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Shanelle Dyer – “It’s gonna be one for the ages”

Hexagone MMA returns for their 7th card to date on March 11th for a night of pure unadulterated organised violence in Poitiers.

 

An absolutely stacked card from top to bottom is set to be unleashed at the Arena Futuroscope, which will leave fight fans on the edge of their seats.

 

Amongst the many prolific warriors on show, will see Shanelle Dyer make her professional debut taking on Weronika Eszer in an absolute explosive Flyweight collision.

 

I caught up with Shanelle as she prepares for the violent festivities in France.

 

Shanelle ‘Nightmare’ Dyer 0-0-0 is an English professional Mixed Martial Artist currently competing in the Flyweight division, representing Great Britain Top Team. Shanelle has competed for ECMMA, Golden Ticket Fight Promotions, Cage Legacy, Retribution Fighting Championship, the EMMAA Four Nations Championships and Cage Warriors South-East Academy as an amateur. And makes her pro debut for Hexagone MMA on March 11th.

 

I’d like to take this opportunity to thank you for taking the time to speak with me again today Shanelle, and also to congratulate you on your upcoming professional debut at the Hexagone MMA 7 card mate.

 

“Thanks for having me, it’s always a pleasure speaking with you.”

 

My pleasure mate.

 

I hope preparations have been going well over at GB Top Team as your trip to France enters it’s final stages?

 

“Yeah, the fights just under 2 weeks away now but it doesn’t even feel like it. I haven’t had a fight in a couple of months now so I’ve had quite some time to prepare. A lot of pull-outs have extended my fight camp, so I’ve been in camp for some time for this one. The fights at Flyweight, so I’ll be going up a weight class, it doesn’t feel like a camp because I’m not cutting weight, it’s in France so I don’t have to sell tickets. It’s basically, as stress free as it possibly could be.”

 

 

Great to hear mate, leaves you laser focused on the job at hand.

 

No doubt, there must have been many offers on the table for you in regards to stages for your entrance into the pro’s. But Hexagone have secured your signature for this landmark of your journey.

 

I bet you’re absolutely buzzing to be taking the walk with the French promotion?

 

“Yeah, definitely. There was a lot of offers, from a lot of top shows, especially in Europe. Me, my management and my coaches spoke about the fact that we don’t wanna fight for anyone exclusively, we kind of wanna float around, get as many fights and wins in as possible and fight up to 5 times this year. So that next year we go onto a bigger platform straight off the bat, signing to a multi-fight deal would prevent us from being able to accept that.”

 

Very smart, keeping your options open and as you said, float around for a bit, a great mindset to have mate.

 

You have stood out as one of, if not the greatest amateur practitioners the UK has had the pleasure of witnessing. Capturing many achievements across so many aspects of the fight game, but now is the time to test your prolific skill set on the pro scene.

 

Last we spoke back in September, you expressed your desire to focus on your professional journey after making GB Top Team the new home of your training.

 

How does it feel just 5 months after our chat, for your plan to have come to fruition and now only being just under 2 weeks away from making it a reality?

 

“I think since last time we spoke, I’ve made such massive improvements. Training at GB Top Team, the high-level sparring every Tuesday and Thursday I feel like I’m in a fight, that’s what you need. I think wrestling has 100 percent improved, I didn’t really know what I was doing back in August. But now I’m really confident in my wrestling skills, my takedown defence, my fight IQ has grown so much. With Ashley, Barry and Brad’s teaching me, my fight IQ has grown levels beyond. I thought i was a professional fighter last year, but now I feel so many levels above the opposition. I’m excited to be taking my professional journey with them, having them in my corner, there’s no excuse for not becoming great.”

 

I couldn’t agree more mate.

 

You are set to face off against Weronika ‘Merida’ Eszer. Who will also be making her Hexagone debut and looking to secure her 1st as a professional win.

 

What do you make of Weronika as you prepare to collide on March 11th?

 

 

“There’s not a lot of footage on her. Personally, I don’t really like to watch my opponents, I prefer to focus on myself. But I saw a few clips of her last 2 losses, she’s a grappler but she lost her last bouts on the floor in the 1st or 2nd. I’m not worried about the fight, I know my stand-up game is world class, so I can keep it standing. Even Brad said he’s not worried, that I can sub her. I’m really confident in my wrestling and Jiu-jitsu, so even if I took it to the floor I’d be confident. Looking at her last 2 performances, I feel I out perform her either way.”

 

A powerful mindset to have mate.

 

Trips to the lion’s den are always better with teammates, and in true GB Top Team fashion you will be joined on the card by Walter Gahadza who will be the 1 half of the Main-Event of the evening.

 

 

No doubt you’ll be looking forward to his inclusion as much as you are your own?

 

“Yeah, Walter’s a legend, he’s one of the veterans in the gym, he’s one of our most experienced. I look up to him as a fighter, I caught his last fight where he proves why he’s called ‘The Sniper’, he literally sniped him and took him out in the 1st round. To fight on the same card as someone like Walter, I’m honoured to be sharing the card with him. We kind of go through the same fight camp as well, so I’m asking him for advice, being such a veteran in the game.”

 

I previously spoke with Walter, he said you all regard him a vet. He definitely is a UK vet, especially with BAMMA.

 

“Yeah, we all look up to him.”

 

It’s been an absolute pleasure speaking with you again today Shanelle, I wish you all the best for the remainder of your preparations and I look forward to catching you out there mate.

 

“Ah thank you, thank you so much.”

 

Anytime Shanelle.

 

Last but not least, do you have a message for the fans that will be in attendance and anybody you’d like to give a shout-out to?

 

“The message for the fans amd my supporters is to tune in. This is my 1st pro fight and we’ll be speaking about it 20 years later when I’m UFC Champion, 100 percent tune in, it’s gonna be one for the ages. It’s gonna be done in 1, I’ll say that now that’s its gonna be done in 1. Shout-out to my coaches Ash and Barry. Barry’s just had his 1st child and has been training me throughout the 1st few weeks of his child being born, so thank you so much Barry. Thank you Brad as well for being a top coach, thank you to all my training partners at GB Top Team and Knowlesy Academy, my striking gym and thank you to all my sponsors.”

 

Catch Shanelle and many more phenomenal warriors take centre stage at what’s shaping up to be an incredible fight card on March 11th at the Arena Futuroscope in France.

 

 

Tickets re available here.

 

The night will be broadcast on BT Sport, in the UK, and DAZN, internationally (including in the USA and Canada).

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