Bellator 217 will go down as one of the most memorable nights of professional MMA action in Ireland in years.
It’s the closest we’ve seen to a card stacked with Irish talent, top-drawer performances and a crowd really up for it since UFC Dublin in July 2014.
The cherry on the cake, a co-main event victory for Kilkenny man Myles ‘Splinter’ Price who climbs to 11-7 thanks to a split-decision win over Peter Queally.
‘Splinter’, having transitioned from ‘Magic’ over last six months or so took on one of Ireland’s top strikers in a grudge match, with a hostile crowd and came out on top.
You can read more on that bout here.
Carlow native Andy ‘The Carlow Kid’ Murphy (1-3) wound up on the wrong side of an armbar submission the first round of his long-awaited bout against SBG prospect, Dylan Logan (3-3).
Murphy started brightly in the opening exchanges, catching Logan with a clean shot but the Dublin’s jiu-jitsu took over with a clean transition from rear naked choke to an armbar for the win.
Following a medical check, Murphy – who trains between Kilkenny and his own facility in New Ross – is believed to be out of competitive action for at least the next two months as a result.
Unofficially at time of writing, Bellator will return to Dublin in September 2019 as their European development continues to gain ground.
Bellator 217: The Results
- James Gallagher def. Steven Graham via RNC (2:30, R1)
- Myles Price def. Peter Queally via SD
- Kiefer Crosbie def. Daniel Olejniczak via RNC (R1)
- Richie Smullen def. Adam Gustab via UD
- Charlie Ward def. Jamie Stephenson via KO (0:34, R1)
- Paul Redmond def. Charlie Leary via UD
- Richard Kiely def. Michael Bucher via TKO (4:19, R1)
- Walter Gahadza def. Ruben Crawford via TKO (R1)
- Ryan Curtis def. Luis Gonzalez via TKO (R1)
- Leah McCourt def. Hatic Ozyurt via TKO/Medical Stoppage (5:00, R1)
- Olga Rubin def. Iony Razafiarison via UD
- Will Fleury def. Shaun Taylor via RNC (R2)
- Alfie Davis def. Daniele Scatizzi via UD
- Chris Duncan def. Sam Slater via TKO (R1)
- Dylan Logan def. Andrew Murphy via submission (armbar, R1),
- George Courtney def. Ian Cleary via submission (guillotine, 0:54 R3)
