As a former WWE professional wrestler, it’s no surprise that Jack Claffey has a certain way with words.
The Englishman, who wrestled on the big stage as “Gentleman” Jack Gallagher, is 0-1 as a pro MMA fighter, but he’ll look to get his first win under his belt as he makes his debut for French promotion Hexagone MMA on June 3 in Reims.
Claffey will feature at Hexagone MMA 8 against French featherweight Yassin Chtatou, and the 33-year-old had a typically detailed breakdown of what fans can expect to see when he makes his promotional debut at Beziers Arena, a former bullfighting arena.
“On June 3, you can expect me not only to win in style, you can expect the most charming, charismatic and ginger person you have ever seen in a bullfighting arena,” he stated.
“I’m going to wipe this man from pillar to post and also, I’m going to take him out for tea afterwards. Because I’m that kind of guy.”
As “Jack Gallagher,” Claffey wrestled on the UK scene before earning a spot in the WWE, which at the time was looking to build more of a foothold in the UK while also growing its cruiserweight division. Gallagher’s persona as a suit-wearing, cane-toting “gentleman” stood out as he accentuated his Englishness to the limit.
Now fully focused on a combat sports career, Claffey has competed – and won – in Bare Knuckle Fighting Championships, and also has a 2-0 amateur MMA record, with both victories coming via first-round submission.
His professional MMA debut saw him defeated via first-round TKO last December, but now he is ready to make the second walk of his pro MMA career as he makes his promotional debut at Hexagone MMA 8.
Claffey is now looking to forge a path in whatever combat sport offers him the opportunity, and he stated that he’d be more than happy to bounce between MMA and bare knuckle boxing if the situation allowed.
“One hundred percent I will go back to bare-knuckle,” he said.
“I was meant to go back, but burst a blood vessel in my eye and couldn’t train full contact for a couple of months so it fell to the wayside, and I started getting MMA offers.
“But if I can get one (fight) in this year I will be very happy, especially because in my weight class, featherweight, I don’t think they’ve crowned a champion yet… so it’ll give me something shiny to focus on.”
For now, though, Claffey’s focus is on mixed martial arts, with the Englishman looking to develop all aspects of his game ahead of his bout with Chtatou.
“(I’ve been) working on the basics. Kickboxing, wrestling, we’re mixing the martial arts, doing some mixingology,” he said.
“I’ve underperformed so far, but I have some tricks in the bag that haven’t been seen yet“.
Hexagone MMA 8 takes place Saturday, June 3 and streams live on DAZN.
