Fightstar Championship 23 had one of the most exciting Undercard’s, packed with pure unadulterated talent from what I like to call the back-bone on the sport, the amateurs.
Amongst the band of warriors was GB Top Team’s Sam Welch. A powerful example of an athlete that never gives up through the hard times. Bouncing back from a loss in his previous trip to the Fightstar cage with an explosive performance and submissive victory to bring this exciting Welterweight back to winning ways.
I caught up with Sam and his coach Corey Tait, soon after his victory at the Crystal Palace National Sports Centre.
Congratulations on that absolutely outstanding victory Sam, how are you feeling after that performance?
“I feel great, it’s great to get back in the win column. I had a lot of people supporting me here tonight, putting a smile on their faces and putting a smile back on mine, it’s what we live for and it’s why we do the sport.”
Taking a trip back to the Fightstar cage once again must have also been an incredible feeling?
“100 percent, it’s nice to come back, I made my debut for Fightstar on my 3rd fight. To be able to come back is amazing, it’s a very well run show. And to put on a show for my family and friends and coaches, repaying their faith in me is great.”
And a very clean submissive victory via armbar, was this how you pictured your victory this evening?
“Na, if anything I wanted to take his head off, I wanted a knockout. My coach Corey Tait said to me before the fight, you try one thing, he’ll hesitate and give you an opportunity for something else. I thought I had his back but it didn’t quite work out, but as I fell off I felt the triangle so I thought I’d throw that up. The knees started coming in and made it a little harder to pull the head down, I didn’t wanna break a rib. He gave me his arm, so I took the arm with me.”
Corey Tait: “In this exact arena at Fightstar Championship 22, I remember I sat here and had an hour and a half conversation with Sam. We spoke about everything, I’m not gonna go into too much detail about what we spoke about but man, I’ve never learned more about someone I’ve known for so many years than I did in that hour and a half. We had that conversation in the exact spot we are in right now, so to see all of this right now, I got emotional hearing him speak to you right now. Watching the full circle from then to now, sometimes you forget, some days get harder in this game, witnessing things work out like this you always remember why you do this. For moments like this, from moments like that. So I just wanna say, fucking hell congrats Sam, that was well deserved.”
Sam Welch: “if it wasn’t for that chat, I definitely wouldn’t be here. Corey was the one that made me wanna keep fighting, without that hour and a half chat, I would never have put these gloves back on. I would have trained, but other than that I was never gonna get back in there.”
Corey Tait: “you can’t throw away talent, thank you for taking the time to speak with him tonight, thank you my bro.”
My pleasure Corey.
Before you go and celebrate your victory with your friends, family and teammates Sam is there anybody you’d like to give a shout-out to?
“I’d like to give a shout-out to all my coaches and training partners who are there consistently, everyone who came out tonight. My friends, my family especially my mum and my grandad. My nan too, although my nan never watches my fights but she’s always asking how I’m feeling after. For me personally, my dog was taken from me by if anything, a shit vet. So if anyone has Goddard Veterinary Group as their vet, fucking run, they’re negligent. So this one was for her, that was for you Shelby, on to the next one.”
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