2022 was a significant year for Irish Mixed Martial Arts, especially on the regional MMA scene.
As Ireland’s finest cage fighters attempt to walk in the shoes of Conor McGregor, which athletes have the potential to achieve this incredible feat?
Join us as we preview the Irish MMA fighters to look out for in 2023.
The McGregor Impact
The popularity of boxing and combat sports has been prominent in Ireland for centuries. Still, the country hasn’t quite seen a rise in popularity for one particular sport since Ireland’s Conor McGregor took the world by storm.
The former two-time, multi-division UFC champion has reached a level of superstardom far beyond the octagon as Hollywood awaits McGregor’s current list of to-dos. Even Ohio-born YouTube sensation is calling out McGregor to compete, as it becomes clear that the Dublin-born star is moving further away from the UFC limelight and becoming more of a pop icon.
The future of McGregor’s octagon activity isn’t over. Still, his recent losing MMA record and lack of cage appearances suggest that any more losses would see one of the most polarizing MMA personalities step further away from the sport.
Accepting a fight with Jake Paul once seemed unlikely. Still, as the YouTube star has also gained traction in the world of combat sports while McGregor is more of an attraction than a fighter, fans shouldn’t neglect the potential FanDuel Ohio promo codes on offer when these two compete or anytime they step in the ring/octagon for that matter.
Sports betting aside, McGregor has pathed the way for Ireland’s bidding MMA athletes. Let’s preview some Irish fighting talent you shouldn’t ignore in 2023.
Ian “The Future” Garry
Born: Dublin, Ireland
Promotion: UFC
Professional MMA Record: 10-0-0 (3-0 UFC)
Ian Garry was tipped as the ‘next big thing’ to come out of Ireland when dominating the Cage Warriors scene between 2019 and 2021, and thus far, he’s lived up to the expectations.
The Dublin-born 24-year-old is now three fights deep into his UFC career and has convincingly won all of these high-level contests.
Garry’s introduction to the big stage was a three-round contest versus Jordan Williams, and a counter-right knockout victory was the perfect beginning to his UFC tenure. Since then, Garry has defeated Darian Weeks and Gabe Green by unanimous decision while keeping his undefeated record intact.
At such a young age, Garry has displayed the qualities worthy of becoming a UFC champion. Naturally, it’s too early to call whether or not he’ll achieve championship status, but if the youngster continues this trajectory, the sky is the limit for this tough Irish prospect.
Paul Hughes
Fighting out of: Northern Ireland
Promotion: Cage Warriors
Professional MMA Record: 8-1-0
In 2021 and 2022, Northern Ireland’s Paul Hughes made his presence known in the world of professional MMA. Fighting under the Cage Warriors banner, the 145lb standout earned ‘Fight of the Year’ honours when defeating French MMA sensation Morgan Charriere for the interim featherweight championship.
Hughes’ first career defeat arrived during a controversial split decision against Jordan Vucenic, but with his chance at redemption, Hughes defeated Vucenic and unified the featherweight titles in November 2022.
Many Cage Warriors champions of the past have received UFC contracts. With his title-unification winning bout this past November, it’s almost certain the talented martial artist fighting out of Northern Ireland will touchdown on the UFC roster in 2023. Whether it’s a Dana White Tuesday Night Contender opportunity or a straight-up contract offer, the UFC has a close relationship with Cage Warriors, a promotion that’s delivered stars such as Conor McGregor and Michael Bisping.
Rhys McKee
Born: Ballymena, Northern Ireland
Promotion: Cage Warriors
Professional MMA Record: 12-4-0 (0-2 UFC)
Between 2020 and 2021, it was a rollercoaster period of Rhys Mckee’s career. With his UFC debut reaching, McKee was thrown to the wolves when faced with the formidable Khamzat Chimaev, a welterweight contender who recently defeated former title challenger Gilbert Burns and is now in line for a title fight.
However, aged just 27, McKee has time on his hands. Since being dropped from the UFC, McKees made a statement to Dana White and co. when delivering consecutive knockout finishes back in Cage Warriors, a promotion where he’d initially built his reputation.
McKees told the media during an interview that his release was developmental.
He said: “Two good finishes will be my route back, three at the most. I’m not looking to finish my career in Cage Warriors. It’s simply a stepping stone back to where I belong.”
Since then, McKees has had those two wins, which were dominant victories. One more notable win and the Northern-Irish brute could be back in the UFC with a vengeance.
Discover more from LoveBelfast
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.
