Bellator Dublin: Brian Moore tells how 'horrible' defeat was a turning point

Brian Moore suffered defeat at Bellator 269 after struggling to focus during preparations for the fight

It was during Brian Moore's stay in Russia last year, alone without any distractions, when the suffering reached its peak.

As he prepared to face Nikita Mikhailov at Bellator 269, he was instead fighting his own thoughts.

"It felt horrible - it was a bizarre week. I went over 50 hours without sleep," Moore, 34, told BBC Sport.

"I couldn't listen to music because everything sounded horrible. It was easy to cut weight because I didn't want to eat. Nothing was enjoyable.

"I didn't want to fight and I didn't want to be there. It was a matter of surviving in that fight rather than going in and thriving.

"I was in a hotel room trying to hide it from my team and my family. I did a good job of covering it up - that's probably the only good job I did that week."

Moore lost to Russian Mikhailov by unanimous decision, ending a three-fight winning streak in Bellator.

Yet he sees the loss as a turning point - as it was the moment he decided to talk to a professional about his mental health for the first time.

"I won't get into it because it's personal, but I brought up a lot of things from when I was younger that I didn't know how to deal with," said Moore.

"I would recommend it [therapy] to pretty much everyone. You can get a lot of things off your chest that you didn't even know are there.

"I was very scared on the drive in [to see the therapist]. I thought: 'Oh no, what am I doing, what am I going to say?'

"But you see that's what I tell people now when they are worried about what they will talk about. I say: 'Don't worry. That's what they're trained to do. They're trained to talk to you and get through to you. They're professionals and do a good job.'

"I hate losing a fight, but if anything, it's made everything a lot better since."

'This fight feels fun - that wasn't there last time'

Moore is set to face American Jornel Lugo in a bantamweight bout on the main card of Bellator Dublin on Friday.

Lugo, 27, is undefeated in MMA, winning all seven of his professional fights.

It is Moore's first fight since the experience in Russia, but he says he is a stronger person now because of it.

"It's been a fantastic camp and I feel phenomenal," he said. "I'm in fight week and I'm the most relaxed, happiest and focussed I've ever been coming in to any fight.

"This is the thing - it feels fun. That wasn't there in the last fight. I cannot wait."

The bout will mark Moore's first fight in Ireland since defeat by AJ McKee in 2017.

Like Lugo, McKee was unbeaten going into that fight and Moore notices similarities between the two.

The fight marks the opportunity for Moore to right two wrongs in his eyes; one, losing to McKee in front of his home fans and two, suffering defeat by Mikhailov when he was not at 100%.

"This reminds me of the AJ fight - you have this young, explosive undefeated fighter," said Moore.

"Every time someone talks about this fight in Dublin my heart flutters, no joke.

"This one I'm going to really enjoy - I'm going to take it all in, enjoy the walkout and enjoy the fight. You'll see an improved version of me on Friday night."

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Moore says he took the fight against Lugo because it represents an opportunity to climb back into the top 10 of the rankings.

"He's a very good fighter and I always like a challenge," he said. "I see Jornel's skills, his undefeated record, see he's well-versed and that's what makes me motivated."

He added: "This gets me back in the top 10 and obviously on the main card in the Mecca of MMA in Europe."