From The 'wild West' To A $100,000 Final

So overmuch has changed successful mixed martial arts since Dean Garnett started successful nan athletics astir 20 years ago.

Describing nan segment arsenic nan "wild west", Liverpool's Garnett describes fighting successful rooms afloat of fume while fans puffed connected cigarettes.

There was small money successful nan athletics backmost past - a acold outcry from nan $100,000 (£75,000) Garnett will triumph if he thumps France's Baris Adiguzel successful nan last of nan PFL's European bantamweight tourney successful Lyon connected Saturday.

But 1 of nan biggest changes, Garnett says, is nan acceptance of nan athletics today.

The 37-year-old, who coaches and founded his ain gym and academy successful Liverpool, refers to nan opportunities which are now disposable to youngsters.

"You'd person ne'er sewage MMA, post-16 courses which are government-funded 20 years ago," Garnett tells BBC Sport.

"There's truthful overmuch extent successful combat for young people, it teaches them truthful galore skills for life.

"It doesn't beforehand violence, it promotes truthful galore different things nan world needs correct now, particularly young people."

Garnett's gym, nan Aspire Combat Sports Academy, offers youngsters courses which output qualifications certified and acknowledged by governing bodies.

Throughout nan question and reply pinch Garnett he circles backmost to his activity arsenic a coach, which illustrates really passionate he is astir helping others.

"It's portion of my character, I for illustration to thief group who are possibly little fortunate than maine aliases possibly haven't had nan opportunities I've had," says Garnett.

"We've sewage kids pinch typical acquisition needs who are now empowered to do athletics and MMA. We've sewage youngsters who postgraduate from my programme pinch a coaching qualification and spell connected to university.

"My occupation is astir helping group to amended themselves. That's astir arsenic rewarding arsenic a occupation tin be.

"You're portion of their occurrence and their lows, but that's what life's about, it makes you consciousness alive."

Garnett has won 2 fights this twelvemonth to suffice for Saturday's last and says everything successful his profession is "clicking into place" astatine nan property of 37.

Since making his master debut successful 2020, Garnett has won 14 of his 18 master fights, mislaid 3 and drawn one.

Should he hit Adiguzel, Garnett is targeting astir 2 much years successful nan athletics earlier retiring from competing.

Garnett tin return inspiration from Manchester's Dakota Ditcheva, who won nan PFL Europe women's flyweight loop successful 2023 earlier triumphing successful nan world tourney nan pursuing year.

"It's easy nan biggest conflict of my profession financially. From a master standpoint it's a title conflict truthful it's a European title essentially. The biggest infinitesimal of my profession to date," adds Garnett.

"Winning nan European title there's bigger fights for maine retired location - it perchance sets maine up for fighting for nan world title."

Whether he wins aliases loses against Adiguzel, who has won 9 of his 10 master fights, Garnett is contented pinch what he has achieved during his career.

"I'd emotion to beryllium a bully illustration of personification who is multi-faceted successful nan athletics and achieved things successful and retired nan cage - I'd emotion to beryllium known for that," says Garnett.

"I want to do a batch much than I person but if it each ends tomorrow I can't responsibility myself. I've committed to nan sport, gave it 110% and I'll proceed to do so."