LAST WEEK IT was ‘The Mountain’ from Game of Thrones who was training with Conor McGregor at Straight Blast Gym in Dublin.
This week it’s Ido Portal — the renowned movement expert who many believe to have been a major influence on the UFC interim featherweight champion.
In a recent interview with London Real, Portal spoke of his admiration for McGregor and expressed his desire to ‘do some work’ with the 27-year-old MMA star.
Portal got that opportunity yesterday when he was in Dublin, spending some time with McGregor and fellow UFC star Gunnar Nelson as they prepare for their respective bouts against Jose Aldo and Demian Maia in Las Vegas on 12 December.
Nelson posted on Instagram: “Enjoyed training with and learning from Ido Portal a true master of movement!”
If you’re unfamiliar with Ido Portal, a quick glance at his YouTube channel and website will reveal the influence that his ‘method’ has had on McGregor’s impressive athleticism and manner of movement.
“Teaching this new generation of fighters and equipping them with a paradigm shift — new hybrid tools, unseen before, new philosophy about their practice, new skill set and abilities,” said Portal on Facebook.
“There is a new breed of fighters coming up and with them — a revolution in the way the world views movement.”
Portal, who has an extensive background in the Brazilian martial art of capoeira, is becoming very popular with athletes across a wide variety of sports — MMA in particular.
Former Cork hurler Paul Tierney — who’s now a successful ultra-runner — told The42 recently that he has also learned from Portal, who imparts his method at regular seminars around the globe.
wow that’s fantastic
And not on TV
@Shem: rte player had it on… should have been on rte 2 as people would have watched it
@Shem: Whingebag comment. Do your research and you could have watched it on the RTE Player. Bitta auld internet lad
@Shem: I bet you’re the same person who gives out about these non popular sports being shown on tv and wastes tax payers money. You’re the disgrace. Fckn sick of it. It was on tv if you bothered your whole lot of loving to find it.
Bravo!
Brilliant performance by all athletes. Well done to all. Thought Sharlene ran a brilliant final leg. So controlled under pressure. But everyone did their part.
What a result. Thrilling to watch it on that linked twitter clip and I can only imagine what it was like live. Great to see so many tricolour flags in the stands too. Congrats to all 4 athletes doing Ireland proud! Heroes.
How this is not on terrestrial TV is ridiculous. Well done Ireland. Gutsy leg from Adeleke – no quarter given to Klaver and everybody ran fantastic!!!!
@Dave Gibson: Believe it was on Rte player. Great win.
@Dave Gibson: what a daft post, unless they are broadcasting the entire championship, do you think they are going to be able to get facilities in place to cover one race.
@mark sheehan: Ehhh, they are broadcasting all of it mate. They relegated the evening coverage in favour of the snoozefest rugby match in Limerick.
@Dave Gibson: Another whinger. Rugby was on. Load up the worldpipe and stick on RTE Player
@mark sheehan: They had it on the RTE player online, they could easily have had it on RTE2 as well
@Angles MacManus: mickey mouse eggchasing ffs
@mark sheehan: they showed the morning session on rte .
Absolutely Brilliant Race !!Delighted for them ,Well done and well deserved
Best performance from Chris since ‘Scent of a Woman’
@Angles MacManus: he reached his (vertical) limit?
Unbelievable stuff. All 4 were brilliant, but Rhasidat Adeleke is a superstar.
A big F.U. to all those #IrelandsFull crowd.
Can’t believe it wasn’t live on TV
Congrats guys, you done our little country proud.
Chomh bródúil astu. Na hÉireannaigh abú! All fantastic but Mawdsley and Adeleke, wow!
Absolutlely phenomenal achievement, hard to understate just how great a win this is! Shame I had to watch it on the BBC Iplayer, flacid commentary at best
@R Jay: Commentary on RTE Player was brilliant.
wow what a finish great stuff go ireland
The 2 irish Girls destroyed their competitors… Irish women athletes are historically few but historically always strong… Stronger than the men in relation to their competitors… Bravo all 4
Simply Brilliant …
Dancing with no stars more important
Fantastic performance by the team and a hugely proud moment for Irish athletics
Good job but ye won’t win anything in the Olympics
@tbEE5DMm: thats the spirit Tom, nice one.
@tbEE5DMm: good man Tom. There must be serious gremlins in your head. Magnificent performance by the ladies and gents. Second ever European gold. I suppose you won a few medals in the Olympics or the community games!!!!!
@tbEE5DMm: seriously Tom, flock off.
@Ben Breathnach: ah I’d say the only medals Tom has won, he has bestowed on himself. Gold medals for wnking profusely into a sock in his mother’s boxroom. Then shaking that same fist at his telly at other people out accomplishing actual major achievements.
@Ben Breathnach: American high school kids would destroy them
@Sean Parker: good one cornball
@Michael Kennedy: it’s true
@tbEE5DMm: I doubt that considering they were roughly 1 and a half seconds off the world record set by an adult American team.
@tbEE5DMm: you’re a miserable man, I can picture you now on your couch, a big overweight waster whose only bit of joy in life is talking scutter online
@tbEE5DMm: What a toss pott.
@tbEE5DMm: How did you get on in court last week?
@tbEE5DMm: you do know Adleke is one of the fastest athletes in the world.over 400m.
Such a miserable f÷cker.
@tbEE5DMm: couldn’t you have just said “well done” and left it at that?
A shame this was in GaaGo and not RTE