Kilkenny have an unlikely ally in the shape of UFC Lightweight champion Khabib Nurmagomedov this weekend.
As Kilkenny’s senior and minor hurlers prepare for an All-Ireland showdown in Dublin this Sunday, Kilkenny fighter Myles Price has been preparing for a showdown of his own.
The Bellator lightweight fighter, training out of Team Ryano Kilkenny, has spent the past few months at AKA – American Kickboxing Academy – in San Jose, California.
It’s his second time out at the US gym, home of current UFC Heavyweight champion Daniel Cormier along with Nurmagomedov, Cain Velasquez, Jon Fitch, Luke Rockhold and more.
Ahead of this Sunday’s final he managed to get Nurmagomedov decked out in the black and amber for the big occasion.
While undefeated Nurmagomedov (27-0) is getting set to take on Dustin Poirier (25-5, 1NC) at UFC 242 this September, Price is expected to return to a Bellator European card this autumn.
Fans had been hoping to see price return to the 3Arena late September following his co-main event win over Peter Queally earlier this year but he may find his immediate fighting future is overseas.