Pictured left to right: Kieran Davern (SBG Tullamore head coach), Andrew Barrett (Lightweight national champion), Jordan Scully (Welterweight national champion), Shane Smith (nutrition and S&C coach) and Ronan Deegan (MMA fighter).

Local MMA fighters win National Championships

Tullamore martial arts school wins big at MMA National Championships

Kayley Hardiman

Published: Mon 21 Feb 2022, 3:25 PM

Last updated: Thu 24 Feb 2022, 10:45 AM

The first ever Irish MMA National Championships were held in Dublin last weekend, with MMA fighters from SBG Tullamore Andrew Barrett and Jordan Scully claiming national titles.

Four amateur mixed martial arts fighters from SBG Tullamore competed from Friday to Sunday.

Andrew Barrett won his three bouts against Aidan Fagan (quarter-final), Frank Meagher (semi-final) and Solomon Simon (final), thereby becoming the first ever Irish Lightweight national MMA champion.

Jordan Scully took on Marco Cardillo from SBG Clonmel and won by technical knockout in round one making him the Irish Welterweight national MMA champion.

Andrew and Jordan also guaranteed themselves places on the Irish team to represent their country at the IMMAF International Championships later this year.

Ronan Deegan and Mantas Vosylius represented the Offaly martial arts school at Featherweight and Middleweight levels respectively.

SBG Tullamore said: "We are very proud of the four lads who are very hardworking and dedicated and we are looking forward to seeing their success and progression throughout the rest of the year and future."

"Unfortunately, Ronan and Mantas didn’t win their respective titles however they made a great account of themselves and represented SBG Tullamore very well," they added.