GEYL IS THE REAL DEAL
JESSIE ‘THE REAL DEAL’ GEYL HAS TURNED A CURIOSITY INTO A PASSION, WRITES ROWAN SPARKES
SPORTS and remedial masseuse, acrylic paints artist and tough-as-nails Muay Thai fighter Jessie “The Real Deal” Geyl has amassed a handy 4-1 record after only 12 months in the fight game.
While she dabbled in taekwondo as a youngster – to help with her ice-skating – it wasn’t until she began training with Fusion Fight and Fitness’s Paul Hosking last March that she started to take her Muay Thai seriously.
“I went to a beatdown prior to (beginning training) and I remember thinking ‘I could do that’,” said Geyl.
“But, to be honest, I didn’t think I would ever really get into it.”
According to Geyl, who was working with Fusion’s strength and conditioning team at the time, you can only go so long working at a gym before you give it a go.
“I just started training, mainly for fitness, but then one day they asked me if I wanted to fight,” said Geyl.
“I was like ‘yeah, sure’ – jokcoach ingly, but I’m glad they held me to it.”
Geyl said her first fight in August last year was “mainly out of curiosity”.
“I didn’t know what to expect,” she said.
“I just wanted to see what happened – turns out I really loved it.”
She said the contest was “very intense”.
“My opponent had a lot of pressure on me and had quite a few fights under her belt too,” said Geyl.
Geyl would go on to win the fight and has since stepped into the ring on another four occasions to sport a handy 4-1 record. The only loss to her name, Geyl managed to avenge in a rematch late last year.
She said every one of her fights had been harder than the last, with each having its own individual challenges.
“I love challenging myself, especially when it comes to controlling my nerves and my adrenaline,” she said.
“My first fight was so tough, I had so many adrenaline dumps and I didn’t know how to bring myself back from it,” she said.
“With my second fight, my fitness was a lot better and even though I lost that fight, it felt like a win because I managed to get through the three rounds without being puffed and I also landed some really clean shots.
“Every fight, I want to get better and just be more aware.”
Geyl’s next bout will be another rematch, this time against the girl she defeated in her debut fight, Kristen Filitong.
The pair will meet at Explosive Fight Promotion’s Elite Fight Series event at the Pullman Cairns International on May 18.
After that, Geyl has her sights on a title shot.
“My condition with my was that I’d do five fights and then we’d go for a title,” she said.
In the lead-up to May’s rematch, Geyl said she was focusing on adding more skills to her repertoire.
“Muay Thai has so many aspects to it,” she said.
“My natural ability is my kicking style, but learning more about grappling, clinching and elbows is all new.
“I’ll be heading more in that direction now that I’ve had a few fights.”
She said she was “super grateful” for the support she had received over the past 12 months.
“It’s been out of this world and a massive contribution to me getting out there,” she said.
“The reassurance that I get is massive, especially in fight week when I just need that assurance that I’m ready.
“Me and my coach Paul Hosking, who’s also the main coach of Fusion, have a really good student-coach bond.
“It’s two Is against one when I’m in the ring.”