Jamie Mcglinchey is amped up to throw down with Shaun Conway for the Goliath Fight Series 66kg title this Saturday.
Scotland’s leading MMA promotion returns for its fourth-instalment this Saturday in Alloa—however, this time with a twist. Promoters Steven Harris and Chris Duncan have put together a show with one half consisting of grappling matches and the second half of the show consisting of K1 and MMA.
Mcglinchey, who fights out of the Griphouse in Glasgow, will be involved in a Scotland vs. Scotland title fight with Conway. A fight the crowd will be chomping at the bit to see. Ahead of the fight itself, we had the chance to catch-up with Jamie Mcglinchey.
Interview With Jamie Mcglinchey
Jamie, you’re over a week out from competing in Goliath Fight Series. How’s the headspace after your most recent outing on Rise and Conquer?
It’s in a great place, mate. I don’t think many people can say this, but I came out of that fight with a smile on my face, regardless of the result. First time fighting away a hostile crowd in Bens area, three rounds against a great fighter with a very extensive striking background to lose a close decision. I gained more from that loss than any of my previous couple of fights, or any of them for that matter.
Touching on that fight with Bens Goldsborough. How many times have you watched it back, and were you and the team able to pinpoint went wrong?
I’ve watched it back a good few times myself and with Dean, and we took some notes on the good things I did and the not-so-good things. We sway here, or hand placement there, and I could have won that fight, but it’s amateur, and that’s what this journey is all about for me atm getting those mistakes out of the way with.
This will mark your third fight, and we’re only approaching Summer. How would you sum up this year so far in terms of competitions, and what are some of the biggest takeaways from those two fights?
It’s certainly the activity I’ve craved since I started training, and with that comes the familiarity now stepping into the cage. Every time I’ve been more comfortable, from weigh-in to getting to the venue, hands wrapped to walk out, I savour every minute of this. Everyone loves the idea of being a fighter, even at the amateur level, but not everyone has the minerals to do so. Those of us who do should soak up every minute of it. We are the lucky ones.
Jamie Mcglinchey on Facing Shaun Conway
You’ll face Shaun Conway in a bout that promises to deliver. What can people expect from the pair of you when that cage door closes?
They can expect Scotland’s two best amateur featherweights to put it on the line for 5x5s with a title on the line on what’s slowly turning into one of the fastest-growing mma shows in Scotland and the UK.
The fight has a bit more significance added to it, with a title being on the line. Does the belt being on the line make a difference to you in terms of preparation, or will the sessions and workload be kept the same?
I’m in terms of preparation. The belt means nothing. It’s the extra rounds that I need to make adjustments for, but my conditioning is always in a great place.
Shaun Conway comes from a good gym and has a well-rounded skill set. What do you see in his game when you study tape? Is there anything you’re overly concerned with, or do you think it’s everything you’ve seen before?
He’s very aggressive in the striking and has good grappling, but it’s nothing we haven’t seen before. I don’t believe in this “they can’t prepare for me” stuff. Everyone always has similarities to others.
Last Words
Finally, to close out, I’ll leave you with the last words. Is there anybody you’d like to thank or any message for Shaun before you both meet?
Course! Shout out to my teammates and coaches at the @griphouse, my sponsors – @TheRapYardGla @HD.Tiling @OurAshfield for their continued support. And my diamond of a wife for letting me do this while she holds the fort down with our two boys.
Shaun, let’s see who’s number 1.
Featured image credits to Rise and Conquer
