Tag Archives: sbg ireland

Will Fleury spoke to Pundit Arena in the lead-up to this weekend’s Bellator Dublin, explaining where his head is at ahead of his middleweight clash with Norbert Novenyi Jr. When I last spoke to Will a few weeks back, the tone of the entire conversation was one that at times held a more bitter edge. The Tipperary man was understandably …

Kiefer Crosbie spoke to Pundit Arena ahead of his return to the cage as he takes on Hugo Pereira on the Bellator Dublin main-card this weekend. From an official standpoint, Crosbie is 2-1 as a Bellator since making his promotional debut last December but let’s be real – the man is still practically an unbeaten fighter. Entering his last outing …

In my eyes, there are three fighters who could well stand in front of Conor McGregor once he makes his return to the UFC octagon either later this year or in the early months of 2020. And it’s a tired topic, don’t get me wrong. But in the wake of UFC 242 and UFC Vancouver’s back-to-back main-events, it’s a subject …

Richard Kiely could well leave Dublin’s 3Arena on September 27 with his life forever changed if he can beat the global superstar Michael ‘Venom’ Page.  As unlikely as it might seem, by the time all is said and done on the night, we could well have another story worthy of the great tradition of Irish sporting underdogs. Kiely, though certainly …

Pedro Carvalho managed to score an impressive submission victory over the veteran Sam Sicilia at Bellator 226 last night. The SBG standout will advance to the quarter-finals of the ongoing Bellator featherweight grand-prix and as a result, will edge closer to the tournament’s $1 million overall prize. Carvalho, who held both the Portuguese and Irish flags above his head upon …

Bellator Dublin will take place on September 27 and will feature a host of Ireland’s finest mixed martial artists from top to bottom.  Of course, James Gallagher will draw in the bulk of the global attention with his showdown against his fellow prospect Cal Ellenor in the night’s main-event, but littered throughout the card you will find several top Irish …

James Gallagher had a moment of real honesty with the media directly after his strong showing on the Bellator London main-card last night. At 22-years-old, James has already become something of a household name on the Bellator roster – a guy who has been pushed to the forefront of the Scott Coker-run promotion both due to his own clear talent …

SBG Ireland bantamweight Frans Mlambo spoke to Pundit Arena ahead of his debut in the Bellator cage at tonight’s Bellator London.  Mlambo has managed to make this huge step into the spotlight on the back of a glittering run in the IMMAF’s as an amateur where he took home a gold medal in the 145lb weight-class. Earning a Bellator contract …

Coach John Kavanagh recent appeared on an episode of Ariel Helwani’s ESPN chat-shot and explained exactly how Conor McGregor sustained an injury to his hand. Speaking in a recent interview with ESPN’s Helwani, Kavanagh explained how the Irishman had hurt his prized left-hand during a recent sparring session. “It was sparring. I set up a spar, it was a good spar. …

John Kavanagh will dip his toes into the world of fight-promotion with the reformation of his old fight-show, Euro Fight Night (EFN). The original EFN, which was also spearheaded by Kavanagh, took place back in 2013 in The Red Cow Inn and featured a ten-bout lineup of showdowns including the headlining matchup between Anthony Burger and Johnny Dargan. According to …

Dillon Danis managed to record the second victory of his mixed martial arts career on the Bellator 222 main-card last weekend.  And chances are you wouldn’t be aware of that fact if it weren’t for Danis’ unique position within the MMA world. Hell, I wouldn’t have written this article if that weren’t the case and even if for some reason …

Bellator London promises to continue the promotion’s strong start to their new plans for the European scene, as a host of talented Irish and UK fighters appear alongside some revered veterans. After the incredible success of Bellator Dublin in the Irish capital in February, several of those who made appearances on that night are set to return to the Bellator …

Artem Lobov has promised a violent end for his Bare Knuckle FC opponent Jason Knight ahead of their respective debuts in the sport tonight. Speaking in a recent interview with RTSport ahead of his debut in the world of bare-knuckle boxing, Lobov was quite transparent about his run in the UFC but made it clear that the more linear world of pugilism …

Despite talk of him riding off into the sunset with a huge wad of cash in his bag, Conor McGregor owes a debt to the Irish people that must be honoured. The year was 2013 and for most of those outside of the hardcores of the European MMA scene, the lanky, mohawk-sporting featherweight who walked out in the Ericsson Globe …

Gunnar Nelson is quietly one of the UFC’s most potent finishers, something that is highlighted by his devastating, but technical, body of work to date. Earlier this week, we delved into why this is such a huge fight for Nelson’s push towards reaching his long-expected potential. And it’s very true. As one of the best pure jiu-jitsu practitioners on the …

Dillon Danis announced to the world via Ariel Helwani’s MMA Show that he will be making his return to the Bellator cage on May 11. Danis’ pro-MMA debut saw him come away with an impressive first-round submission victory over Kyle Walker at Bellator 198. After pulling guard on his opponent, the difference in their skill-levels on the ground became very …

For all of the wealth, admiration and success Conor McGregor has accumulated over the years, one moment of uncertainty and doubt became the key ingredient to his inimitable drive and self-belief. The consistent rise of the former UFC lightweight champion and his power over the world of combat sports has hit something of a speed-bump in recent times, a process that …

Blaine O’Driscoll spoke to us here at Pundit Arena MMA ahead of his WWFC flyweight title showdown in Kiev, Ukraine this weekend. After O’Driscoll had earned a shot at the Cage Warriors flyweight title last year, the reigning champion Nathan Greyson confirmed that he was unable to make weight for the bout just days before the fight’s date – which …