“We’re not here to take part. We’re here to take over!”
Some Irish fighter said that in 2014 and the future is certainly bright judging by the homegrown talent on display in the 3Arena on Saturday evening.
While the greatest of all time Anderson Silva was returning to the Octagon across the water, BAMMA 24 brought some of the biggest Irish prospects together under the same roof.
North or South of the border, it doesn’t matter. This island has got an incredible amount of talent just waiting to break through.
Lloyd Manning
The Muskerry Judo Club fighter didn’t exactly revert to his grappling in his professional MMA debut.
Manning, and his Spice Girls walkout track, proved that Cork fighters are also on the up with one of the cleanest knockouts you’re ever going to see.
https://twitter.com/dwaynecrowley/status/703640385583759360
Manning came up against crafty Frenchman Nicolas Ott and didn’t need long to put him away as a heavy combination landed flush on Ott’s chin and put him away after just 59 seconds of the very first round.
Rhys McKee
Training under Rodney Moore at Next Generation Northern Ireland, McKee kept his perfect professional record in check by recording his second victory inside the distance under the BAMMA banner.
McKee drew the tap from John Redmond at last September’s BAMMA 22 and he showcased his striking acumen on Saturday night when he knocked Alex Masuku out cold with a picture-perfect head kick in the second round.
Dylan Tuke
We’ve been big fans of ‘The Nuke’ for some time now and he definitely kept the hype train rolling in the 3Arena as he ran through fellow prospect Mark Andrew in the first round.
Tuke’s trademark flowing striking backed his opponent up before a nuclear knee folded Andrew and that was the beginning of the end.
That’s two professional bouts and two first round victories, one by submission and one by TKO. Remember the name.
https://twitter.com/BAMMA/status/703667383005798401
Sean Tobin
Hailing from Limerick and training out of Cork’s Trials MMA, Sean Tobin earned his first BAMMA victory by putting on an absolutely smothering grappling exhibition against Gary Morris.
Tobin was like a wet blanket, clung to the body of Morris throughout the first round.
https://twitter.com/alphafemalewar/status/703639639446458368
And in the second, ‘The Machine’ seamlessly transitioned between half-guard and mount before Morris gave up his back.
Tobin didn’t need a second invitation as he slipped his forearm under the chin and squeezed until the tap arrived.
Sinead Kavanagh
The only female bout on the card was an absolute doozy as SBG’s Sinead Kavanagh moved to 2-0 after a war of attrition against France’s Zarah Fairn Dos Santos.
The bout was so close that one wouldn’t have argued if it had gone the other way but Kavanagh’s grittiness eventually earned her the W.
It was a grinding effort and Dos Santos, to her credit, ate all of Kavanagh’s crushing right hooks throughout the final round when the finish looked almost on for the Dubliner.
Eventually, a split decision was awarded to ‘KO’ and she earned plenty of fans in the 3Arena after leaving it all on the mat.
Myles Price
This was definitely the biggest grudge match on the card after the amount of smack talked between Mario Saeed and Kilkenny’s Myles Price in the build-up to their lightweight showdown.
It was the Irishman who came out on top after a feeling-out period in the first round.
Price hadn’t had his hand raised in two and a half years but he made up for it with a devastating liver shot early in the second that sent Saeed crumpling to the canvas.
https://twitter.com/BAMMA/status/703677827829338113
James Gallagher
The 100% submission percentage of ‘The Strabanimal’ continued on Saturday night after a composed first round victory over Gerard Gilmore.
Gallagher is one of John Kavanagh’s top prospects and the youngster showed exactly why there is so much hype around him by completing a slick rear naked choke in under 3 minutes.
Dating back to his amateur career, Gallagher hasn’t tasted defeat since becoming a member of SBG so the relationship has all the signs of becoming an even more fruitful one.
With ground skills like his, ‘The Strabanimal’ will take some beating.
Brian Moore
Forget everything you thought you knew about relentless ground and pound.
Brian Moore and his dagger-like elbows became a tornado of punishment that Mick Brennan’s temple couldn’t withstand.
#BAMMA24 Brian Moore with impressive first round, ground and pound elbows win. pic.twitter.com/Ni65GARj50
— HibernoGorilla (@hibernogorilla1) February 27, 2016
Wexford’s Moore gave referee Mark Woodard absolutely no option but to save his opponent as Moore established top position and rained down elbows until the bout was waved off.
Great stoppage.
