Sinead Kavanagh was one of Ireland's most accomplished amateur boxers when she decided to switch to mixed martial arts with SBG Ireland.
After her conversion, Kavanagh struggled to fund her early career as she struggled with homelessness and had to train for free under coach John Kavanagh, but Conor McGregor stepped in and gave her her first sponsorship, worth around €10,000, which launched her career.
She signed with Bellator in 2016 and, despite mixed results, has established herself as a top featherweight fighter in a star-studded division. She'll get a chance for revenge on Saturday night in Dublin against one of her old rivals, Arlene Blencowe, with a chance to move on to a world title fight after that.
Sinead Kavanagh credits Conor McGregor for supporting her early career
Conor McGregor was on his historic run to win the UFC lightweight and featherweight world titles when he met Kavanagh at SBG Ireland's gym and, while she was sweeping floors to make ends meet, he offered her a generous sponsorship that launched her professional career.
Their friendship continued to grow, and he was cageside for perhaps her most famous win, her co-headliner bout against Leah McCourt at the 3Arena in 2022. Speaking exclusively to Bloody Elbow, she said: “I was in the cage and I heard him say, 'Be mean, Sinead, be mean.'
“He was awesome. He was there and called me out and gave me little tips here and there so it was great. I went into MMA and I had no money and I was broke so Conor sponsored me. He gave me my first $10,000.”
“The help I got from him was amazing and it made me realise, 'Wow, I'm on my way to taking off in my career now.' Without him and John, I don't know where I'd be now.”
Sinead Kavanagh wants rematch with Bellator champion Cris Cyborg
One of the key moments in Cabana's career came when she traveled to Florida to face legendary “Grand Slam” champion Cris Cyborg in November 2021. The two men went on a spree, trading punches against the fence, but the Brazilian landed the biggest punch, ending the bout in just over 90 seconds.
She has since climbed back up the rankings and, after achieving a number of career goals, including a bout at 3Arena and a world title shot, she is looking to solidify her achievements with a world title win.
“If you look closely, Cyborg tried to take me down!” Cabana pointed out. “Who has she ever tried to take me down? She tried to grab me and take me down, but I got up. I knew she was worried and I was just going out and having fun.”
“I wasn't thinking about the outcome, I guess I just got caught. She bounced off the cage, broke my eye socket with a punch and I went down. Would I want to do it again? Of course I want to fix my mistake.
“It was a great fight for them. It lasted a few minutes, but it was a great fight. I was excited, I felt I beat her, I saw the look of shock on her face, and I went on the offensive. I'll definitely go in with a different game plan the second time around. I'd love to do it again. I think I deserve a second chance.”
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