The Hollywood Insider: A few minutes with Ais the Bash!

The Hollywood Insider: A few minutes with Ais the Bash!

By Brett 'Hollywood' Freeman


One of the best things about my job is that I frequently get to hang out with people of whom I am a genuine fan!  One of these is Aisling “Ais the Bash” Daly! Ais is one of the most exciting fighters in the business, and certainly one of the top women fighters in the world. I caught up with Ais recently and we talked about everything from her championship belt to comedy clubs to her upcoming fight in London with Rosi the Surgeon Sexton.


HOLLYWOOD:  Hi Ais, thanks for taking the time to talk to me today.  You know I am a huge fan!  2011 was an exciting  year for you…you had some big fights on some top promotions,  huge wins, a big loss, you won a world title in the US, got that nun to agree to a photo with it :-) an on and on…what was the highlight for you?

The Bash:  The highlight of my year would have to be coming back from such a devastating loss and winning a major title in FEMMA I'm proud of myself for that.


 HOLLYWOOD:   That was a brilliant win!  And now…you are the NAAFS champion!  I see fighters react in different ways to a loss…some lose a bit of heart, some learn and charge forward…since your fight with Gaff, you haven’t been out of the second round!  3 straight submission victories, all business!  Are you a different fighter today than you were in April of 2011?

The Bash:  To suffer a loss the way I did was tough, it took a lot of regrouping and analysing to see where I went wrong. I have a great team around me and with their help I was able to get myself refocused. I learned much more from that fight than I have in any other win or loss before. I feel like a better fighter all round now and even more determined to carry out my goals.

 I feel like I know my own weaknesses better, I understand my own mental state better and exactly where I need to be around fight time. I'm enjoying my training a little more and trying to have fun and let the improvements happen with hours on the mat rather than forcing it. 


 HOLLYWOOD:  You’ve been in the game since 2007 and are really a pioneer in women’s MMA…How have you seen WMMA grow, change over the years?

The Bash:   I always find it so funny to hear I'm a pioneer at 24 but I guess I am. I've seen a lot of changes in WMMA some for better some for worse. I feel sometimes there's a little division between all the women who compete, a lack of support for other women fighting. I think if the sport is to grow like we all want to then there'll need to be more unity rather than all stepping on each other to get to where we want to be with no regard for how the sport is perceived as a whole.


HOLLYWOOD:   You have a major fight coming up with Rosi Sexton in May of this year, I read an interview with her that indicated that the two of you have a bit of history.  Does this affect your approach to this fight?

The Bash:  It is a huge fight, it is the biggest fight of my career and I am as excited and nervous for it as I ever have been for any fight before. There is really no history between me and Rosi I have a lot of respect for her. If she needs to find me disrespectful or whatever to get her head in the right frame of mind to compete against me then that's cool. My opponent is never really important to me anyway. They're always just a physical manifestation of my inner need to compete against myself.


 HOLLYWOOD:   I know it’s hard for a fighter to look past their next fight, but you gotta be pumped about this tournament and another shot at Gaff after this fight right????

The Bash:  I'm excited at the prospect of a rematch with Sheila. I think it will be a very different fight this time and I look forward to finally showing everyone what I am capable of in this tournament. 


 HOLLYWOOD:   You are the reigning North American Allied Fight Series champion…does owning a championship belt bring any added pressure when you fight inside or outside of the organisation in which you are the champ?

The Bash:  I think there's always pressure when you compete, the pressure of maintaining a decent record is enough to make people fearful entering a fight that might be the reason some don't compete often, there is a little added pressure with being a champion I refuse to loss inside or outside the NAAFS. One thing I've learned is I work well being the underdog so all this extra pressure is only going to help me on my way.

 

HOLLYWOOD:   Your coach is one of the best in the business!  How did you hook up with John Kavanagh and SBG?

The Bash:  I started off doing Karate when I was 10 with my Instructor at the time Ian Ward, I trained there for years, then when I was about 16 Ian began training in BJJ with John Kavanagh, IAn would show me some moves and eventually I was hooked. I would travel to John's club for seminars etc, and then at 18 I got my blue belt from Matt Thornton. Ian politely told me I needed to go train with John if I wanted to fulfil my goals and the rest as they say is history.


HOLLYWOOD:   SBG has some amazing talent!  When your training for a fight, how is the sparring there?  Are you the baddest dog in the yard at the moment? Anyone you particularly like to smash…ummm I mean spar with? :-)

The Bash:  I have a great bunch of guys training with me the gym at all weights, I'm by far not the big dog, I am the smallest dog in the yard but my sparing partners deliver the right pressure I need to perform, enough to make me suffer and the same time let me know I'm improving. I am very fortunate in that my best sparring partner is actually my coach John Kavanagh we have the most awesome wars and with a fighting approach I'll probably get 20 5 minute rounds a week in with him. I also have one of Europe's best bantamweights Paddy Holohan constantly wrapping me up in knots in training. The atmosphere and feeling of family in my gym is one that's very rare and unusual, I think we all want to do well and see each other do well. That kind of team is hard to beat.

 

HOLLYWOOD:   You have just announced another fight on 24 March in Dublin against an accomplished kick boxer, Titiana van Polanen Petel.  How are you feeling looking at this fight prior to the Sexton bout?

The Bash:  I'm really looking forward to my upcoming fight with Titiana, she seems like a cool girl who has been looking to fight me for a while. I respect her as a fighter and am looking forward to being in my home town and putting on a good show.


HOLLYWOOD:   I know you train almost 24/7, but in those rare moments when you aren’t training, what are your Interests outside of MMA?

The Bash:  Outside of MMA I like to go to comedy gigs, hang out with my friends and do regular girls stuff. I spend so much time training it's hard to find time to anything else, but in honestly if I spend too much time away from training I miss it too much. 


 HOLLYWOOD:    And when you’re not fighting, how do you make ends meet? do you have a day job? 

The Bash:   I just have a little job part time that I've had for years, I work in a shoe shop and that allows me time to train. I don't mind it at all really it's nice to have a change of scenery now and again.


 HOLLYWOOD:   Shoe shop huh sounds like a great job to me!  Speaking of shoes…who’s your favourite ring announcer? :-)

The Bash:  Of Course without a doubt it would have to be Bret 'Hollywood' Freeman, he allows has awesome shoes and looks very dapper :)


 HOLLYWOOD:   Thanks again Ais, you rock!   I am looking forward to your upcoming fights!  Anyone you want to give a shout out?

The Bash:  I'd like to thanks my sponsors PaddyPower.com and BigShots Nutrition as well as My MMA coach John Kavanagh,  My S&C coach Eoin Lacey of the Irish Strength Institute, My Sports Psychologist David Mullens and all the guys at SBG.


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