News

Pro Bantamweight Title

Gavin Kelly (NGNI) def. Steven McCombe (DFC) via D'Arce Choke, round

Pro Featherweight

Gary Morris (Rush) def. Decky Dalton (Phuket Top Team) via TKO (doctor stoppage due to cut) in round 1.

Am Welterweight Title

Oktwain Olejniczak (IFS) def. Jay Ar Campos (Kokoro) via decision.

Am Lightweight Title

Sam Slater (SBG) def. Steven Moore (EFR) via decision.

Am Bantamweight Title

Daire Toman (New Era) def. Alex Budiou (Kokoro) via decision.

Amateur Undercard:

WW- Maciej Gierszewski (Kyoujin) def. Phil Townley (Predator Muay Thai) via TKO, round 1.

LW- Hugh Gleeson (Kokoro) def. Jonny Martin (ZKJ) via corner stoppage.

FlyW- Quinton McDonagh (CRFS) def. Jarlath Birt (Sudden Impact) via decision.

WW- Dave Hill (IFS) def. Ciaran Fagan (Kokoro) via armbar, round 1.

HW- Scott Trelford (DFC) def. David Piotrowicz (Kyoujin) via decision.

FW- Mick Zborowski (Kyoujin) def. Renzo Rosasco (IFS) via triangle, round 3.

LW- Mark Russell (IFS) def. Dean Bride (Kokoro) via TKO, round 3.

Title image via John Rosborough.

Clan Wars returns this Sunday evening from the Ramada Hotel in Belfast. Safe MMA have cleared all four pro fighters (read more here) ahead of this event ensuring some of the top safety standards have been met.

The card will feature a pro title fight along with three amateur titles on the line and whole host of rising talent from around Ireland.

Pro Bantamweight Title

Gavin Kelly (NGNI) vs. Steven McCombe (DFC) - Click Here to read our fight preview.

Pro Featherweight

Gary Morris (Rush) vs. Decky Dalton (Phuket Top Team) - Click Here to read our fight preview.

Am Welterweight Title

Jay Ar Campos (Kokoro) vs. Oktwain Olejniczak (IFS)

Am Lightweight Title

Steven Moore (EFR) vs. Sam Slater (SBG)

Am Bantamweight Title

Alex Budiou (Kokoro) vs. Daire Toman (New Era)

Amateur Undercard:

WW- Maciej Gierszewski (Kyoujin) vs. Phil Townley (Predator Muay Thai)

LW- Hugh Gleeson (Kokoro) vs. Jonny Martin (ZKJ)

FlyW- Jarlath Birt (Sudden Impact) vs. Quinton McDonagh (CRFS)

WW- Ciaran Fagan (Kokoro) vs. Dave Hill (IFS)

HW- David Piotrowicz (Kyoujin) vs. Scott Trelford (DFC)

FW- Mick Zborowski (Kyoujin) vs. Renzo Rosasco (IFS)

LW- Dean Bride (Kokoro) vs. Mark Russell (IFS)

81kg K1- Dessie Channing vs. Troy Gibson

This Sunday night Steven McCombe (20-25-1) will face Gavin Kelly (7-3) for the bantamweight title in fight that could literally go either way.

McCombe is a true veteran of Irish MMA and a bit of an unsung hero of sorts given his history of taking fights against bigger opponents, or fights on short notice, or fights against rising or established stars, and sometimes a combination of all three. Because of this he is one of the most respected fighters in Ireland and the UK.

In 2014 he announced his retirement from competition but almost a year to the day after he last fought he returned but lost a split decision to Brett Caswell (8-2), a rematch of their fight from early in 2014 which McCombe won. Now the Devil's Fight Team head coach will look to get the win in the main event of Clan Wars.

Gavin Kelly will serve as McCombe's opponent. Kelly is known on the scene as one of the division's best wrestlers. He comes into this fight off the back of a close split decision win over Neil Ward (1-2), a fighter he had lost too the previous year. With that win in the bag Kelly will be looking to start stringing together a few wins and get the 'W' over a fighter like McCombe will be a good win to get.

Fight Stats:

• McCombe has been fighting professionally since 2004. Kelly made his pro debut in 2011.
• McCombe has an incredible 16 submission victories to his name. Two of Kelly's three loses have been by submission.
• Kelly has a very well-rounded victory statistic of 2 wins via TKO & Submission and 3 decisions.
• McCombe has just won one fight via decision in over 45 outings. Kelly has yet to lose to a decision.
• McCombe comes into this fight on a three fight skid.
• Kelly has went two wins then a loss three times previous. He currently has one win and has never failed to get two wins in a row.

Kelly is the slightly bigger fighter in this bout. I personally like seeing McCombe fight at flyweight but he is always formidable at bantamweight.

This fight is most certainly destined for the ground. Between Kelly's wrestling and McCombe's dangerous grappling this could go either way. Kelly being the bigger guy will probably find himself getting the takedown but his top game must be on point to control McCombe who could easily take the back or grab a leg.

Prediction: I can see either fighter win this one but I will go with Kelly getting the decision using his size and wrestling to shut down McCombe's submission attack and grind out the win. 

Click here to read the preview for Morris vs. Dalton

Clan Wars 24 pro fighters cleared by Safe MMA

The co-main event of Clan Wars 24 sees the undefeated Decky Dalton (6-0) faces veteran Gary Morris (7-9) in a featherweight contest.

Dalton returned to competition at BAMMA 24 earlier this year after being away from competition for four years. The Northern Irishman quickly re-established the hype that had once surrounded him before with a dominant display that saw him capture a unanimous decision over Mike Cutting (6-5). Fans, fellow fighters and media were impressed with Dalton's win and the apparent lack of ring rust against Cutting, who had competed eight times since Dalton was last in there.

