George Staines isn’t your common fighter.
Actually, he’s typically extra intrigued by Star Wars and watching all 1,124 episodes of Japanese anime collection One Piece than stepping into the cage.
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Staines additionally generally realises he’s ‘horrible at MMA’ throughout his common sparring classes with UFC star Paddy Pimblett.
Nevertheless, the 24-year-old from Hull is way over only a TV loving sparring associate of Pimblett’s.
He’s undefeated as knowledgeable blended martial artist and making a big impact on the worldwide MMA scene underneath the OKTAGON MMA banner.
This weekend, Staines returns to motion at OKTAGON 71 in Munich the place he’ll face Namibia’s Hafeni Nafuka (10-2) with the chance to increase his win streak even additional.
Chatting with talkSPORT.com forward of the combat, ‘Star Killer’ detailed insights into coaching with MMA stars like Pimblett and Molly McCann, and why ending up on the UFC underneath Dana White is just the start of his final aim.
“Being round them pushes me a lot extra… it’s totally inspirational,” Staines stated, talking on these round him at his health club in Liverpool – Subsequent Era MMA.
The Hull native relocated to Merseyside correctly final yr after being invited by former UFC fighter McCann, who noticed potential in Staines primarily based on his newbie profession.
He additionally trains alongside the likes of Liverpool’s undefeated Cage Warriors star Luke Riley, UFC bantamweight Nathan Fletcher and Shem Rock, who additionally fights at OKTAGON 71 on Saturday.
“[Pimblett’s] come from nothing actually,” he added. “He is constructed his manner as much as be this international celebrity… simply being round him is superior.
“Even seeing him on the mat, we’re each lightweights so we spar one another fairly often. [Sometimes] it is similar to, ‘S***, I’m so horrible at MMA generally.
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George Staines’ skilled MMA report
Undefeated
Win – Jakub Tichota through unanimous determination at OKTAGON 61 in September 2024
Win – Tomas Ciganik through unanimous determination at OKTAGON 56 in April 2024
Win – Denis Frimpong through submission (guillotine choke) at OKTAGON 48 in November 2023
Win – Armand Herczeg through submission (rear bare choke) at OKTAGON 7 in August 2023
Win – Matthew Elliot through unanimous determination at OKTAGON 7 in August 2023
“Yeah [I get humbled], particularly after I first sparred with him. Once I first joined the health club, I used to be not conceited, however I used to be so dominant on the newbie scene.
“I used to be like, ‘I’m the s***.’ There wasn’t anybody who might do something to me.
“I sparred Paddy and I used to be like, ‘There’s a complete different degree to this.’ It is ridiculous.
“I all the time try to do as many rounds with him as I can. It is made me come on massively as a result of I have been put in spots the place I’ve by no means been put in earlier than by anybody.
“He is world class at these sure positions. It’s totally powerful to get out of them – it’s totally uncommon you get out of them – however while you get out of them, you are like, ‘I’ve gotten higher.’
“There’s an enchancment. You bought battered within the spherical, however you have possibly survived one place that you simply did not survive final week. That is an ethical victory for me personally.”
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Staines is simply 5-0 as knowledgeable MMA fighter having made his debut in October 2023 – however he is bought a ton of expertise by years of preventing as an elite newbie.
The 24-year-old is shifting rapidly by the ranks and his subsequent opponent, Nafuka, boasts a 10-2 report and is a former regional titleholder.
There is no doubt senior representatives of the UFC may have an in depth eye on Staines, who is rarely shy when revealing his ideas on ending up on the promotion.
“It is all the time been [my ultimate goal],” he asserted. “I’ve by no means not as soon as stated it is going to be.
“UFC will all the time be the be all and finish all for me personally. It is like, what footballer does not wish to play within the Premier League?
“Everyone desires to play within the Premier League or play for Barcelona or Actual Madrid or within the Spanish league.
“[But], the final word aim is to not simply be within the UFC – it is to win the world title.
“That’s the final aim, as a result of I believe lots of people have this aim of being within the UFC. That is it.
“I wish to be within the UFC, however the final aim is to be the UFC world champion. I will not accept the rest.”
Staines’ honesty is a breath of recent air in relation to MMA fighters talking about their future.
Typically you’ll get those that hesitate to talk about different promotions, even when their present organisation is aware of their true position as a stepping stone for a fighter.
Europe’s largest MMA promotion OKTAGON MMA has offered Staines with essential expertise in preventing in entrance of enormous crowds and packed stadiums.
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Final October, the organisation spearheaded by Pavol Neruda bettered the UFC’s all-time attendance report by promoting greater than 58,000 tickets for OKTAGON 62 in Frankfurt’s stadium.
That’s the reason he typically unwinds by shedding his creativeness within the Star Wars cinematic universe.
“I am an enormous Star Wars fan…the Mandalorian collection. Boba Fett, Obi-Wan [Kenobi],” Staines concluded.
“I watched all of them. I like all these totally different movies. Transformers. The unique Transformers as effectively.
“Lord of the Rings. My dad’s massively into Lord of the Rings, he bought me into it.
“I am a bit extra branched out for sci-fi than fantasy. Anime is without doubt one of the issues I watch so much at house.
“Now I am watching One Piece… it is nonetheless ongoing however there’s like 1,100 episodes. I’ve simply watched about 950.
“I watch quite a lot of totally different animes. I do know there’s the entire bizarre stigma about them being bizarre.
“To me it is only a cartoon, which has some sick preventing in it. As quickly as I come house I am both gaming or watching Star Wars or anime.
“I simply utterly disconnect from coaching. On a Monday, a mean day for me is 4 hours within the health club. It is quite a lot of my day.
“I do not have to be considering far more about MMA than 4 hours. The remainder must be a little bit of me, a little bit of downtime.”
Staines’ downtime could considerably lower the extra wins he racks up in his promising MMA profession.
Do not be shocked to see the Hull man preventing within the UFC within the very close to future.
talkSPORT.com may have you coated for all issues OKTAGON 71, which is dwell from BMW Park in Munich on Saturday night time.