UFC: Cathal Pendred in a fight between two nations with battling ancestry

Ireland’s Cathal Pendred has labelled his upcoming scrap with Russian Gasan Umalatov a “meeting of two great fighting nations”.

Pendred fights Umalatov in Stockholm, Sweden, on October 4 in a unique occasion that brings together representatives from two standout nations of the UFC’s past year.

Pendred and his Straight Blast Gym team-mates stole the show at UFC Dublin in July heralding a new generation of Irish-based athletes, while Russia and particularly Dagestan has also emerged as a hotbed of talent.

This is a meeting of two great fighting nations and I’m sure it’ll produce a great fight.

Pendred told Sky Sports: “The Russians have really shown in the last couple of years in the UFC that they’re a force to be reckoned with. They’ve got a great tradition of wrestling and sambo so they’re great grapplers and they’ve really come to the forefront recently.

“But it’s the same with the Irish. Conor McGregor was the first one of us to get in and he’s done phenomenally well. Myself and Paddy Holohan got our shot and we showed what we’re made of. That’s the fighting spirit that the Irish are famous for – we’ve always shown it in boxing and now we’re showing it in MMA too.

“This is a meeting of two great fighting nations and I’m sure it’ll produce a great fight.”

Hunters

John Kavanagh’s SBG members hunt in packs – in Dublin Pendred won his debut while team-mates McGregor, Gunnar Nelson and Holohan also succeeded. In Stockholm next month, Pendred travels alongside main-eventer Nelson to represent arguably Europe’s premier MMA gym.

“I hadn’t heard of Umalatov before I got the fight, to be honest. I had a look at him and he’s a good fighter – if you’re in the UFC of course you’re good.

“I respect his ability but I’m coming down from middleweight to welterweight which I believe is my home. That’s where I see my future and where I can make a name for myself.

“I’m really excited with that and I’m confident I can put on an impressive performance.  I believe I have the beating of this guy.”

Culture

The success of UFC Dublin and particular McGregor’s rise to Las Vegas recognition has led to a development in Irish sporting culture, says Pendred.

“MMA is an evolution of combat, it’s taking different styles and putting them all together. It’s something that is necessary for the best to be shown.

“If you stick to one discipline you’re always going to limit yourself. Boxing is just one discipline – a great discipline – but it’s just one part and now the Irish public are seeing all martial arts together and they’re enthralled by it, captivated by it.

“That’s what captivated me by the sport of MMA. That’s not taking anything away from boxing – people still appreciate boxing and are still big fans. But we’re giving them something else to appreciate.”