Paul McGoogan 1-0-0 is a Scottish amateur Muay Thai fighter. An amateur competitor since 2021, representing Black Box Muay Thai. He has competed for Budo Fighting Championship and has a catchweight bout scheduled for Evolution of Combat on the 19th of February.
I’d like to start this off by thanking you for taking the time to speak to me today Paul and also to congratulate you on your recent fight announcement with Evolution Of Combat. I hope training camp has been going smoothly?
“Training camp has been good, my weight is on point, feeling good and sharp, ready to go.
When receiving the call to showcase your skills on the 19th, were you eager to jump at the opportunity to be part of Dan Hope and his team’s 11th instalment of the show to date?”
“Yeah, I was excited to be part of the event, having watched another teammate compete in EOC last year and realising the platform it has established made me keen to take the fight.”
We are just days away from Evolution of Combat 11 in Glasgow, the next step down the proverbial warrior’s path for you. You will be taking on Dragon’s Gym’s George Dixon in a Muay Thai bout that is bout to have the crowd on the edge of their seats at the Maryhill Community Halls. Have you had the opportunity to do some research on your opponent leading up to your return to the cage?
“I don’t know much about my opponent but I’ve seen his last fight. He’s a very good fighter with good experience. I think he’s 4-1. Coming in with momentum off the back of a win in his last fight too, I’ll need to be at the top of my game.”
Some would say that Muay Thai is in unfamiliar surroundings where many MMA fighters go to war, but in recent years the inclusion has been spreading like wildfire across the UK and beyond. You are one of many fighters to have practised the art within the cage. What’s your take on bouts taking place within the cage and would you recommend it to up and coming amateurs?
“Since I’m only 1-0, my only fighting experience is in a cage, my only ring experience is in sparring. But there are differences, the cage means you can’t be backed into a corner. because there aren’t any! But it also means you don’t have the advantage of ropes a fighter may use to lean back out of the way of shots etc. It Adds a new dynamic to the sport and any fighter trying to develop their skills can learn a lot from the different environments.”
Without giving too much away, what steps have you been taking to make sure you walk out of EoC18 with your arm raised at the end of the night?
“There are no guarantees in this sport, but the coaches, the team and I have all been putting the work in, I know what I need and want to do, just need to go out and execute the plan. Training has been good, I feel fit and ready to go.”
The team at EoC have yet again put together a phenomenal card for the fans. MMA, Grappling and your art of Muay Thai. Other than your inclusion on the night are there any matchups in particular that you’re looking forward to witnessing?
“Yes, we have another fighter from Black Box making his debut on the card, Ross Mackenzie. Ross has been training just as hard and has been dedicated 100%, excited to see him showcase his talents.”
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?
“Yeah, I’d just like to say a massive thank you to everyone who’s coming out to support me and Ross and give Black Box Muay Thai the platform it deserves. Thanks to Stewart and Charlie the coaches for putting their all into the guys in the gym, especially with Charlie McGhee preparing for his upcoming title fight. Thank you to all the guys in the gym who come down to train, get the rounds in sparring and help us to be ready. Antony, Gary, Zsolt, Attila, Dean, Ian. too many guys to mention but they know who they are. And finally, a huge thanks to my beautiful partner Natasha for putting up with me and supporting me 100% through the fight camp.”
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