The moment the Elite Irish Cadet MMA Team
found out from IMMAA President @coach_kavanagh that @thenotoriousmma
has offered to pay the full price of each Cadet athlete and their
coaches trip to the @immafed
Youth World Championships
#IMMAA
#MMAIreland
#IrishMMA
#IMMAF pic.twitter.com/3yBxzisi2b— IMMAA (@IMMAAOnline)
June 26, 2021
Conor
McGregor is giving back to the sport of mixed martial arts in
his home country ahead of his massive trilogy with Dustin
Poirier at
UFC 264.
The former two-division UFC champion is sponsoring the
participation of an entire Irish youth team in the International
Mixed Martial Arts Federation’s 2021 Youth MMA Championships, which
take place in Sofia, Bulgaria from July 29 to Aug. 1. According to
a release, McGregor is paying for the entry fees, flights and
accomodations of 27 young athletes and 20 coaches.
“Wishing the Irish squad the very best of luck in their quest at
the world championships this year!” McGregor said. “From the
fighters to the coaches, I know the future of our fighting nation
is in excellent hands. Fight with the pride of the Emerald Isle,
team! We are all with you. Good luck!”
In 2019, the Irish team placed sixth at the IMMAF Youth
Championships. Competitors range in age from 12 to 18, and the
event will be available for viewing via streaming, with details to
be announced at a later date. Rules are modified from IMMAF Amateur
MMA guidelines to disallow headstrikes for those under 18.
“It’s fantastic for all the athletes, coaches and the Irish MMA
community that Conor has shown his passion for the sport MMA in
this way and is helping pave the way for the next Conor,” IMMAF
president Kerrith Brown said. “We at IMMAF are appreciative of
Conor’s support of grassroots athlete development and his
demonstration of support for John
Kavanagh’s work in the MMA community as President of the Irish
Mixed Martial Arts Association. The value of this endorsement
extends beyond the money in terms of the focus and sense of purpose
it gives to the team. This is what IMMAF is all about, working in
communities to deliver a value from MMA for social good.”
UFC 264 takes place on July 10 at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas
and is headlined by the third bout between McGregor and Poirier.
The Irish star last appeared at UFC 257 on Jan. 23, when he
suffered a second-round technical knockout defeat in a rematch with
Poirier in Abu Dhabi.