Four Cork teens fight for gold at MMA World Champs in Abu Dhabi

Four Cork teenagers - two girls and two lads - will be representing Ireland this week at the Mixed Martial Arts youth World Championships in glamourous Abu Dhabi.

Katie Power (14), Louise Brady (17), Kian Heane (17), and Jack Connolly (15) - all still in school - have been in heavy training for two years, waiting for their chance to fight for Ireland on the sport's biggest amateur stage at the International MMA Federation games in the U.A.E.

Our national team will see 33 young athletes compete against the world's best in the age groups, facing the very toughest young MMA fighters in the game. For the winners - it could be the springboard to a hugely lucrative career in the professional ranks, on the same trail blazed by Ireland's Conor McGregor.

14-year-old Katie Power from Dripsey is the current All Ireland Mixed Martials Arts Gold medalist and speaking to CorkBeo from the Irish camp in Abu Dhabi ahead of her first fight, she said she's ready for the biggest challenge of her young career.

Katie Power says she also fighting to prove that girls like her deserve their place in the MMA world, saying; “I'm coming to the World Championships to prove that girls can do it.”

“My friends think it’s so crazy that I got here, and I am really looking forward to competing.”

Louise Brady is another young fighter who has essentially grown up on the mats of MMA Cork. She is well experienced in Striking, Wrestling, MMA and Brazilian Jiu Jitsu. The Faranree native is currently the IMMA no.1 ranked Featherweight Cadet in the country.

Speaking to CorkBeo, Louise Brady said “it’s mad to be representing Ireland at the World Championships.”

The 17-year-old will be going into her Leaving Cert this year at North Pres College Faranree and hopes