Almost one year to the date he stopped Mario Saaed with a vicious body shot in the second round of their BAMMA 24 event at the 3 Arena, Kilkenny’s ‘Magic’ Myles Price is gearing up for gold at BAMMA 28 in Belfast this February.
Circumstances prevented a return to the pro stage in Dublin late last year but on 24 February, Price (9-6) will step into the cage against Rhys ‘Skeletor’ McKee (5-0) for the Lonsdale Lightweight Title, and doing so makes the transition from 145 to 155 for a lightweight bout.
The clash at the SSE Arena is McKee’s first title defence, having clinched the lightweight strap at the Bellator co-promoted BAMMA 27 in Dublin in December last.
When he did, the 21-year old did it in style with a highlight reel stoppage of Jai Herbert inside two minutes of the first round of the bout. After soaking up Herbert’s constant pressure and speed advantage, McKee landing a huge left on the chin of Herbert who was pressed up against the cage with nowhere to go.
McKee previously submitted John Redmond at Bamma 22, knocked out Alex Masuku at BAMMA 24, picked up a TKO win in less than 60 seconds against Tommy McCafferty at BAMMA 26 before recording the knockout blow in 1:49 against Herbert at BAMMA 27. Fighting out of Next Generation NI and hailed as one of the hottest prospects in the country, McKee heads into his title defence with five wins under his belt since turning pro a mere sixteen months ago.
A Brazilian Jiu-jitsu purple belt, Price, who trains out of Team Ryano in Dublin and also runs the Team Ryano Kilkenny facility in Kilkenny alongside fellow pro fighter Mick Brennan, has been working under Andy Ryan and alongside the likes of Neil Seery (due to make his final UFC appearance at UFC 208 next month) and Paul ‘Redser’ Redmond in preparation for the bout. Carlow’s Andy Murphy is also a stablemate.
Price took a loss on the BAMMA 22 card (where McKee also made his debut) following a break from the cage, but turned things around with a TKO win at BAMMA 24 last spring – watch that bout below.
Redmond himself takes on ‘Stormin’ Norman Parke in the main event on the night. The card also sees Ronnie ‘Iron’ Mann square off against Damien ‘Frankenstein’ Lapilus for the BAMMA World Featherweight Title whil John ‘Johnny Jitzu’ Redmond faces ‘The Nigerian Diamond’ Pelu Adetola in a middleweight bout.
