By Frank Bonada
With a lineup of returning champions and promising prospects set to compete at the 2024 IMMAF World Championships, one newcomer stands out: Nathan Kelly, an Irish flyweight training under the guidance of John Kavanagh at the renowned Straight Blast Gym Ireland.
Kelly is an intriguing addition to the IMMAF roster. Although his amateur MMA record of 4-2 may not be as eye-catching as some of his fellow junior flyweights, his experience with high-level promotions is unmatched.
What sets Kelly apart in the amateur MMA landscape is his unique background, having competed for both Bellator MMA and PFL – promotions that tend to focus solely on professional bouts. However, for Kelly, they made an exception, with the Irish prospect embracing the opportunity.
In December 2023, Kelly competed at PFL Europe 4, where he secured a second-round anaconda choke submission against Callum Seaton. Following this, he earned two consecutive first-round armbar finishes at Bellator Champions Series events in Belfast and Dublin.
Kelly acknowledges the increased exposure that competing on such high-profile stages brings, but embraces the added pressure, hoping that it will bring the very best out of his opponents. Speaking with IMMAF TV ahead of the 2024 IMMAF World Championships, he stated:
“I know there’s a target on my back. A big, huge target. But look, I’ve had the name Nate ‘The Great’ since I was eleven years of age. Since I hopped up on someone’s shoulders at a press conference. And ever since I’ve competed since that day, there’s always been a target on my back. There’s always been people that have been wanting my head on a plate, so it’s nothing new to me. People come to the gym and they have that target on me. I go to a different gym and I have that target on me. I’m used to it now, so I know what I’m going over for. And I’m happy. It’s going to make people become the best versions of themselves when they fight me. So, I’m going to get the best versions of everyone and I’m ready for it.”
Kelly’s experience and skills are bolstered by the support he receives from his gym’s environment. 2023 IMMAF World Champion Amy Scully and 2022 IMMAF European Champion Kian McCarton will also be competing at the 2024 World Championships, offering a strong team atmosphere as they prepare together. Kelly also benefits from the guidance of professional athletes like Danni McCormack, Ciaran Clarke, and Lee Hammond, all former IMMAF competitors who have transitioned successfully to the pro ranks.
Kelly shared: “There’s a good team of SBG people going over this year, I think there’s like four or five of us going over, so we’re going to be a good team unit over there. We’ve obviously all trained together, done our camps together, prepared together. Obviously, the older lads that are fighting with big promotions now, like top professionals, have all come through the ranks at IMMAF. So there are plenty of lads to get advice off and speak to in the gym. It’s a great team environment.”
Considering Kelly’s rising profile, it would not have been surprising to see him fast-tracked into the pro ranks. However, Kelly is committed to honing his craft on the amateur stage before making the switch. He believes in building a solid foundation, ensuring he enters the pro ranks as a well-rounded athlete prepared for any challenge.
“I think it’s very important to compete at amateur and get a good base of everything that you’re gonna be doing,” Kelly noted. “You don’t want to just jump in and start doing three five-minute rounds. I know I don’t want it anyway. I’ll take away the knees to the head and the elbows for the start. I feel like now I’m getting more experienced and I’m getting a lot better every single time out. I’m only improving now I feel like, compared to a year ago, two years ago. I’m excited to see now, the next year or two, the leaps and steps forward I take in the game.”
When discussing his goals, Kelly’s approach is remarkably grounded. While many athletes at the IMMAF World Championships aim for gold, his primary focus is on growth and self-improvement.
“In terms of what I want to achieve in fighting… I want to be the best version of myself that I can be. And I know if I reach that, and I become the best version of myself over the next few years, then there’s nothing that I can’t achieve. There’s nowhere that I can’t go, and there’s nothing that I can’t do. So yeah, I want everything, I want to take it all.”
Nathan Kelly, along with his SBG teammates, will compete on November 5th in Tashkent, Uzbekistan. Watch every fight live at IMMAF.tv.