THE biggest ever MMA show in Belfast, Cage Conflict 4, certainly lived up to its billing as the Falls Park played host to another memorable outdoor sporting event on Thursday night.
Last Friday’s boxing showpiece saw Michael Conlan defeating TJ Doheny to claim the WBA interim featherweight title.
On Thursday night, local MMA prospects got their chance to shine with Fight Academy Ireland’s Paddy McCorry headlining the marathon event.
McCorry, a former amateur welterweight title holder, took on Romanian Petru Plesca, who was representing Dublin’s Fantom MMA club, for the vacant middleweight belt.
Making his professional debut, McCorry claimed a stunning first round win after dropping Plesca to the canvass with a brilliant right hook.
It was a fitting end to what was a memorable night for several MMA fighters from Belfast.
Thursday's Cage Conflict 4 event in the Falls Park was the largest MMA show ever to be held in Belfast with thousands of fans in attendance 
Twinbrook-based Fight Academy Ireland provided close to half of the fighters for the event, which began on Thursday afternoon as a number of amateurs took to the octagon for their debut bouts.
As the evening progressed, the atmosphere in the Falls Parks was ratcheted up a few notches as the main fights got underway.
In the amateur lightweight contest Cormac Burns defeated Youcef Oukacine in a thrilling contest before Dan McReynolds claimed the vacant welterweight title with a win over Kaspars Bulins.
Gareth McMcCormac edged out Dubliner Karl Riordan in their middleweight contest while Karl McConway claimed the vacant flyweight title with a second round stoppage of Brandon Myres.
Sean McCormac (right) in action against Vadim Kolesnikov. The Fight Academy Ireland prospect made a winning debut at Thursday night's show
Fight Academy’s Sean McCormac made a winning debut against Latvian Vadim Kolesnikov.
John ‘Coach’ Kavanagh gave the event his seal of approval and was on hand to see his fighter Kenny Mokhonoana claim an impressive win over Matvei Zara.
.@John_Kavanagh, Conor McGregor’s coach, speaking at tonight’s Cage Conflict IV event at Féile an Phobail in the Falls Park, says he has “been blown away” by the event. pic.twitter.com/quzldgb8KY
— Féile an Phobail (@FeileBelfast) August 12, 2021
West Belfast flyweight Ciaran Mulholland secured the second win of his pro career against Manchester’s Jamie Kelly while the co-main event was won in fine style by Romania’s Andreeas Binder, who defeated Michail Gusakov of Moldova.
It was after midnight before Paddy McCorry made his way to the octagon, but fans were treated to a superb performance from the Fight Academy Ireland hero, who looks set to rise up the pro ranks in the coming months.
Judging by the success of Thursday night’s event, it would be no surprise to see McCorry back headlining another show at next year’s Féile an Phobail.
