UK fans will be able to watch Matt Thorpe on Internet PPV as he attempts to help lead England to the M-1 Challenge Semifinals
Editor’s Note: This article originally appeared on UKMMAnews.com and has been re-printed on www.M-1Global.com with permission.
This week we are very pleased to have none other then Matt “12 Gauge” Thorpe talking to us about his career, his thoughts on MMA and his up and coming fight at the M-1 global challenge.
Matt has been carving a path in the UK scene and recently on the international stage since 2002 to earn himself a reputation and name to be respected.
He is a well rounded fighter, but especially lethal on the ground where he has amassed nine submission win’s tapping out opponents with Kimura’s, armlocks, chokes and strikes.
We are sure that the best is still yet to come for Matt “12 Gauge” Thorpe and look forward to seeing what the future holds for this exciting fighter.
UK MMA News: Hey Matt, so how are you doing and how has training been going for your next M-1 bout?
Matt: I’m doing good mate! Training is going well, had a good 12 week camp leading up to this fight so feeling fit, strong and ready to go. After the disappointment in Kansas I have changed a few things up, I have been working with an NLP and Sports psychology coach to help sharpen my mind up and get rid of some mental rust, I am now the best mentally and physically I have ever been.
UK MMA News: M-1 looks to have been a great promo for you to work in. It’s taken you to Japan and the U.S. and no doubt you got up to all sorts. What are a few of your best memories, laughs and moments so far from the experience?
Matt: Yeah M-1 has been a great experience so far and there have been many laughs especially because the team bonded so well. One of the highlights for me has to be having Rampage help corner us in Japan and then going out partying with him after the fight to celebrate such a great win for us. We then got no sleep and had a 42 hour journey home it made for some laughs and tears!!
UK MMA News: And how about the working with your fellow fighters and the coaches in the M-1 team, have you gained a lot from the experience?
Matt: The team has bonded really well we have been having regular Saturday training sessions at Quannum to work on gameplans, tactics and brush up on anything we feel needs working on. Having trained with most the team before at some point in my MMA career helped. The 2 coaches Aaron Chatfield and Dave Butlin have been great helping us with whatever we need.
UK MMA News: OK a little on your background and how you became a pro MMA fighter?
Matt: Started out doing Tae Kwon Do when I was a kid then moved onto kickboxing for a few years, had a couple of years out. I then met my now wife who was training at a local Karate club she moaned at me to come down and join. I really wasn’t interested in Karate but she nagged and after coming home one day and telling me about how she had been having grappling matches it got me intrigued as I had never heard of this. I went down with her started training after finding out the club was doing a mix of all sorts. Trained for 2 years there and was introduced to the UFC by the instructor which had me hooked.
I then started getting an itch to compete so I mixed my training up doing BJJ, Freestyle wrestling, Thai boxing and MMA at different clubs. Finally I settled at Team Coles Coliseum as it had many active fighters there at the time, they took me in and developed my style and helped me chase my dream of fighting.
UK MMA News: What has been ‘the fight’ for you where you really feel everything came together and you walked away from the cage most satisfied with your performance?
Matt: In all honesty I feel I haven’t shown my best yet. I have had fights where I have shown glimpses of what I feel I can achieve for instance against Che Mills, Peter Angreer, Raymon Jarmon and my match against Dan Hardy but I feel the best is still yet to come. If I had to choose my most complete performance to date it would have to be my rematch against Chris Hipkiss which was a long time ago but I had just come back from training out in the States and I had changed from training like an amateur to training like a true athlete!
UK MMA News: MMA aside, what else do you get up to when not training and fighting?
Matt: Not a lot tbh with working full time and training full time I don’t get time for much else. When I do get the time I like to chill out and catch up on what movies are out or have a bash on my guitar although I ain’t very good!
UK MMA News: And what’s the foreseeable future hold for you Matt or where would you like to be next?
Matt: I have got this M1 fight coming up in August this should see team England through to the semis in September fingers crossed. I have also got a couple of decent fights lined up abroad for the end of the year. Hopefully next year will see me still fighting internationally and pushing my name out there.
UK MMA News: And finally – pound 4 pound greatest fighter in MMA?
Matt: At the moment pound 4 pound has to be GSP he is a true athlete.
UK MMA News: Matt, thanks for your time and good luck for the fight mate, anyone you would like to put a shout out to?
Matt: No probs mate and I would like to say a big thank you to my sponsors Sci-Mentor, Caged Steel, Sandee and Fightshop.com
