Tommy Quinn just wants to enjoy the moment ahead of the KSW debut

For the 9-5 ‘Roly Poly Kid,’ the roll suddenly stopped in 2019.

Tommy Quinn was riding a two-fight winning streak as 2020 approached, both by stoppage and planning to make a real charge into the next year. Unfortunately, for many athletes including Quinn, the world had different plans.

“Life, eh? COVID was a main issue with competition stopping and gyms closing,” Tommy said. “Once that eased off and lockdown finished, I was offered a job in Bali to coach and train there for nine months. I arrived in July and got settled there and was out the way a while loving life. It’s been a mad couple years with everything going on.”

Fortunately, the thirty-two-year old is back and in that time away, he made the proverbial chicken salad out of chicken sh*t. Still on the back of that win streak and ready for action, an offer came over the table that was too good to pass up on. This is the return Tommy wanted.

“I’m really excited for my return,” Quinn beamed. “I’ve been walking around the arena since I got here and I’m buzzing. The setup and treatment here from KSW has been terrific. What a promotion they are. This is what has gotten me excited. Any other show; I’ve fought all over and nothing compares thus far. This is an entirely different experience altogether. I’m looking and hoping to pick up some Polish fans along the way!

“You see with KSW, compared to regional promotions – even above that to compare it to the UFC, the production value is next level. It’s the closest thing around now that compares to old shows like PRIDE & DREAM and those spectacle promotions, I think it shits all over the rest, to be honest.

“Don’t get me wrong, all you’re doing is going to fight on these shows. That’s the main thing you’re there for, but it adds to the whole experience and the memory bank for years to come. Coming over here with my corner team to fight the Polish hometown favourite in front of his people in this newly built stadium is going to be amazing. We’re the first people to fight in this new stadium, it only finished being built last month, so it’s all a class experience.”

Tonight, the Irishman steps back in the cage with Albert Odimkowski (11-6) as his opposition. For the hardcore UK crowd, they are well aware Tommy is no stranger to a scrap, as witnessed in the incredible bouts against fellow UK veterans Lewis Long & Matt Inman on Made4TheCage.

Despite this aggressive pedigree, Tommy is humble approaching his Polish debut.

“I don’t think I’m going to bring anything new in particular to the cage,” Quinn confessed. “We’ve all seen violence; people throwing punches, kicks and elbows but they’re going to see a happy Irishman going in there. I’m coming to the end of my fighting career now and I’m going in there to enjoy myself as much as I can.

“There’s a period in this career where you realise it’s going be your actual career and you have to take it seriously. You get so focused on the win as it’s the most important thing, but you can easily forget to have fun along the way. When I started this, when I wasn’t intending it to be my career, I had fun fighting because I wanted to.

“I liked being in there and seeing how good I was getting. This event is taking me back to those sort of roots against a very good guy on a very good show. I’m taking it all in my stride. I can’t wait to get in there.”