His opponent Gary Morris also returned to action at BAMMA 24 after his own competitive hiatus of five years. Morris lost via a second round submission to Sean Tobin (4-2), nothing to be ashamed of given the fact of not fighting for so long and coming in to face an opponent of Tobin's abilities.

Fight Stats:

• Dalton is undefeated in 6 professional fights where he has a 50% finish rate, all TKO's.
• Morris has 7 stoppage victories and nearly 90% of his fights in total have not went the distance.
• Morris comes into this fight off the back of four straight defeats.
• They share one common opponent: Connor Dillon. Dalton scored a unanimous decision over Dillon while Morris lost via third round TKO.
• Dalton has a Clan Was record of 2-0 and this will be Morris' promotional debut.

Dalton will be the favorite heading into this fight but Morris will certainly be a game opponent as he knows that a win over someone like Dalton who has the praise and hype around him will only boost his stock up. Being the underdog, Morris will come in with seemingly nothing to lose and that can make for a dangerous fighter.

Given that 90% of Morris' fight haven't went the distance I suspect this one to be no different. The Dubliner could come in hard looking for the finish himself but this might leave him open and you simply can't leave too many openings against a fighter like Dalton.

Prediction: A valiant effort by Morris in what should be a good fight but Dalton to win via TKO in round 2.

Click here to read the preview for Kelly vs. McCombe

Clan Wars 24 pro fighters cleared by Safe MMA

Safe MMA earlier today confirmed that the professional MMA athletes competing at Clan Wars 24 this Sunday 24 April have been medically cleared to compete.

A statement released by Safe MMA said the following:

Safe MMA criteria dictates that professional MMA fighters should pass annual medical examinations and tests for blood borne viruses (HIV, Hepatitis B and C) in order to compete on affiliated shows.

• Declan Dalton
• Gary Morris
• Gavin Kelly
• Steve McCombe

Clan Wars 24 will take place at the Ramada Hotel in Belfast his Sunday.

It was a bittersweet few days for Irish boxing at the European Olympic qualifiers in Samsun, Turkey.

Three bronze medals and two Olympic places were secured, including David Oliver Joyce finally getting to the Olympics after missing out on the 2008 & 2012 games, but the big story was Ireland's Katie Taylor losing in the semi-finals.

The Olympic champion was beaten via unanimous decision 39-37 on all judges scorecards by Azerbaijan’s Yana Alexseevna in the lightweight semi-finals. Taylor then beat Bulgaria's Svetlana Staneva in a box-off for third place to get a bronze medal but still misses out on Olympic qualification.

Taylor will get one final opportunity to qualify for August’s Olympics at the World Women’s Championships in Kazakhstan next month.

Brendan Irvine (picture top in red, image via IABA.ie) came from behind to beat Bulgaria’s Daniel Asenov and David Oliver Joyce defeated Turkey’s Volkan Gokcek via split decision. Both won bronze and qualified for the Rio Olympics.

Elsewhere at the qualifiers Ceire Smith, Christina Desmond and Darren O’Neill bowed out in the quarter finals.

It seems like an official North American Grappling Association (NAGA) competition is coming to Ireland.

Patrick and John Sheridan posted the following on the Irish BJJ & Grappling facebook group page confirming the competition:

***NAGA IRELAND 2016 *** is confirmed! "The Worlds Largest Grappling Tournament " is coming to Dublin.

We have been working with the Organizers over the last year and today received the email we had been waiting for.

Date : Saturday September 3rd 2016
Location : DCU Sports Complex, Dublin 9.

This is a prestigious tournament covering most of America and chosen European Citys usually the likes of London ,Monaco Amsterdam and this year Dublin.

Irish bjj is forever growing and it is nice to be recognized as a bjj nation and for such a high caliber event to agree to host an event on our island, I personally or any of the Satori team do not make any money or profit simply acting as " the men on the ground " for NAGA ,our intention is to bring high caliber comps and competitors to Ireland and not allways have to spend what we have as a competitive country on trips to Lisbon, Rome etc.etc

Organizers asked for a team of around 20 people to help out on the day so we will be looking for people from multiple gyms, photographers, and sports writer.
More info to come regarding Staff, Registration etc, it is still early days, but as i mentioned it has been year in the making and are eager to tell everyone in the community.

WCFC 5 takes place tonight at the Wrights Venue in Swords, Dublin and it promises to be a special night.

Not only will there be great MMA and K1 fights but the night will be dedicated to memory of Joao Carvalho who passed away earlier this week.

WCFC have received the blessing of Carvalho's family and have vowed to pledge money and do a fundraiser with proceeds going towards Carvalho's family.

Tomorrow night WCFC 5, the first show since the tragic passing of MMA fighter Joao Carvalho, will take place in Dublin.

Speaking with Pawel Tomczyk, one of the show's promoters, he said that the night will honor the life of Joao Carvalho.

"Like most people, we were in shock when we heard the devastating news of Joao Carvalho's passing. As a result, WCFC 5 will be a tribute to the life of Joao Carvalho. He was a fighter and a martial artist and what better way to honor him than a night of martial arts dedicated to his memory. At the event we will be doing a minute silence and will be donating money ourselves as well as doing a fundraiser, including a raffle giving away signed merchandise, with proceeds going to his family."

Tomczyk also revealed that he has spoke with Joao's brother in Dublin earlier today to get his blessing for the show and he passed on his words.

"His brother said that 'Joao was a warrior and loved martial arts, no way would he want this show cancelled. MMA is getting bad press at the moment and now is the time for everyone to be strong together to show that fighters are not animals.'"

Depending on certain circumstances Carvalho's family might be in attendance at WCFC 5 in what should be an emotional night for all.

WCFC 5 takes place in The Wright Venue in Swords.