Fundraiser started to help young MMA fighter go to world championships
An online fundraising campaign has been set up to help a young MMA fighter from Tullamore realise his dream of representing Ireland at the world championships.
Jordan Scully (18) has been selected on the Irish MMA team that will be competing in the Adult Mixed Martial Arts World Championships in Abu Dhabi at the end of January.
While the International Mixed Martial Arts Federation have put some money towards the trip, Jordan needs to raise an additional €2,500.
Jordan won a silver medal at the IMMAF Youth World Championships in Bulgaria last August.
On his GoFundMe page, which was set up by his MMA club SBG Tullamore, Jordan said that it is a “great honour” to be selected for the Irish adult team for the first time.
“I am an 18-year-old man and I have autism. I am so proud of myself for getting to this level, winning silver at the previous youth world championships and I hope to make it to the UFC.”
Jamie Houlihan of SGB Tullamore said that Jordan is a “fantastic young fella” and a credit to his family and the club.
“He is so dedicated. We literally have to kick him out of the gym every night. He's here morning, noon and night. He is brilliant.
“It is a huge honour for him. He has been with us for the last five years since he was thirteen. He has been competing for the guts of that time. Any sort of competition he could get into, he was in.”
Up to now Jordan has been competing in novice competitions and the world championships will be his first international tournament as an amateur, the last level before turning professional.
That is his long term ambition and Jamie says that she and everyone else in the club is convinced that it is only a matter of time before he achieves this goal.
“He has had his own challenges. He has focused himself on MMA and dedicated himself to it. He has created a life for himself and hopefully a future for his family.
“You can be guaranteed that Jordan will be in the UFC in the next three to four years,” she says.
To donate to the fundraising campaign click here.