SBG Dublin's James Gallagher Is Back, Baby!!!
Note: I was hesitant about blogging any results from Bellator’s Dublin card this evening, being the event wasn’t aired live in the United States and instead on tape delay starting at 9pm on the Paramount Network like it’s the 90s or something, but the promotion’s out here tweeting out videos of finishes so fuck it.
THE JIMMY SHOW IS BACK, BAYBAY!!!
SBG Dublin’s James Gallagher, who trains under head coach John Kavanagh, just phenomenally rebounded from the first loss of his professional career, in the most high-pressure setting possible – a main event in his home. The 22-year-old made quick and easy work of opponent Steven Graham, taking him down immediately, and then working for a rear-naked choke for a few minutes until it was finally secured at 2:31 of the very first round.
This coming of course, like I just mentioned, soon after he suffered a heartbreaking, high-profile loss to Ricky Bandejas where he got his fookin’ head kicked off…
…proving that the young lad really is a student of Kavanagh’s, not only physically, but mentally as well, as he preaches: “You either win, or you learn.”
Jimmy done went and LEARNED from that L, stuck to his strengths here, and sent the Dublin crowd home not only happy, but overjoyed. He dedicated the win to his family, in a really nice post-fight speech, and got to have the entire SBG-Unit in attendance for the moment of his career.
Our other mate Peter Queally didn’t get the win in Bellator 217’s co-main event, versus Miles Price, who defeated him via split decision, but that’s alright. We’ll get that one back.
Overall, a fantastic night for Irish MMA, and a fantastic night for SBG, baby!!!
If you’d like a little background on the “Strabanimal”, here’s a bit I wrote on him back in August:
James dropped out of high school at just fifteen years old to start training at SBG full time, and quickly befriended another young fighter by the name of Conor McGregor…
Gallagher started working his way up the Bellator ranks after picking up a few wins around the Irish circuit, as a submission specialist, and just recently choked out Chinzo Machida in the very first round at Madison Square Garden…
You can tell Conor has rubbed off on him a ton, as his mannerisms, trash talk, wardrobe, and even his tattoos are very reminiscent of the Champ Champ, but honestly, it’s absolutely adorable. It reminds me of the way I am with my older brother. I think he’s the coolest person in the world, still, and try to be like him all the time. I think James sees Conor in that same way, but I digress. Tonight’s not about Conor. Tonight’s about THE STRABANIMAL.