Professional debuts don’t get much bigger than the one Gemma Auld will experience at PFL Glasgow.
After going 6-0-0 as an amateur, Auld made the decision to join the professional ranks earlier this year and prior to her debut, signed a multi-fight deal with PFL.
However, Auld’s profession is a far cry from her fighting life as the 34-year-old makes her living as a primary school teacher. Life in both the classroom and the cage can be hectic and extremely time consuming but the Higher Level athlete has made some changes to her life in order to manage juggling both jobs to the best of her ability. She said:
“It has been fine. Last year I was working full time the whole time that I was fighting but then I have had the full summer off, basically as my camp was starting, so I have had seven weeks off where I have been able to get into the morning pro sessions.
“Now I am back at work and I have been lucky enough to be able to drop a day and I’ve changed my contract so that I am now four days, so I have a Friday off which makes has been much easier to manage because I have had a bit of a change recently with my gym changing so I have got the travel aspect there to deal with.
“Having a wee bit of extra time off on a Friday has been helping with that. It just means that I am getting a bit of a better rest in over the weekend.
“I did it last year working full time so this year on four days should be a breeze!”
As a proud Scottish native, making her professional debut at the OVO Hyrdo is a dream come true for the Flyweight. Discussing the venue, Auld revealed this is the first time she has allowed friends and family to come and support her. She said:
“I am so excited for it to be at the Hydro! I think I think for me, being on PFL would have been cool enough and the fact it is in Glasgow is pretty cool. Usually, I don’t like anyone coming to watch me like friends or anything like that so this time I have said people can come and watch me which is a bit nerve wracking. I am nervous about that but also excited.
“I am always the same for every fight, I have obviously got the nerves, I am excited but there’s so many changes this time. I have had a change of gym; it is pro and it is PFL. There’s just so much going on, I am just really looking forward to it, to be honest and I can’t wait to fight in the Hydro. Every time someone asks me where the fight is and I say the Hydro, I am pure buzzing!”
Standing opposite Auld on September 28 will be fellow professional debutante, McGuirk. Both women held perfect records at amateur and looked set to potentially meet before they made their decision to join to professional ranks. Auld believes McGuirk is the perfect opponent for her professional debut and is expecting a tough fight.
“Ciara is also undefeated at amateur and it is her pro debut as well so I feel that is kind of perfect. That’s really what I have been looking for, a fight that probably would have been good for me at amateur and so it is ideal for that to be the bout for my pro debut. It is good as well that it is two females coming out of the UK and Ireland getting the opportunity to fight on a big show like PFL so it is class for both of us.
“She’s not fought for quite a while, not too long, but compared to me, so obviously I am not really sure what her style is going to be like but I tend to not really focus on the other person and focus on myself and what I need to work on. She is a solid opponent and that is always what I am looking for.”
Not only is there added pressure when switching from amateur to professional, but there is a change too in glove size, time of rounds and ruleset. Auld hasn’t focussed too much on the changes that lie before her but feels they may benefit her come fight night.
“For me, going into PFL, means the only change really are the knees to the head, the gloves and the time length. No elbows in PFL. I think the time length is probably good for me, I think just with having the kind of grappling style, it suits 5 minutes round.
“To be honest, I am not thinking about it as being that different it is more just the change in the camp for me. Having a wee team around me, for strength and conditioning, for nutrition, all of that kind of stuff. That is all new to me. “
Alongside her, Higher Level teammates Kunle Lawal and Lorenzo Parente will also be making their promotional debuts, as well as a host of other athletes from the gym competing on the card. Having a full team working towards the same goal has made camp life much easier, Auld explained:
“I think that makes a huge difference. I think for me, Kunle and Lorenzo, we are all making our PFL debuts on the show, which is really nice for us all to do that together. I am really happy that it is not just me because I would have been probably freaking out about it if it was. Having the other people who are on the show around camp all at the same time is great. We have also got people on Cage Warriors the week before too, that are in camp, plus another amateur so it is a busy time for the gym.
“Everyone has a similar attitude towards fighting and discipline so it has been amazing to be around so many people that are disciplined, have got a great attitude towards fighting and so many highly skilled fighters.
“It has been a great camp and I am looking forward to getting in to the cage.”
