SBG welterweight Richard Kiely signs for Bellator

[AGEZ909]

Outspoken Irish kickboxer turned MMA fighter Richard Kiely has come out of retirement and signed with Bellator.

Bellator confirmed the signing to MMA Fighting.

Formerly known as “The Face of BAMMA,” Kiely caused mass debate on the European scene when he was fast-tracked to a BAMMA title shot at 2-0 against Alex Lohore in his hometown following two highlight-reel knockouts over Keith McCabe and Daniel Olejniczak.

Kiely (2-1) last competed in the main event BAMMA 32 when he lost his title clash with then champion Lohore, who submitted the Irish striker with a kneebar in the opening round of their Dublin showdown. It later emerged that Kiely carried a knee injury into the title clash.

In May, just three fights into his MMA career, Kiely announced his retirement from the sport, but told SevereMMA.com that he would only return to the sport on one condition — if he was handed a showdown with former two-weight BAMMA champion Terry Brazier. Brazier has recently signed with the promotion.

Kiely is just one of a number of Irish and U.K. signings that are set to be announced in the coming days. Sources suggest that he is just one of numerous signees that will be announced that fight out of SBG Ireland.


https://www.mmafighting.com/2018/7/25/17611290/sbg-welterweight-richard-kiely-signs-for-bellator

 

[Go Go Plata]

Well I guess we know who Brazier's getting for his debut.

 

[FKA]

I read there will be a couple more SBG fighters and UK fighters signed very soon too.

 

[tehMoose]

Feed him to Brazier

 

[Falconkick]

I read there will be a couple more SBG fighters and UK fighters signed very soon too.

So did I just now in the first post ..tee hee had too

 

[Go Go Plata]

I read there will be a couple more SBG fighters and UK fighters signed very soon too.

Bellator is suppose to be launching their European circuit soon as well. Bellator going all in in Europe.

 

[FKA]

So did I just now in the first post ..tee hee had too

Lol tbh I didn't even read the posted link I just heard it from my friends and thought it was interesting news.....call me cpt.obvious haha.

 

[GueseGuy]

Hope this guy’s at least better than Will Fleury lol. Fleury thought he was gonna be nice in the big leagues and got KO’d quick.

 

[KeeSmyth]

Hope this guy’s at least better than Will Fleury lol. Fleury thought he was gonna be nice in the big leagues and got KO’d quick.

Yeah Bellator is very invested into SBG at the moment but reality is there not that deep of a team unlike AKA, Alpha Male or Jacksons

 

[AGEZ909]

Yeah Bellator is very invested into SBG at the moment but reality is there not that of a team unlike AKA, Alpha Male or Jacksons

Agreed. I’m sure Bellator thought He was going to win, but got stopped quick.

Truth is that SBG isn’t all that great. Has some decent fighters and characters, but they really aren’t an AKA, ATT, Tri-Star.

 

[FKA]

Hope this guy’s at least better than Will Fleury lol. Fleury thought he was gonna be nice in the big leagues and got KO’d quick.

Their fixation with SBG and BAMMA fighters has alot to do with there dedication to the UK and Ireland they hold multiple shows there yearly.Also the western euro series is coming up so it helps to stockpile local talent.


Fleury is a good fighter he just got caught it happens lol ...

What's funny is how much ppl cry about bellator prospects......the BAMMA champs have all been fighting unranked guys and ppl are saying they need better opponents......

Well 2 of the BAMMA champs lost there debut in bellator......so maybe the matchmaker knows what he's doing haha.

 

[FKA]

Agreed. I’m sure Bellator thought He was going to win, but got stopped quick.

Truth is that SBG isn’t all that great. Has some decent fighters and characters, but they really aren’t an AKA, ATT, Tri-Star.

They have skilled fighters but like any gym some are better then others and it's more to do with putting in shows in the area with said talent to draw locals.Fleury wasn't picked up cuz he's in SBG Ireland it was because he was BAMMA champ.

 

[Koniradi98]

Fleury wasn't picked up cuz he's in SBG Ireland it was because he was BAMMA champ.

