RYAN MCGIVERN

“It’s Going to be a Real Barn Burner”

photos © IFL

It’s Thursday evening and Silverback middleweight fighter, Ryan McGivern, is just sitting back relaxing for this interview.

‘The Irish Nightmare’ has arrived home in Bettendorf, Iowa, after knocking off work at the Department of Defense Industrial Base, where he is employed as a civil general engineer for the US Army. The office is situated at the Rock Island Arsenal, between Illinois and Iowa.

Ryan’s status with the military is strictly civilian, so he has not competed in any army smokers. “No, my wrestling was just here locally for the Bettendorf High School. Then I went to the University of Iowa – that’s where I did industrial engineering, and I wrestled there as well,” says McGivern.

“As far as training goes, I started training with Pat in high school. The summer before my senior year and the summer after my senior year, I came in and did jiu jitsu. Pat was there, and guys like Jeremy Horn… I really enjoyed it because it was different to wrestling, and was something new, but at the same time it used a lot of elements from wrestling.”

This led to Ryan’s participating in the beginner kickboxing classes, which involved hitting the pads, and learning how to throw punches and kicks. McGivern says he didn’t find the drills to be too awkward, and he caught on; but at the time, he didn’t intend fighting – his only intention was to do the grappling and kickboxing classes to stay in shape.

“It’s funny because one of my aunts graduated from Bettendorf High School with Pat Miletich, and Pat knows many of my uncles, my family… through growing up in Bettendorf. I knew him when I was younger – just through family.”

After college, Ryan enlisted in the air force ROTC (reserve officer training course) program, but in his junior year, he decided to get out because he realized it wasn’t the career he wanted to pursue, so he got an honorable discharge from the air force.

“When I arrived back at the Quad Cities, I was doing a contracting job for John Deere at one of their plants here. I was getting back into shape and trying to think what I wanted to do, and Pat was opening up the gym that we’re at now. I started talking to him and he said, ‘Come on in - start training again.’ After college, there’s not much to do as far as wrestling goes except at Olympic level or coaching.

“So I went in and started training; I was getting back into shape and I was helping other fighters get ready for their fights. Through that process I got back into it. Pat had me sparring and I did all-round training. It got to the point where he said, ‘Let’s get you some fights.’ So we did, and this is where we are now.

“At the same time, after contracting for John Deer, I took an interview at the Rock Island Army Arsenal as a civilian engineer, which got my foot in the door. I have an incredible supervisor there who’s super supportive of my fighting as well, and he has worked with me on my leave so I can get to my training and fights.”

Ryan McGivern vs. Fabio Leopoldo

Ryan, coming from a gym like Team Miletich where you train with guys with so much experience, does that help prepare you for taking on someone with as much experience as Dennis Hallman?

“Definitely. Just having Pat, who has been in this business for so long and knows so much, having him in there supporting you… And then having all the fighters around who have been very successful… Nothing can make up for actual ring experience, but it definitely helps mentally to know that you’re training with these guys who have been in there with the best.”

Could you give a brief rundown of that fight with Dennis Hallman please?

“Yeah; I knew going into the fight, with the experience he had and the submissions, his best game was going to be on the ground. So leading up to that fight, I was trying to work a lot on my feet: stand-up, takedown defense… And I know with my wrestling background, most people don’t try to take me down so much.

“However, with Dennis, I just figured he’d be waiting for me to try to shoot in and he’d capitalize on my mistake. So the big plan was, there really wasn’t any reason for me to try to shoot – to try to take him down.

“This is the funny part… I tell people the plan was: Don’t take any shots because that’s where he’s really strong – getting guillotines and catching people when they’re coming in. Try to keep it on my feet. I knew that was the plan, and going into the fight, I’m learning that you have a game plan you want to stick to, but things happen and you’ve got to keep working with what you’ve got.

“Well, I went in there and I’m planning on staying on my feet, which is a different world for me because I’ve wrestled all my life, and that’s what comes natural to me. But I came in - I think it was not ten seconds into the fight - I threw a jab, and the way I stepped, he threw a right over that. I didn’t even see it and it hit me right in the chin; I went to take a step back and my feet weren’t there. I was like, ‘Wow.’ I just remember hitting the ground and he was coming in on me, so naturally my instincts took over.

“But not twenty seconds into the fight, I was in that position we were talking about where I didn’t want to be. That was interesting, and you have moments during the fight where different thoughts go through your head, and I just remember he was working for the guillotine. And at that point, I didn’t think I was in that much danger, but at the same time I was trying to get my wits back. And I remember thinking, ‘Man, this is not how I wanted this fight to go.’”

The game plan just went out the window.

