From the ‘Wild West’ to a $100,000 Final: Dean Garnett Long Road Through MMA
How Liverpool’s Dean Garnett went from smoke-filled halls to a $100,000 PFL European final
When Dean Garnett first stepped into a cage nearly two decades ago, mixed martial arts barely resembled the sport fans recognise today. There were no bright lights, no slick production, and certainly no six-figure prize money on the line. Instead, it was raw, chaotic, and often improvised — a world Garnett still describes as the “wild west” of MMA.
Now, at 37, the Liverpool-born fighter is preparing for the biggest night of his career. On Saturday in Lyon, Garnett will face France’s Baris Adiguzel in the final of the PFL European bantamweight tournament, with a staggering $100,000 prize awaiting the winner. For someone who once fought in smoke-filled rooms where fans leaned over the barriers puffing cigarettes, the contrast is almost surreal.
“It was totally different back then,” Garnett says, reflecting on his early years in the sport. “You’d be fighting in venues where the air was thick with smoke, no real regulation, no real money. You just did it because you loved it.”
MMA’s ‘wild west’ era and fighting for passion, not pay
In the early 2000s, MMA in the UK lived largely in the shadows. Events were underground in spirit if not in legality, fighters paid in pride more than pounds, and long-term careers were rare. Garnett remembers travelling the country for bouts that barely covered petrol costs, never mind training expenses.
“There was no pathway,” he explains. “You weren’t thinking about titles or contracts. You were just trying to test yourself.”
That lack of structure made the sport thrilling, but also fragile. Many fighters burned out quickly. Others disappeared altogether. Garnett stayed, not because it was lucrative, but because something deeper kept pulling him back.
What’s remarkable is that he didn’t even turn professional until 2020 — long after most fighters his age have faded away. Since then, Garnett has compiled a record of 14 wins from 18 professional fights, with three losses and a draw. This year alone, he’s won twice to earn his place in the PFL final.
“At 37, everything’s kind of clicking into place,” he says. “It’s funny how life works like that.”
From fighter to mentor: building something bigger than a record
Dean Garnett faces off with Baris Adiguzel before the pair’s PFL Europe bantamweight final
Listen to Garnett for long enough and it becomes clear that fighting, while still important, is no longer the centre of his world. Again and again, the conversation drifts back to coaching, teaching, and giving others the opportunities he never had.
As founder of the Aspire Combat Sports Academy in Liverpool, Garnett has created a space that reflects how far MMA has come — and where it’s heading.
“You’d never have seen government-funded post-16 MMA courses 20 years ago,” he says. “Now, young people can actually build a future through the sport.”
Aspire offers structured programmes that deliver recognised qualifications certified by governing bodies. It’s not just about learning how to fight. It’s about discipline, responsibility, and confidence — values Garnett believes are desperately needed.
Changing lives beyond the cage
Perhaps the most powerful part of Garnett’s story has little to do with titles or prize money. His academy works with young people from a wide range of backgrounds, including those with special educational needs.
“We’ve got kids who never thought sport was for them,” he says. “Now they’re empowered. They feel confident. Some leave here with coaching qualifications and go on to university.”
For Garnett, success isn’t measured solely by wins and losses.
“My job is helping people better themselves,” he explains. “That’s about as rewarding as it gets. You’re part of their highs and their lows — and that’s real life.”
It’s clear that this role, mentor as much as fighter, gives him purpose beyond competition. Even as he prepares for the biggest bout of his career, his focus remains outward.
The $100,000 final and the fight of a lifetime
Still, Saturday matters. A lot.
Facing Baris Adiguzel, who has won nine of his ten professional fights, Garnett knows exactly what’s at stake. Financially, it’s the biggest opportunity he’s ever had. Professionally, it’s a European title and a gateway to even greater things.
“This is easily the biggest fight of my career,” he admits. “It’s a championship fight, a European title, and the biggest moment I’ve had in the sport so far.”
Victory could open the door to a PFL world title shot — something Garnett allows himself to dream about, albeit cautiously.
“Winning this puts me in a completely different conversation,” he says. “There are bigger fights out there.”
He also draws inspiration from fellow Brit Dakota Ditcheva, who followed a similar PFL path — winning the European title before conquering the global tournament a year later.
A career nearing its final chapter
Garnett is realistic about time. He doesn’t plan to fight forever. If Saturday goes his way, he expects to compete for perhaps two more years before stepping away from active competition.
But whether he wins or loses in Lyon, there’s a deep sense of peace about what he’s already achieved.
“I’d love to be known as someone who was multi-faceted in the sport,” he says. “Someone who achieved things in and out of the cage.”
There’s no bitterness, no regret — only gratitude.
“If it all ended tomorrow, I couldn’t fault myself. I committed to the sport, gave it everything I had, and I’ll keep doing that for as long as I’m here.”
From smoke-filled halls to centre stage
Dean Garnett’s journey mirrors the evolution of MMA itself. From the chaos of the wild west era to a polished, global sport offering real opportunity, his career tells a story of patience, belief, and growth.
The $100,000 final is the headline moment, but it’s not the full story. For Garnett, the real victory has already been built — brick by brick — in a Liverpool gym, helping the next generation find their way.
Whatever happens on Saturday night, his legacy is already secure.
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