A TRIO of talented brothers from Whitehall are aiming to push each other to the top of the MMA world.
Matthew, James and Graham Sheehan joined Team Ryano in Finglas in 2014 and have established themselves as three of the gym’s most respected students, with Matthew winning Team Ireland’s only gold medal at last summer’s IMMAF World Championships in Las Vegas.
And while the Sheehans are developing a fearsome reputation in Irish MMA for their skills inside the cage, it’s the competition at their Whitehall home that really drives them on.
“Any time I’m sparring with him, or doing anything in the house, I don’t even think about it, I just have to beat Matthew,” 21-year-old James told Northside People.
“With Graham getting a bit older now he’s coming up in the rankings so it’s a constant battle between the three of us.
“There’s no bad blood between us but you want to go home with bragging rights so you can go to our dad ‘I got him with an armbar there’ or ‘he got me with a hook’ so it’s all good natured.”
The brothers found mixed martial arts after Matthew and James left Whitehall Colmcilles in search of something new and different.
Matthew first enrolled into Kokoro MMA on the North Strand Road with James and Graham following him into the sport a short time later.
After learning the basics and developing a passion for the sport at Kokoro, the brothers wanted to push themselves further and they found a willing mentor in Team Ryano head coach, Andy Ryan.
Ryan, who has also coached UFC fighters Neil Seery and Paul Redmond, has been suitably impressed by the trio and sees a bright future in the sport for them if they wish to pursue professional careers.
“The three of them train here together and then they go home and train together,” said Ryan.
“They’re very competitive but them three lads, they’re learning every day. One thing I’d say to them is be open minded and learn from everybody.
“Don’t be afraid to test yourself but them lads have nothing to prove to me, they just have to prove it to themselves.”
Matthew will be fighting on March 25 at Clan Wars in Belfast while James will have his first pro fight on April 23 at the Templeton Hotel in Templepatrick.
