A closer look at Wicklow's Richie Smullen

This article was published by SportsJOE.ie on 22/02/19

From school halls to the 3Arena.

Father of one, Richie Smullen (3-1-1) is living proof that hard work and dedication pays off. The Arklow native is one of many prospects coming out of Straight Blast Gym Ireland. Such was his talent, SBG teammate and former UFC featherweight, Artem Lobov, paid for Smullen to travel to Las Vegas to try out for season 27 of The Ultimate Fighter. Smullen passed the test with flying colours and became the third pick of TUF coach and UFC heavyweight champion, Daniel Cormier.

Unfortunately, Smullen was medically ruled out of the competition before he was due to fight. He contracted a rare disease known as rhabdomyolysis, the destruction of striated muscle cells. Smullen's muscles broke down and the creatine kinase protein went into his bloodstream which then travelled to his kidneys. This was devastating for the SBG prospect as many felt it was his time to shine. The UFC noticed this potential and rewarded him with a fight at the season's finale card against fellow contestant Luis Pena in 2018, becoming the first Irish fighter to debut in the promotion since 2016. Going into this contest, Smullen was looking to continue his then-unbeaten professional career but suffered an unfortunate submission loss in round. Perhaps it was just too soon following the illness he suffered but as they say in SBG, you win or learn.

UFC's loss was Bellator's gain as the promotion signed him during the acquisition of 16 Irish fighters during the summer. Smullen is now finally slated to make his Bellator debut at the 3Arena this weekend when he takes on fellow debutant, Adam Gustab (3-3) at 145lbs. Richie is known for his Brazilian Jiu Jistsu skills since his amateur days. Smullen was present at the Bellator Dublin fight week press event and SportsJOE got to have a chat with the featherweight. Speaking on his love of submissions and if fans would see his BJJ skills on display this weekend, Smullen said;

"BJJ was always my thing, I always loved it that was like, that's still my main passion, jiu jitsu but I just love to fight, I love the game, even though I've got a lot of experience this is going to help me at the weekend, from the MMA League to all my amateur fights to my pro fights to all my grappling experience, this guy is in for a rough night. A quick night but a rough night".

To those who aren't familiar with this league, The Amateur Irish Mixed Martial Arts League was established in 2004 by Mark Leonard and used to be the primary platform for Irish fighters who sought experience competing in the sport before making the eventual move to the cage. The league ran for 10 years before being dissolved but its memory will forever be remembered by those who competed and watched the event during that time. Leonard spoke to SportsJOE on how the Irish MMA League came about.

"By 2004 I had fought a few times in MMA and I found that the gulf between the gym and getting into the ring was huge, so I wanted something for others starting out that would help them bridge that gap with the league fighters could pressure test and prepare for a future in the cage or ring, or find out in a safe way that MMA competition wasn't for them."

Leonard continued to say that "a lot of fighters kept coming back to the league and didn't move on as the League itself was a fun event hence the slogan "The Safe, Fun and Easy way to try MMA". Over the course of a year, registered fighters would compete in the MMA League on four occasions in different counties in Ireland. The rules were quite simple one five minute bout, with no head shots and the fight could end by way of submission, knockout or disqualification. If it went the full five minutes, it was deemed a draw. Three points for a win, one for a draw. The final event then ran for as many matches needed to crown a winner.

Smullen was not only a competitor in the MMA League but he was also crowned the 75kg champion back in 2012, submitting each opponent on the way.  Talking to the Wicklow native at the Bellator Dublin press event, Smullen smiled when asked if he thought back then that he would be fighting live on Sky Sports for one of the worlds' largest MMA organisations.

"No, I actually would have never thought that. I was doing it for fun back then, I was still training very hard, as I won as you can tell but yeah, it's a big jump up from no head shots MMA League to be there on the main card for TV for Bellator".

MMA fans are undoubtedly excited that the 27-year-old is getting another chance to show that the hype isn't just that. Highly regarded by the entire roster at SBG, his stablemates have only good things to say about the Arklow man. Speaking to SportsJOE on what Smullen is like as a sparring partner, fellow SBG prospect, Cian Cowley told us that "Richie is one of the toughest rounds in the gym. Relentless pressure and drive."

With regards his Bellator career, Cowley can only see it going one way.

"I really think he can dominate the featherweight division at Bellator. He has a great fighter's mind and a will to learn so with that, the sky is the limit for him!"

When SportsJOE asked Richie how he thought the fight would go on Saturday. He replied quite confidently, again smiling, "Destruction, round one".

Undoubtedly a fight to look forward to, as well as an MMA career to watch out for.

Leah McCourt - MMA fighter, mother and role model

This article was published by SportsJOE.ie 21/02/19

And seemingly destined for greatness.

Winning is second nature to Leah McCourt, with success seemingly following her wherever she goes. She won gold at the International Mixed Martial Arts Federation European Open Championships in 2015 and she followed that up with winning another gold medal at the IMMAF World Championships in 2016. If you thought that it couldn't get any better for the County Down lady, she also is a World and European International Brazilian Jiu Jitsu Federation champion at purple belt.

Oh yeah, she is also a black belt in judo. It's kind of obvious where this is going.

Unfortunately though, McCourt lost in her professional debut at Cage Warriors 85 and it was then when the Smithfield native decided to change things up and made the move to Straight Blast Gym Charlestown to train with renowned coach, Owen Roddy. A year later she recorded her first professional victory with a split decision win at Cage Warriors 94 in May of last year. A win is a win, no matter how it's earned and the subsequent move to train in Dublin seemed to have paid off. Speaking to SportsJOE, Roddy only had good things to say about McCourt.

