Interview with Tom Duquesnoy: “I’ve had opponents in the past who were more threatening than him.”

Kingdom MMA talk to Tom ‘Fire Kid’ DuQuesnoy ahead of his title defence at BAMMA 16

The Victoria Warehouse in Manchester plays host to BAMMA 16 on September 13th, a card headlined by Paul ‘Semtex’ Daley and stacked by a welterweight title fight as Leon ‘Rocky’ Edwards defends his belt for the first time. Joining them on the main card is the newly crowned frenchman Tom ‘Fire Kid’ DuQuesnoy (9-1), who defends his featherweight belt against the recently signed BAMMA contender Ashleigh ‘Cruiser’ Grimshaw (16-8-1-1NC).

Connor: Thanks for taking the time out to speak to us at Kingdom MMA Tom, first things first, how are the preparations going for your first title defence?

Tom: My preparation is going well, I train very hard and this first title defence is very important to me.

Connor: This will be your third fight for BAMMA and you have made a big impact thus far with two outstanding victories, how do you rate your own performances so far? And have we seen the best of Tom DuQuesnoy yet?

Tom: I made it to two wins against great fighters who gave their best, I thank them for that. People usually say my current style is explosive and great to watch, which apparently makes up for great shows. As for the rest I still have a long way to go and I guess the best is yet to come. I know fights will gradually be harder and harder with time.

Connor: It has been a busy time for you in the world of MMA since making your professional debut and at such a young age, does it ever feel surreal to have accomplished so much so quick, or is this exactly what you expected?

Tom: My pro debut is the result of fully MMA-oriented training from my early years, so i’d say I shouldn’t feel surprised in a way. I still train every day to get success and I’m glad it’s all working good for now.

Connor: We touched on your age there, you have a long career and many fights ahead of you and obviously it’s hard to plan ahead but do you see this current win streak continuing all the way to the top, to the world’s biggest MMA organisations?

Tom: I’m doing all that I can to have the best career without setting any limit, all I can say is that I’m already very proud and honoured at 21 to be fighting at BAMMA which is an important organisation.

Connor: Your performances have been rewarded with a lot of praise and a number of accolades such as ‘2012 Newcomer of the year’ and ‘#1 French MMA Fighter’ by Fightsport magazine, but do you ever find it difficult to motivate yourself when you are blowing away the competition with such ease?

Tom: Passion is what drives me most, and as long as I can feel it, it will motivate me to get higher and higher in this sport, whatever the results along the way.

Connor: One man who may provide your toughest test to date is your upcoming opponent Ashleigh Grimshaw. Tell us, what did you know about Grimshaw before you took the fight, was you aware of the win streak he was on?

Tom: I was set to fight Grimshaw at BAMMA 15, so it gave me time to study his style, he’s an experienced fighter.

Connor: Before Grimshaw’s current run of form, he posted a fairly average record of 10-8-1, but after having a chance to study him further, do you see him as the biggest threat out there for you at the moment? Or is his win streak meaningless to you?

Tom: I simply see him as an opponent that I have to beat in order to keep the title. I’ve had a few opponents in the past who were more threatening than him.

Connor: We have mentioned Grimshaw’s string of victories, more impressively is the fact that he has finished them in the first round, but on the other hand you have also finished 7 of your 9 wins in MMA. Do you predict a fast pace and an early stoppage?

Tom: Any fight can stop at any moment, even for a tiny technical error for instance. There are many parameters to take into account while fighting, but based on his results and mine, one can think that it won’t go until round three for sure.

Connor: Ultimately, what areas of your game do you feel will give you an advantage in this fight, do you feel like there are any glaring weaknesses in Grimshaw’s arsenal that you will be able to expose?

Tom: It will be a great fight between two different generations of fighters. He will have experience on his side. As for me, I do have a game plan but it’s a secret for now.

Connor: Finally Tom, is there anything you would personally like to add?

Tom: A big thank you to all those who’ve helped me getting ready for the fight. Kajyn Club Paris, Bourama, Rico, Rabah, Xavier, David Legrand, Cyril Vieu, my coaches, my manager Long Hoàng, my family and friends Dydouche, Mayh, Chefla, Godfather, Philippe and Pascale.

Thanks for the interview, thank you to BAMMA and a big “Bonjour” to the British Audience who supports me.

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