Shay Walsh Aiming To Showcase Well Rounded Skill Set At OMMAC

By Dean Parr

At OMMAC 9, Lancaster and Morecambe MMA's Shay Walsh (4-0) will face Pete McGurk (5-2-1) in an interesting bout in the Featherweight division. Walsh explained how this fight has been on and off in the past, but it finally seems to be taking place.

"We've actually been matched up twice in the past," noted Shay. "The first time I pulled out with injury trouble, then he pulled out on the second time with what I presume was an injury. Hopefully, it will be third time lucky this time."

Walsh now claims to be injury free though, and is now feeling healthy.

"I'm absolutely fine," he asserted. "It was just an accident that happened in training. It's quite common when you're putting your body through a lot of wear and tear, and of course it happens sometimes. It happened to him as well which I can understand, but hopefully it will come off this time."

Indeed, the 145-pounder is content with the way preparations are going, and reckons he'll be in fine nick come March 5th.

"It's going really well," he enthused, when asked about his training. "I've been doing a lot of work obviously at Lancaster and Morecambe MMA with everyone down there. My strength and conditioning's coming on leaps and bounds as well working with Extreme Strength and Conditioning in Bolton."

Shay reckons that this could well be his hardest contest to date, but still insists he'll be ready for whatever McGurk brings to the table.

"Without a doubt it's definitely going to be my toughest test so far, and that's exactly what I need really and exactly what I want," analysed the Northerner. "No disrespect to anyone I've fought, but they've all been finished off pretty quickly and I'm not going to progress my career without getting a stiffer test, and that's definitely what Pete can give me. I hope he can because take me into the later stages of the fight, because I need the experience. He's got a well rounded skill set, and I think he could definitely provide that challenge.

From what I've seen, he likes to stand and defend takedowns, but he's very dangerous because even when he has been taken down he submits people off his back, so I've just got to be prepared for anything, which is how things are going to be now on for anyone that I fight. Further up the ladder, everyone knows how to fight in every area of the game."

Ahead of this, Walsh is doing his best to ensure there are no holes in his game.

"I just think I need to be ready in every single area," reckons Shay. "I can't just focus on one certain thing. I need to be able to mix it up and fight in every single position. I really want to be in very good condition for the fight, which should be happening."

Supposing all goes well at OMMAC, Walsh has ambitious plans for the rest of the year, including an interesting trip abroad.

"I hope to rack up as many fights as I can, and I just want to be moving up the ladder now, fighting as many tough people as I can squeeze into the year. No opponent in particular, just anyone that's ranked above me is what I want. It's nothing personal, I just want to be where they are.

"This is going to be my first time on OMMAC, and Chris Zorba's doing big things and they get a lot of attention. It's the bigger shows I need to be getting on at the moment.

I'm actually planning a trip out to American Top Team this year as well. I've been speaking to Brad Pickett about it, and I was planning on going out a bit earlier, and being out there now really, but Chris Zorba said he had this fight matched up so I thought I'd stick around and do this fight, and then hopefully I'll be out there before the end of March."

So what can be expected of Shay on March 5th at the Liverpool Olympia?

"I'm just going hard as soon as the bell goes trying to finish any way I can," said the Featherweight, who hasn't gone past 3:00 so far in his Pro career. "The fitness will be there to back it up; that's how I always fight. I'm not planning on being sloppy, but if an opportunity comes, I'll be trying to finish the fight as soon as possible."

To wrap up, Shay had a few thanks to make.

"A massive thanks to everyone at Lancaster and Morecambe MMA, particularly my brother Sergio, and Baz Edwards at Extreme Strength and Conditioning who's made me a lot stronger, but put a lot of lean muscle mass on me, and I just feel fantastic. Also to my sponsors MMA Apparel and James Walsh."

For more information on Walsh's next fight, please visit http://www.ommac.tv.