"Leah is a true professional. Hardworking, skillful, focused and determined, with these qualities she can make it to the top of the game."

Leah McCourt (1-1) is getting ready to make her Bellator debut at the 3Arena this weekend, only eight months since her last fight. The 26 year old will take on Hatice Ozyurt (2-6) in a 145lbs contest and although on paper her opponent might not seem much of a threat to the Northern Ireland native, McCourt isn't writing her off and has done her research on the Dutchwoman. Speaking to SportsJOE at the Bellator Dublin press event, the amicable McCourt said:

" I know my opponent is a dangerous striker, people have said about her record but her record doesn't reflect her experience. She has 100 K1 and Muay Thai fights, she's 71-13, she's a serious threat and that's what me and Owen are looking at..."

"She's going to come out striking and she's going to be dangerous so I'm going to look to implement my game plan."

Fight week can be extremely tough for a fighter, having to face endless media events while cutting weight and trying to focus at the task ahead. McCourt, however, didn't seem bothered and appeared excited and happy to be at the Bellator media day. She said she was, "feeling good, nice and relaxed, in Dublin so don't have to travel anywhere, so its a wee-bit calmer than normal".

Even though McCourt has moved her training camp from Belfast down to Roddy's SBG in Dublin, she hasn't moved houses. Amazingly, Leah makes a four hour car journey everyday to the Big Smoke which just shows her sheer drive and determination to succeed and get the best training available to her. She trains twice a day working in many forms of martial arts such as boxing, muay thai, bjj and wrestling constantly adding techniques to her arsenal and still finds the time to incorporate cardio and strength training in between.

In addition to all of this, McCourt is a proud mother to daughter, Isabella, giving her all the attributes needed to be a role model for all mothers and women out there. Speaking on what life is like being a professional fighter as well as a mother and if she found it tough going at times, McCourt didn't feel it was any different to working your normal, everyday job.

"Well, I just feel like it's any other job, like, because, you know, I hate when professional athletes look down at normal people who work 9 to 5 jobs, I admire them and I respect them. I feel lucky that I'm known to being a fighter. I probably spend more time with Isabella than I do with anybody else, so, it's just my job, you get used to it."

Regardless of the outcome on Saturday night, the female featherweight doesn't plan on sitting back and taking a rest. "I'm going to be doing the ADCC trials. The European trials are in April with the aim of that taking me towards the ADCC Worlds and then obviously, I'll hopefully fight again in May, if I can, I know Bellator have a couple of cards on but I just want to keep really active, fighting and competing."

With the crowd, hype and oddsmakers right behind Leah McCourt this weekend, there is only one outcome expected on Saturday night. Win, lose or draw it won't be the last we see of her.

10 of the best classic work experience pranks

This article was published by JOE.ie on 14/02/19

Have you fallen victim to any of these?

We have all been there. Well... most of us anyway.

JOE readers were asked to spill the beans on other classic work experience tasks they've been given over the years. Let's just say, the responses made me feel a small bit better about being sent off for a 'long stand' earlier in the week.

Luckily, being sent for 'a long stand' is not that bad in a relative sense, as quite a few people have seemingly been sent in search of much worse. Worryingly, quite a lot of people have been sent in the past for a bubble for a spirit level, a skirting board ladder and tartan paint. Classics all and they never get old.

Some poor crater was even sent to mop the car park.

Here are some of the funniest, humiliating and downright cruel work experience pranks that have been played on JOE readers over the years; contributions have been kept anonymous as they've suffered quite enough embarrassment for one day.

Butcher's assistant

"I got a new butcher's assistant in his first day to eat 150g of raw lamb's liver. I told him I'd give him a tenner to do it, he was eager. What I didn't tell him though (until after!), was that his mother had been in 15 minutes earlier while he was out the back and had asked me to give him that tenner for his lunch."

Wooden wedges

"A guy I had worked with was sent to get wooden wedges to hold up a door frame. The boss never told him they were wooden, he just sent him to get a box of wedges. One hour later, he returned with a box of wedges from the local deli."

Today's specials

" I told a new waitress that the soup of the day was 'cream of some-young-guy' and the fish of the day was 'salmon wings'. We got two orders that day for the salmon wings."

Replacing the fire extinguisher

"I sent a student down to the stores with a fire extinguisher and a note. I told him to hand the note to the store manager and make sure he signs it before he gives you a replacement fire extinguisher. The note said " Give me all your f*cking money, or I will squirt this all over you!"

Collecting a prescription

"I remember one job I worked in, somebody sent a young lad to the the chemist asking him to collect a prescription, but handed him a note saying: 'I'm looking for condoms, I'm very nervous and embarrassed as it's my first time.'"

Cleaning kegs

"I asked a bar apprentice to clean the beer kegs with some Mr. Sheen wood polish. I had told him that they were been collected in the morning. Three hours later I forgot where he was. I went out to the keg room and found him scrubbing the beer kegs."

Empty boxes

"I know a guy who was sent across the road from the place he was working in to ask for empty boxes. That place was a funeral directors."

Pardigan?

Was sent to sort a pile of long cardigans into their corresponding colours for hours in the store room and when I was hanging them up on the shop floor, a customer came up behind me and said "I'm looking for a cardigan". As I was living and breathing cardigans at this stage, instead of saying "pardon?" I said "pardigan?" She thought I was mocking her and wasn't impressed at all.

Pudding bender

"A mate of mine got sent around every butcher in Limerick city for a loan of a pudding bender."

Bike shop

"I knew somebody who was sent into a bike shop to get a Fallopian tube and a menstrual cycle before."

Have you experienced similar, or worse?