Next MMA Fighter

Chris after his most recent win at Wild Bills Fight Night

Chris McNally is an undefeated Amateur Fighter who is turning pro. He is represented by Sponsored Fan and is a very solid wrestler. He operates and fights out of his own gym in South Carolina where he gets to train on a regular basis with UFC caliber athletes. We got a chance to catch up with him as he prepares for his fight on Saturday at Fanatic Fight Night.

NextMMAFighter : Thanks for taking the time to talk to us Chris, tell us how your training is going as you prepare for this fight?

Chris McNally : You are very welcome and thank you for the interest you have taken in the potential future of my MMA career. My training is going very well, I do the best I can with every opportunity I get to train. I want to get the most out of all my workouts every time I step in the gym.

NextMMAFighter : We saw you fight only a few weeks ago at Wild Bills where you also picked up a win, how do you balance your training through the holidays?

Chris McNally : I balance my training through the holidays very carefully because I train in my garage and backyard about 95% of the time. I have to coordinate my time with my sparring partners and conditioning trainers very carefully and often on a week to week basis.

NextMMAFighter : As you continue to improve on your great record as an amateur do you have your sites set on a pro career?

Chris McNally : I am now officially pro, that is as soon as I have my pro debut. I am no longer going to compete as an amateur and I am ready to start getting punched and get paid for it win or lose.

NextMMAFighter : In all of your fights that we have seen you display some strong wrestling skills, do you feel this is the base that you plan to build on as a fighter?

Chris McNally : Absolutely, Wrestling is the base of all my endeavors as the sport taught me more than I can say in a few sentences. In terms of fighting , it definitely contributes very much. I believe the best fighters are ones who can get outside their comfort zones and get good in all aspects of the game while making what they are the best at even better. I am a firm believer that you can always get better and luckily for me, I love every piece of the fight game and I love training in all places. I used to hate getting hit, but now I am starting to enjoy it(sounds sick I know) . I have been training in Brazillian Jiu-Jitsu for 8 years and was just awarded my purple belt by Dennis Powell under Rigan Machado.

NextMMAFighter : What is the most memorable moment of your fight career so far?

Chris McNally : My most memorable moment to date for fighting is when I went to Athens, GA to train with Rory Singer and see if I really was good enough to make a go at this. My wife Erin and little girl Maddie were with me and when I was grappling with Rory, my Little girl yelled out “You can do it Daddy, punch him in the face.” She is only three and ever since then I have felt great about pursuing this sport as a career.

NextMMAFighter : In regards to legends in MMA past or present is there anyone you look up to and would love to train with one day?

Chris McNally : I would love to train with any and all the legends because I actually look up to and respect all of them. But if I had to pick Erik Paulson and Dan Henderson. Perhaps when he retires Anderson Silva.

NextMMAFighter : How do you feel the MMA scene is growing in the southeast?

Chris McNally : I feel the sport of MMA is growing very well in the southeast and will continue to do so, just as it has around the rest of the world.

NextMMAFighter : When going through brutal training sessions or cutting weight what keeps you motivated.

Chris McNally : My motivation comes from wanting to give my family a better life, my students seeing that when you want something go after it no matter what and from inside myself because I want this.

NextMMAFighter : Since we saw you fight in December and you are in the cage again on Saturday, do you expect to keep up a frenzied pace in your upcoming fight?

Chris McNally : I always want to set a strong pace because I push my cardio so much in training that I want to utilize that when I fight. Everybody gets tired, especially me but you don’t have time to worry about it if you just stay focused and push through it.

NextMMAFighter : What are some of your favorite things to do when you arent training?

Chris McNally : I love to have sex with my wife. I enjoy spending time with my ladies, as I have my wife and two daughters who run the house. I love movies and really enjoy cleaning the house and doing yard work believe it or not. It keeps me focused and productive, which helps me stay busy when I am not training.

NextMMAFighter : We wish you the best of luck on Saturday, in closing is there anyone you would like to thank?

Chris McNally : I appreciate it and I would like to thank my family, especially my Wife. I would like to thank my striking coaches Jason Hicks and Nick Hollis along with my grappling coach Nate Edwards of Grind to Shine. My corner man and Head trainer Todd Ellis and my MMA sparring partner Jeremy Stevens. I would like to thank Jeff Chassner of Sponsored Fan for helping set up this interview and all their support. I would also like to thank my sponsor Brawl Nutrition. I finally want to thank my students and all other training partners for their support. All of you are awesome!!

Come check out Chris in his fight on Saturday night at Fanatic Fight Night in Hiram, GA!