Fighters Only

Issue 050

June 2009

Team Titan representative Ashleigh Grimshaw is a true all-rounder, and one of the hottest prospects in the UK featherweight division.

The unpredictable Londoner employs a high-paced, unorthodox fighting style, which has seen him smash opponents on the floor and score damaging shots with both fists and feet in standing exchanges. One constant which remains true though is that before fighting Grimshaw can always be seen wearing his iPod as he wanders around an auditorium preparing for competition.

Is music very important to you?

It sets the mood. Some music really gets me going and focuses me. I find that it really helps and it can also calm me down as well. It sort of sets you… like, you know what you’ve got to do, just listen to it, and it gets you in the zone.

What kind of music is it that gets you to focus?

“The first time that I’d worn a Rash Guard was on the show and I kind of liked it,” Nick said enthusiastically. “I think it does a good job of simulating how your opponent is going to feel in a fight. They don’t get in the way; you won’t catch your fingers and toes. I’m definitely going to start incorporating it into my everyday training.”

What kind of visualisation do you do when you listen to this music?

It’s bad, but it’s always on repeat, I always see the same thing (laughs). I see myself walking down to the cage, walking in there putting my gum shield in, check my groin guard, then hug my team, then walk in, circle the cage, go out there. I go through the fight, the ups, the downs; I have the fight before I even go in the cage.

Is your choice of entrance music very important to you?

Yeah, it almost decides whether I won or lose, I just think that it sets the tone, you know it’s on! I can go out there because my mood has been set.

Do you listen to the track a lot in training?

All the time! I have it on repeat when I’m training. When it comes to the sparring rounds, I have my entrance music continually playing. It’s good; it really does put me in my place.

What track is it?

At the minute, it’s 50 Cent, ‘Get Up’, that’s the one I’m listening to. For my fight with Jean Silva on 30th May, I have Ludacris, ‘Last of a Dying Breed’. But I can’t listen to that one before I start preparing for Jean.

So, is the music different for each opponent?

Oh, every time. I never use the same entrance track twice and I only listen to it when I’m sparring.

What kind of advantage does that give you when you enter the cage?

It reminds you of when you were doing certain things in training, it’s a massive help to me – it allows me to visualise what’s about to happen.

What music do you listen to in the morning?

I don’t know, I just put my iPod on shuffle and see what comes up!

What more relaxing music do you have in your iPod?

I’ll be honest with you, I don’t have any relaxing songs on my iPod at all! (Laughs) There’s nothing soft. I’ve got one band that I always listen to, not because they are relaxing, but just to listen to, a band called ‘Dragonforce’, and their guitarist is just amazing, he does like four-minute solos and you can just sit back and enjoy it – it’s not relaxing, it’s crazy! But you just appreciate it.

Ashleigh Grimshaw spoke with Jim Page.

ASHLEIGH’S TRAINING PLAYLIST