartan Fighting Arts Academy was the first door that I walked through. My dad trained for a lot of years through the mma side of things and got me into kickboxing from a young age. I loved this and had some of the best coaching on offer kickboxing will always be in my blood, but I always knew mma was my main goal. That’s when my journey began with TFT, who was highly recommended by everyone in the fight circuit. The level of fighters there is outstanding. From strikers to grapplers to wrestlers, there’s so much talent, and I feel privileged to now be a part of it.
Your opponent Aiden Rooney is undefeated, had an active year and is finishing his opponents. That being said, what do you see when you look at his game? Where do you feel his strengths are, as well as areas you can capitalise on?
From what I have seen, Aiden Rooney is an excellent grappler and wrestler and has decent striking, so he is pretty well-rounded. And everyone knows my strength is my striking. That’s no secret, this is gonna be a test for both of us, and I wish Aiden all the best.
Experience
Despite Aiden having the experience factor in his favour. Do you anticipate that plays any part in the fight?
Anything can happen in a fight. A fight is a fight. Aiden is a good martial artist, but my dad had me training for as long as I remember. So yes, he may have the experience in the cage, but I’ve fought world-level throughout my kickboxing career, so for me, this is just another fight.
For those who expect the same version of Bradley Brown to show up who fought at Rise and Conquer 10, what would you have to say to them?
The ring rust has gone, so watch me fly.
Where do you feel you’ve made the biggest improvements since your last fight?
I improve slightly every day. That’s why we train but mainly my sharpness and learning to stick to the game plan.
Lastly, can we get an official fight prediction?
Judging by his fights, he looks like a tough kid, but this time I’m going for the finish 2-0.
Featured image credits to Bradley Brown
