HAVING not fought competitively in more than a decade, Martin McDonnell’s focus has been on building his Middlewich martial arts club from the ground up.
However, he recently got the opportunity to get back into the ring – and took it with both hands.
The 34-year-old, who is head coach at Evade Cheshire Martial Arts in Middlewich, previously competed in kickboxing and karate but was invited to partake in his first N-class pro-am Muay Thai fight as part of a “veterans league” for fighters over 30.
Sensing the opportunity to set an example for those in his charge, he jumped at the chance despite a 13-year absence from competition.
“I always try to lead by example – I wouldn't expect one of my members to do something I wouldn't do,” he said.
"For me, this was a great opportunity to see if I 'still had it', but also a chance for me to focus more on my own training and get back into fight shape.
“At the start of camp I was 84 kilos, on weigh in day I was 75 and I felt fantastic – fitter and sharper than I had been in a long time.”
With colleagues Rick Burgess and Owen Edwards taking charge of classes at Evade, McDonnell was able to train at the Stockport gym owned by UK Muay Thai legend Panicos Yusuf ahead of fight night in Rochdale.
When it came to the big night, he put on a show and was a comfortable victor.
"When it came down to the fight, we had been bumped up the main card and I was co-main event for my first fight back in years,” he said.
“We had the perfect game plan and I was fortunate enough to be able to pull it off and secure the victory with a unanimous decision.
"Fighting is about so much more than fighting – putting into practice the techniques and game plan you've been working on against a non-compliant opponent who wants to do the same is a huge challenge.
“But I believe we need to challenge ourselves – we need to do difficult things in life, to become comfortable in uncomfortable situations.
“Life isn't easy and without challenging yourself, you can fall apart as it gets hard.
“I wanted to show my guys that through putting in the hard work, listening to your coach and having belief in your own abilities, you can achieve greatness.”
To find out more about Evade Cheshire Martial Arts, search for the club on Facebook or follow their Instagram page @evadecheshiremartialarts
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