“Right. And I remember coming up and he got my back. I thought, man, I don’t want it to end this way – not after all the training – and especially when he was on my back. I thought, ‘I didn’t envision the fight starting off like this.’

“But once I got out of that, I was much more aware of my defense: keep my hands up… He did a really good job; he surprised me, staying real calm and collected, and let me come in. Then he tried to capitalize every time I did come in. I think one of the things I was able to do was keep the pressure on and overwhelm him by just staying on him – throwing punches, coming in tying him up, using my knees.

“My big game plan was to keep working and stay aggressive…”

You got some good knees in.

“Yeah, my knees were going well. And I believe for the rest of that first round we pretty much stayed up on our feet; there might have been a few times when we went down, but after all that craziness happened, I felt like the toll was swinging back my way.

“In the second round, coming out I was just trying to… It’s funny because I was definitely conscious of any kind of right hand he was throwing, but I was just planning on throwing my hands again, trying to connect, and basically working on wearing him down. There were a couple of times where I either connected really well, or maybe I shook him up a little bit, or whatever; and when we went to the ground, there was one flurry where he was going for my legs, which worried me because he had my leg really well. And, fortunately, whether it was from his being a little worn down or what, I was able to get out of it.

“And then after that, I just kept working for position, keeping everything in and not exposing anything. That was part of the plan, to keep everything tight and not leave any loose limbs out there. That’s what I kept doing: working to control his hands and to control position. I think by the end of the second round I was definitely in control of the fight.

McGivern vs. Leopoldo

“At the start of the third round, he looked over to me and I said, ‘Well, here we go; this is the last round.’ We both had to work for it, and there was a lot of action in that last round – a couple of flurries. There was one time we were down on the ground, and even though I was passing his guard, he was moving his hips pretty well. And I just knew that was an area where I didn’t want to be because that’s what he’s a pro at. So I brought it back up to our feet and I just kept working away.

“I know there was a part at the end where he threw a jab or something and he knocked my mouthpiece out, and I should have just let it go, because I was trying to grab it, and fortunately we had enough distance where he didn’t capitalize on that.

“When we came back, he snuck in a couple of shots and that’s where I got cut over my eye, and I took him down. But there were only about twenty seconds left in the fight, so…

“I remember going over to my corner, and you never know when it goes to the judges’ hands, and I was asking my teammates if they thought I got it. And they went, ‘Yeah, yeah: You got it.’ But until the time they say my name… So it was a great feeling when they said my name.”

You’d feel pretty confident of getting a smooth-flowing fight when Herb Dean is the referee, wouldn’t you?

“He kept the action moving: There were times when there wasn’t much happening and he stood us back up. I think he did a great job. He’s a very cool cat – he knows he’s there to do his job and he knows how to do it.”

What are you expecting from Matt Horwick?

“Well, I was able to see his last fight while I was out in Portland, and from what I know from other people, and from what I’ve seen from his other fights, I’m expecting the guy’s going to be very strong, and I think he’s in great shape. That’s another thing: I think his conditioning is one of his biggest weapons - how he can just keep coming; he’s very tenacious. Again, he’s another very sharp guy on the ground with jiu jitsu and things. So I know if that’s where the match goes, I need to keep everything in tight and not leave anything exposed.

“I think it’s going to be a very good fight with opposing wills going after each other. I’m going to have to have that same keep-on-the-person approach, and I see that in him as well, so it’s going to be a real barn burner.”

Who are you tipping out of Carlos Newton and Renzo Gracie?

“Um, I’m not sure. I saw Renzo in his fight with Pat, and what I know about him is he’s a real slick cat; always ready to put that submission on. But at the same time, I don’t know when Carlos last fought, but I know he is so well rounded. He can go anywhere with the fight. I think it could go either way because both guys are pros at what they do.”

Does the prospect of winning the IFL Championship ring mean a lot to you?

“The ring definitely adds an edge because you’ve got to focus on your fight and what you’re responsible for. If everybody goes in there and performs as well as they are capable of, we should wind up okay. But the ring definitely adds an edge to it because it’s like a national title, and people are going to be scrapping a little bit more. There are going to be things that you wouldn’t normally coach, because people are going to be digging for it.”

Ryan, is there anything you’d like to add?

“Thanks to all the fans of the IFL for supporting the sport, and a big thanks to all the people who are working so hard behind the scenes at the IFL. I know a lot of people have said this before, but it’s always refreshing to see how good a job they do putting on a great show and taking care of the fighters: So a big thanks to everyone at the IFL.

“And a big thanks to all my family and friends who are a huge part of my training, my fighting, all the support and love.”

Your sponsors?

“I’m open to sponsorship offers.”

McGivern and Leopoldo at Silverbacks vs. Pitbulls