Cathal Pendred
“The Punisher”
MMA Record: 17-3-1
Huge things were expected from Pendred when he became the first man in TUF history to bypass the preliminary fights and go straight into the house. His run on the show didn't quite work out however and, now five fights into his UFC career, hasn't shown the same brilliance that led to him becoming such a highly touted prospect on the independent circuit. Pendred has skill; a large and well-rounded welterweight, but needs to put the foot on the gas and show more urgency in his fights. ‘The Punisher’ isn't a contender as of writing, but renewed focus and a couple of big wins could change all that.
Aisling Daly
“Ais the Bash”
MMA Record: 15-6
Currently the only female Irish fighter competing inside the women’s strawweight division, Daly, like Pendred, entered the promotion through The Ultimate Fighter show where she too failed to progress beyond the early stages. A scrappy fighter, Daly doesn’t mind trading on the feet but has shown to be far more proficient on the ground thanks to her brown belt in BJJ. Daly’s biggest flaw however is an obvious fragile mentality. Nagging self-doubt that has almost certainly prevented her from reaching the next level. Should she overcome these self-inflicted mental hurdles Daly should be a tough challenge for just about anyone in the division.
Okay I admit, this one is a bit of a cheat considering that Norman Parke is actually Northern Irish, but the cage doesn’t care about such technicalities. The first and, to my knowledge, only member of his country presently competing in the UFC, Parke has experienced mixed results since winning the The Ultimate Fighter: The Smashes back in 2012. Well-rounded with an extensive background in judo and boxing dating back to childhood, Parke has all the tools to succeed but, similar to Pendred, must inject a little more urgency in his Octagon performances if he is to climb the rankings of a difficult lightweight division.
Patrick Holohan
“The Hooligan”
MMA Record: 12-1-1
Don’t let the disheveled look and scrawny physique fool you, Dublin’s Paddy Holohan is one tough fella. Plying his trade in the 125-pound flyweight division, Holohan has earned a deserved reputation as an aggressive, crafty and dangerous submission specialist. Favouring the rear naked choke as his primary weapon, Holohan has earned half of his victories via the technique and will look almost certainly look to it again as he attempts improve his already impressive career record and hopefully crack into the division’s top 15. Holohan however does appear to cut a ghastly amount of weight to make 125, but with his skills and frame, he should fare just as well at bantamweight should be be forced to make the move north.
Joseph Duffy
“Irish Joe”
MMA Record: 14-1
Finally signing with the UFC last year, ‘Irish Joe’ Duffy is easily the closest to McGregor in terms of skill and pedigree, and with a quick submission victory over ‘The Notorious One’, many believe that he could even be superior to the current interim featherweight champ. Hailing from Donegal, but actually fighting out of the revered Tristar gym in Canada, Duffy is simply put, a pure fighting thoroughbred. Equally proficient in striking and grappling and armed with a neat bag of submission techniques, Duffy has been a nightmare for almost all of his opponents so far and has already breezed past two fights inside the Octagon.
“The Punisher”
MMA Record: 17-3-1
Huge things were expected from Pendred when he became the first man in TUF history to bypass the preliminary fights and go straight into the house. His run on the show didn't quite work out however and, now five fights into his UFC career, hasn't shown the same brilliance that led to him becoming such a highly touted prospect on the independent circuit. Pendred has skill; a large and well-rounded welterweight, but needs to put the foot on the gas and show more urgency in his fights. ‘The Punisher’ isn't a contender as of writing, but renewed focus and a couple of big wins could change all that.
Aisling Daly
“Ais the Bash”
MMA Record: 15-6
Currently the only female Irish fighter competing inside the women’s strawweight division, Daly, like Pendred, entered the promotion through The Ultimate Fighter show where she too failed to progress beyond the early stages. A scrappy fighter, Daly doesn’t mind trading on the feet but has shown to be far more proficient on the ground thanks to her brown belt in BJJ. Daly’s biggest flaw however is an obvious fragile mentality. Nagging self-doubt that has almost certainly prevented her from reaching the next level. Should she overcome these self-inflicted mental hurdles Daly should be a tough challenge for just about anyone in the division.
Norman Parke
“Stormin’”
MMA Record: 20-4-1
“Stormin’”
MMA Record: 20-4-1
Okay I admit, this one is a bit of a cheat considering that Norman Parke is actually Northern Irish, but the cage doesn’t care about such technicalities. The first and, to my knowledge, only member of his country presently competing in the UFC, Parke has experienced mixed results since winning the The Ultimate Fighter: The Smashes back in 2012. Well-rounded with an extensive background in judo and boxing dating back to childhood, Parke has all the tools to succeed but, similar to Pendred, must inject a little more urgency in his Octagon performances if he is to climb the rankings of a difficult lightweight division.
Patrick Holohan
“The Hooligan”
MMA Record: 12-1-1
Don’t let the disheveled look and scrawny physique fool you, Dublin’s Paddy Holohan is one tough fella. Plying his trade in the 125-pound flyweight division, Holohan has earned a deserved reputation as an aggressive, crafty and dangerous submission specialist. Favouring the rear naked choke as his primary weapon, Holohan has earned half of his victories via the technique and will look almost certainly look to it again as he attempts improve his already impressive career record and hopefully crack into the division’s top 15. Holohan however does appear to cut a ghastly amount of weight to make 125, but with his skills and frame, he should fare just as well at bantamweight should be be forced to make the move north.
Joseph Duffy
“Irish Joe”
MMA Record: 14-1
Finally signing with the UFC last year, ‘Irish Joe’ Duffy is easily the closest to McGregor in terms of skill and pedigree, and with a quick submission victory over ‘The Notorious One’, many believe that he could even be superior to the current interim featherweight champ. Hailing from Donegal, but actually fighting out of the revered Tristar gym in Canada, Duffy is simply put, a pure fighting thoroughbred. Equally proficient in striking and grappling and armed with a neat bag of submission techniques, Duffy has been a nightmare for almost all of his opponents so far and has already breezed past two fights inside the Octagon.
Tougher challenges will soon answer lingering questions over his true abilities, but should he pass these tests as easily as the rest we might have to start serious discussions for a civil war rematch of the ages.
Who do you think is the best Irish UFC fighter other than Conor McGregor? Leave your suggestions and comments below!
Who do you think is the best Irish UFC fighter other than Conor McGregor? Leave your suggestions and comments below!
