FOR someone who initially had no interest in competing in mixed martial arts, Ryan Thomas has made remarkable progress in the sport.

Coming from a Muay Thai kickboxing background, the Barrow fighter decided to take up the new discipline after his coach moved away from the area. After all, he was already training at the same venue as the MMA club.

It proved to be the right decision for Thomas though, who is set to face off for a 70kg category amateur title in his hometown against David Adams, of Master Skens Stockport, a week tonight at on a show at Manhattan’s.

“I never ever wanted to do MMA,” Thomas recalled. “I wasn’t interested in it – I wasn’t interested in the grappling.

“But my coach left and the training sort of dipped, and the MMA was here and we were training here anyway, so I moved over.

“It was a whole different thing. At first, I hated it, but when I first started training properly and got my first submission, I’ve been hooked ever since – and my style is probably more grappling now than anything.

“It’s addictive – too addictive! – and it’s so complex, and you’ve got to think so much about it.”

Thomas is one of a growing number in the area to be involved with the Barrow MMA club, which has a headquarters on the top floor of Furness Heath Studio on Greengate Street and a Brazilian jiu-jitsu section, headed up by Mike Reay, on Shore Street.

It was Bob Cassidy who helped formalise MMA in the town – it having started in Barrow around 13 years ago with, in the words of Thomas, “literally just a few bouncers doing stuff in the ring, winging it” – and its growth is evidenced by the fact all but one fight next Saturday will feature members of the club in action.

Several of those will be making their debuts, a situation Thomas was in last September when he stepped into the cage to face Alan Alan on a show in Bolton under the FCC banner.

“I’d been waiting to make my debut for six months,” said Thomas. “I’d had shoulder injuries and my friend Ash McCracken, who’s had a lot more fights than me and fought on FCC, I’d been to corner him and watch him, and I thought ‘I want to fight on that show’.

“I did it, won and it was one of the weirdest, most surreal experiences I’ve had. There were about 500 to 1,000 people there and it was insane, then I fought quickly again after that.”

McCracken headlines next week’s sold-out event in a 62kg title showdown with TFT’s Nathan Haywood.

And having been in the corner of his clubmates on previous shows in the town, Thomas cannot wait to be in action himself.

“I’ve wanted to fight in Barrow since I first started training,” said Thomas. “It’s going to be insane and the atmosphere is going to be totally different because I’m going to know everyone in there.

“Barrow is a small town, everyone gets behind everyone and I’m proper, proper excited for it.”