'It's brutal' says Bryan Lacey as his MMA training starts

Comedian Bryan Lacey is retraining… as a cage fighter.

The circuit stand-up has signed up for a reality show called Wimp 2 Warrior: The Ultimate Human Experiment, which involves an intense six-month training programme in mixed martial arts. 

At the end of the camp, the new fighters will step into the cage for their first MMA bout.

The training is filmed for an online show, which has run in Australia for four years and is now in talks to find a broadcast  home as it launches in the UK, Ireland and America, too.

Lacey is a long-term fan of the sport and hosts a podcast chatting to fellow fans and fighters.

He spotted a call for volunteers and emailed explaining ‘how the lifestyle of a comic isn’t the healthiest’ and whether that would qualify him for a reinvention.

‘I did a three-hour try out which was horrific,’ he said. ‘It almost killed me. I was basically a Dalek for a week as my legs hurt so much I couldn’t get upstairs! A couple of weeks later they  got in touch to say I had made it on the show.

‘Because it all happened quite quickly, I didn’t really have time to think about it but deep down, in a weird way, it has always been something I’d wanted to try. Not sure why, maybe because I watch so much of it and because I talk to the fighters its something that I wondered if I’d ever be able to do…..a bit like comedy really! 

‘Also, on a more physical note, I have got to the point where I am the unhealthiest I have ever been. Comedy is the greatest job in the world but it can lead to an expanding waistline and a shortening lifeline. I was thinking of what to do to turn that around for 2016 and this arrived!’

And the 36-year-old joked: ‘There are possibly a few deeper reasons for taking this on: early mid-life crisis, I’m slightly mad or I’m looking for another way to feed my constant need for attention.’

Lacey started his training two weeks ago, requiring 4.30am starts to get to gym for 6am – a tough call if he doesn’t get back from a gig until 1am.

‘It’s hard,’ he admitted. ‘The mixed martial arts stuff is fun – apart from getting punched in the face at 6am – but the strength and conditioning programme they have us on is brutal! Trying to switch my body from lifting an SM58 microphone to Squatting weights hasn’t been a pretty transition.’

Lacey says that he has mixed feelings about the fight itself. ‘Some days I look forward to my 15 minutes of glory but then I think what if I get smashed in the first round in front of my family and friends! It doesn’t help that my very supportive friends keep sending me videos of fighters losing teeth and getting knocked out to spur me on.’

‘What I think, though, is that the "journey" will be the real test and the fight will just be a small (and painful) part of that. I’ve already in just two weeks tested myself physically and mentally more than I have in the last eight years. 

‘It’s also quite inspiring seeing the other people around me with all different backgrounds and many different reasons for doing this. Some want to get fit, some want to try the sport but some have other things going on in their lives and this is a vehicle for turning that corner and getting their lives back on track.’

‘All in all - it hurts, I’m not particularly good at it, I’m too old but I bloody love it!’

He is just the latest circuit comic to embark on a tough physical challenge; following The Westling at Edinburgh and Mickey D taking part in the Channel 4 reality show SAS: Who Dares Wins. And on February 7, 20 stand-ups are taking part in a charity boxing match in Blyth, Northumberland.

Lacey is charting his progress via a vlog on YouTube, and he’s already received plenty of ‘supportive’ messages from fellow comedians:

Published: 26 Jan 2016