Dane Conneely believes his opponent at UNITY Fighting Championship is in for a long night if he decides to exchange blows on the feet for three rounds,
The Scottish native is scheduled to face Conor Tetley this Saturday at the Dolphin Arena in Darlington. With a 1-1 amateur record, Conneely is eager to pick up his second career win alongside his teammates competing on the card.
We had the opportunity of speaking with Dane Conneely before he makes the walk. Read the full exclusive interview below.
Interview With Dane Conneely
A few days to go until you and a few of the lads travel to represent FuDog MMA at UNITY Fighting Championship. How easier is it knowing you’ve prepared and will compete alongside your teammates?
Yes, a bit easier. When you have a bunch of guys in the gym with the same target in their minds, you all push each other and feed off each other’s energy. As a gym, we do everything as a team, so even if it was only one of us in the cage, it’s everyone’s fight.
I believe you’re making the walk for the third time now. Are you finding the whole process easier, having done it twice before? Was there any different feeling from the first to the second time?
I don’t think it ever gets easier. If it does, you aren’t working hard enough. I suppose you get more aware of what to expect, so in that aspect, there are no surprises. My second fight was at such short notice I didn’t really have time to think too deeply about it. I just cut the weight and got to it. It sort of helped in a way.
Has it been easier this time having more than a week to prepare for a specific opponent and somewhat game plan?
I’ve much preferred having the time to prepare properly. I felt in my last fight I didn’t do myself justice as I maybe wasn’t fully up to speed, but I’m not making any excuses. I was second best on the night to a good opponent. With a game plan in place for Saturday, I feel a lot more confident.
Dane Conneely Talks MMA Debut
What lessons have you taken away from your amateur MMA debut win and your short-notice fight on On Top?
My first fight was all about getting the experience under the belt, it was a huge bonus to get the knockout, and I’ve learned to trust my power going forward. As I said about On Top, I made plenty of mistakes that night, and I’ve been working hard to correct them. I let my opponent enforce his game plan. I won’t be making that mistake this time. I’ll be pressured from the first second.
On Tetley, what are your overall thoughts on this matchup, and do you feel it’s a favourable matchup for you to attain your second win in MMA? Can you take anything from his one fight on Almighty?
I think it’s a good matchup. I’ve obviously not seen much of him. I watched his debut and was impressed with his work rate and effort against a much bigger opponent. I’m expecting him to try and pressure, probably look for the takedown. I think if he tries to stand in front of me and trade hands, he’s in for a bad night.
Given you took your last fight on a week’s notice, can you still be critical of yourself and your performance?
I think the short notice excuse falls on deaf ears. I’m always critical of myself, and last time out, I was very unhappy with my performance. My opponent was a very good grappler, and I let myself down in simple exchanges. I was chasing the fight and looking for the KO instead of being smart. We’ve put the graft in to change that.]
2023 Goals
What goals have you set for yourself this year, and how active can we expect to see you if all goes well Saturday night in Darlington?
I’m just looking to build on my experience. I’m not looking past Saturday in terms of goals, as the only goal on my mind is winning this weekend. But I’m looking to put on a good show and get people talking.
I will leave you with the last word. Is there anybody you’d like to thank or any last words for your opponent before you face off this Saturday?
As always, I’d like to thank my coach Iain Feenan for all the hard work he puts into getting us ready. Everyone at the gym has far too many names to mention, but there isn’t an easy round on the mats at the minute, we’re building something special at FuDog, and this Saturday, we will prove that with four wins. As for my opponent, I hope he’s trained well and is ready for a war on Saturday. I certainly am.
Featured image credits to Dane Conneely
