Navan Aldi worker swaps checkouts for knockouts with MMA title success

A NAVAN MMA fighter who shares the same coach as Conor McGregor is celebrating after winning the LFL World Lightweight title.

Andreeas Binder (27) known as ‘Judoka’ in the ring picked up the biggest trophy of his career earlier this month knocking out England’s Aiden Lee in the fourth round of the Levels Fight League Mixed Martial Arts World Lightweight Championship in Amsterdam on Sunday July 9th.

The Navan Aldi manager who is mentored by Conor McGregor’s coach, Owen Roddy says the win "is not sinking in at the moment."

"I was in fight camp for 17 weeks and coached by Conor McGregor’s striking coach Owen Roddy and everything fell into place exactly like we anticipated it to plan out,” he said.

"I was relieved knowing all the hard work that had been put in had paid off. I’m very happy and glad to be putting Ireland on the map for MMA and happy to be eating cake again!"

The athlete who started out in Judo says his impressive winning steak was challenged in Amsterdam but held his nerve to take the world title belt.

"I have eight wins and two losses on my record on the moment. I am riding a three win streak,” he said. "I ended up dropping a weight so I could challenge for it and I ended up winning by knock out.

"No one really wanted to fight me because it was a dangerous fight for them.

"I knew it was going to be very challenging, the guy that I fought he was never finished, he was never knocked down until the end, it was a tough fight.”

Andrea born in Romania, grew up in Galway and living in Navan two years says UFC star Conor McGregor inspired him to become involved in MMA.

“Growing up I looked up to him and wanted to get to where he is in the UFC."

Having a full time job and training to take part in a world title competition is no easy feat according to the determined athlete but if you want it enough you will make it happen he says.

"I come from Galway and moved to Navan two years ago so I could be closer to Dublin and progress my career. I was in camp since before December because I knew I was fighting in March so I just kind of stayed ready. I train two and three times a day everyday seven days a week.

"I’m a manager in Aldi, balancing 40 hours is not easy but I say it time and time again, what you put in you get out. Aldi has been very good to me accommodating early shifts so I have a the rest of the day to train."

It was a gradual progression to become an MMA fighter as Andreeas explains:

“I started out in Judo and ended up progressing through the ranks representing Ireland at an International level and I kind of wanted to mix it up a little bit so I transitioned over to kick boxing then boxing and there was a little inter club for MMA and I entered it and ended up being really good and I remember thinking this was for me.

"I had about 22 fights amateur and I decided to turn professional and in eight of wins I finished my opponent by knock out. With the judo it is a lot of grappling, you are not throwing punches or kicks it was a surprise that I was knocking people out.

"Right now I’m caught up in limbo, do I get called to the UFC or Bellator MMA (an American mixed martial arts). I just need to keep doing what I am doing, I think I’m going to head towards the UFC and have another fighter flying the flag for Ireland."