Fleury was never a BAMMA champ.
Don't really know why Bellator signed him, his record isn't impressiv either, maybe because he is quite charismatic .
His last opponent was the first semi-legit fighter he fought.

And regarding BAMMA champs in Bellator, some of them get cans, some of them don't. Shipman got a guy that didn't fought for 7 years and KO'd him in 10 seconds. Scope, after probably the biggest win in his career (UFC-Vet Lebout) was supposed to fight a guy with a 4:4 record and on a 2 fight losing streak. The fight got cancalled because his opponent couldn't cut weight properly.

But on the other hand, Crawford got a normal opponent and lost a split decission.

I think it's hard to say what the level of BAMMA champions and BAMMA in general is.
Not an easy task for the Bellator-matchmakers to build this fighters up,properly. But still, some of this squash-matches are unnecessary.

Btw. I don't really think that most of this SBG-fighters are really a draw outside of Ireland (and I am not sure if even there). I think Bellator is mostly just signing them because of the brand (and McGregor behind it).
Except of McGregor and maybe Gallagher none of their fighters really succeeded outside of Ireland.
Most of them are quite average fighters with a big mouth.

And how th f*ck did richard kiely got a BAMMA-titleshot with only 2 MMA fights (against cans).
it's quit obvious that Bellator isn't signing this fighter because of their fighting abilities (only).

 

[Only Here for Attachments]

Hope he loses in the first round and retires again

 

[FKA]

Fleury was never a BAMMA champ.
Don't really know why Bellator signed him, his record isn't impressiv either, maybe because he is quite charismatic .
His last opponent was the first semi-legit fighter he fought.


And regarding BAMMA champs in Bellator, some of them get cans, some of them don't. Shipman got a guy that didn't fought for 7 years and KO'd him in 10 seconds. Scope, after probably the biggest win in his career (UFC-Vet Lebout) was supposed to fight a guy with a 4:4 record and on a 2 fight losing streak. The fight got cancalled because his opponent couldn't cut weight properly.

But on the other hand, Crawford got a normal opponent and lost a split decission.

I think it's hard to say what the level of BAMMA champions and BAMMA in general is.
Not an easy task for the Bellator-matchmakers to build this fighters up,properly. But still, some of this squash-matches are unnecessary.

Btw. I don't really think that most of this SBG-fighters are really a draw outside of Ireland (and I am not sure if even there). I think Bellator is mostly just signing them because of the brand (and McGregor behind it).
Except of McGregor and maybe Gallagher none of their fighters really succeeded outside of Ireland.
Most of them are quite average fighters with a big mouth.

And how th f*ck did richard kiely got a BAMMA-titleshot with only 2 MMA fights (against cans).
it's quit obvious that Bellator isn't signing this fighter because of their fighting abilities (only).

Your right I was thinking of the wrong dude haha been a couple signings recently and I need to lay off the INDO.

Mw is kinda in need of faces and BAMMA is a scouting ground for Bellator. Fleury is an ok fighter but green still at 4-1 but we've seen them sign the less heralded guys from SBG like that one female who is a boxer and another guy who is a journeyman but puts on good fights.

I think the western euro series will see alot of this talent as Coker said it would feature bellstor vets along with guys looking to make it to the big show.I think they are getting local guys that are decent along with better prospects.

BELLATOR doesn't always get the #1 guy from gyms cuz they go to the UFC but they do get the more raw guys which can go either way talent wise but they are doing better with quality.

They are definitely looking to expand the roster which is great I'm all for it.

 

[FKA]

They just signed Kiefer Crosby 4-0 welterweight from SBG Ireland.

 

[CC27]

Bellator will probably sign the entire gym because its the hot name team over there but truth is other than Conor and maybe Gallagher, maybe, we'll see if he's really the goods or not the rest of these guys arent much. But you sign a bunch of them real cheap, throw them on prelims of a card, they'll sell tickets and maybe you'll get lucky with one of them.

 

[Martialarts123]

They should sign Peter Queally