Wimp 2 Warrior ‘Big Fight’ finale is fast approaching for local competitors

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Classed as the ‘Ultimate human experiment’ with the slogan ‘Ordinary men and women on an extraordinary six-month journey to become an MMA fighter’, 22 people signed up for Wimp 2 Warrior in Rochdale.

Wimp 2 Warrior is a programme for people who have had no experience in martial arts to train over a six-month period as a beginner. This training enables the competitors to reach a point where they are physically, mentally and technically prepared to step into a cage and participate in an amateur cage fight in front of thousands of people.

People from places such as Chester and Huddersfield have been travelling to Full Contact Performance Centre in Rochdale every week day, showing dedication as the training begins at 6am. Friday’s sessions include five three-minute rounds of intense spar training.

Wimp 2 Warrior is a worldwide organisation that started in Sydney, Australia five years ago. This is the first programme in Greater Manchester and was started by Head MMA Coach and owner of Full Contact gym, Martin Stapleton, after acknowledging how much the other series around the world had changed and helped people.

Stapleton, who has owned Full Contact for six years and been a professional MMA fighter for 12 years; winning three British titles, a European and a World title in 2015, said: “Everyone trains together for six months and then in the last six or seven weeks we split them up into two teams.

“It is tough, but it is all part of the game.

“The participants here have got three MMA coaches, a boxing coach, a ju-jitsu coach, two strength conditioning coaches and a nutritionist is on hand at all times, as well as sports psychologists. We also have John Kavanagh who comes over to do guest coaching.

“It is a pretty big deal as it isn’t just a few weeks training, it is a fully structured, scheduled training programme at a fully professional training camp.

“It is really about changing yourself over the whole process, not about the winning; only a certain amount of people have actually got it within them to go and step in a cage and fight another human being in front of a big audience. This is more of a life changing thing.

“Some people come on this programme because they have been stuck overweight or have wanted something that will challenge them in their life, others have come on it because they are trying to get over depression or because they want something that their kids can be proud of them for… what they get out of this is the whole life changing aspects of being able to start a challenging programme as a beginner and have the consistency of being able to stick at this day in day out.

“These people set themselves a goal six months ago and have stuck to the programme, followed all the instructions and tuition all the way through and now finalising this with what they set out to come out with is worth more than any prize."

 

Wimp 2 Warrior ‘Big Fight’ Finale contestants

 

Stapleton added: “This programme is all about being consistent and a good team player so there have been a couple who have not shown consistency and we have had to let go unfortunately. A couple have picked up injuries that are going to come back next season instead.

“On the fight night it is looking like we will have a total of 18 people competing, so it is going to be a good night.

“If you are looking for a massive challenge in your life then this is for you. If you are looking to improve your self-esteem, then this is for you. If you are looking for something that will take a changing direction in your life, then this is also for you.”

The big fight finale for Wimp 2 Warrior will take place at Oldham Leisure Centre on Saturday 24 March.

For more information or to sign up for the next season of Wimp 2 Warrior in October 2018 visit:

https://www.fullcontactperformance.co.uk/wimp-2-warrior