An Interview With Brave CF Bantamweight Ian Cleary

An Interview With Brave CF Bantamweight Ian Cleary

By Arwen Louise

The countdown to Brave CF 24 is well underway. On July 27th, in front of an exclusive, invite only crowd, bantamweight Ian “Concrete” Cleary will be stepping into the cage to face Gamzat Magomedov.

Cleary holds a professional record of one win and two losses. His Russian opponent’s record stands at three wins and one loss.

Cleary will be going into the London show as the underdog, but he is distinctly unfazed by this.

“I think I am going in as the underdog, but I have watched the guy I am going against. My skill-set is much better than his. He only has a single leg. It’s going to be tough, but I am very confident going into it.”

MMA has been part of the Dublin man’s life for over a decade. Cleary is a lifelong friend of Owen Roddy. So, it was only fitting that he should be the first member of Roddy’s gym when it opened in 2009. Prior to joining SBG, Cleary’s only experience of combat sport was boxing “in a shed out somebody’s back.” Not the most auspicious of starts.

Cleary took his first amateur fight in 2011. He fought at this level until 2015, the year in which he won the Clan Wars bantamweight amateur title. Cleary also fought for the Battlezone title that same year, but lost to Nathan Kelly by decision. This was to be his last amateur fight.

“I was more than ready to go pro, well before I did. I was just sparring up in the gym one day. The IMMAF rules were after coming in, and even though I agree with them all, I wasn’t motivated to fight like that, after fighting with no shin pads. I said ‘I think it’s time for me to go pro.’”

Cleary’s first professional fight was with BAMMA in Dublin’s 3Arena in 2016. He secured a victory over Andrew Lofthouse by way of unanimous decision. The Dubliner’s future was looking secure.

Unfortunately, the same cannot be said for BAMMA. The promotion disappeared into the ether leaving many fighters adrift. Cleary was among them.

Next up for Cleary was a single fight with Cage Warriors. He came up against Paul Evans and was submitted in the first round. He then fought in Bellator 217. Cleary was not fully fit going into the fight against George Courtney, and despite being dominant in the first two rounds, he was ultimately submitted in the third.

Perhaps more than most fighters, Cleary has put in shifts with numerous promotions throughout his time in the sport. His willingness to “fight anyone” and take fights at short notice, undoubtedly making him easy for promoters to work with.

“I love to fight on all different promotions if I am being honest. Ideally, I’d love to travel around and fight all over the world. I am not chasing anything. I am 33 years of age and I just want to have good experiences.”

Cleary’s preparation for Brave 24 is going well. Despite juggling training with a full-time job in a Dublin hospital and raising his teenage daughter, Cleary feels this is one of the best camps he has had.

Chatting to him on his way home from the gym, I was struck by how composed Cleary seemed.

“I spent most of my MMA career worrying about what other people thought. This is the first time in years I am not stressing about anything. I can’t wait to get in there…I have a good nervous feeling, obviously, but I am not worrying about anything.”

Brave CF 24 is surrounded by mystery and intrigue. Even the fighters are unsure what to expect on the night. Cleary last fought in front of almost 10,000 people, so naturally fighting with only a couple of hundred in attendance will provide a different experience.

“I don’t know how I feel about it. I like fighting in front of being crowds.”

When I asked Cleary to speculate on who might be among the chosen few in attendance, he laughingly said:

“My manager told me Prince Harry might be there.”

I am sure there are worse things the Duke of Sussex could be doing on a Thursday night!

Brave President Mohammed “The Hawk” Shahid is hoping to elevate the sport with this unique showcase. Brave has made it their mission to globalise MMA and the London show is certainly part of that plan.

Cleary reported to me that they are a professional organisation to work for. Providing the fighters with support, with both logistics and marketing, which perhaps may be lacking with other promotions.

When I asked Cleary for his predictions on this fight itself, his response was unequivocal.

“I am going to knock him out…In either the first or the second, with a rear uppercut.”

Looking past the upcoming bout, Cleary’s ambition is to secure a multi-fight contract with Brave. Believing the promotion will offer him a unique opportunity to travel and see the world.

“My goal is to put on a good show, and hopefully get a contract out of it.”

With less than a fortnight to go, I for one am excited to see how the London show will play out.

Cleary wanted to express his appreciation for his sponsors Brute Force Nutrition, One Hit Management and the Irish Strength Institution (ISI.) He also wanted to thank his team and his coach Owen Roddy, “I wouldn’t be here without him.”