CHRIS BEAL WILL compete at flyweight for the first time this weekend, and it’s an Irishman who’ll welcome him to the 125lbs division.
Beal locks horns with Dublin’s Neil Seery in the opening bout at UFC Stockholm tomorrow night. Taking place at the 30,000-seat Tele2 Arena, the event is being billed as the UFC’s biggest ever in Europe.
He’ll be fighting outside of his native USA for the first time, and despite swapping the Californian sunshine for the Swedish snow, Beal says he’s been relishing the experience.
“This fight camp has been great. I’m in really good shape and I’m looking forward to joining a new weight class. I’ve been enjoying the weather in California but I’m really excited about Sweden,” Beal told The42.
Having been a contestant on the eighteenth season of The Ultimate Fighter, Beal made quite an impression on his UFC debut last April, stopping Patrick Williams with a spectacular second-round flying knee.
Like Seery, Beal has a reputation as an entertaining fighter who doesn’t hold back. The 29-year-old American says fans can expect fireworks when he takes on the veteran Dubliner.
“Seery looks pretty good, I’ve been impressed by what I’ve seen of him. I think we both have good striking and strong chins, so there’s a possibility you’ll see a war and we might get ourselves some bonus money at the end of the night.
“I’ve pictured this fight playing out so many ways, but each time the end result is the same, and that’s me getting my hand raised. He’s counting on me having a bad weight-cut and then getting tired as the fight goes on, but that’s not going to happen.”
After a 2-0 run in the UFC at bantamweight, Beal now has designs on making his way to the summit of the flyweight rankings. Keeping his unblemished intact this weekend will be vital if he’s to achieve that aim.
Beal said: “I want to make a run for that belt and he’s just the next guy in my way. I’m too big, I’m too strong, I’m too fast and I’m younger. He’s a very experienced guy so I’m probably not going to show him anything he hasn’t seen before. I respect him, but I don’t see him stopping me from having my hand raised.”
Neil Seery vs. Chris Beal will kick off the action at UFC Stockholm tomorrow night at 9pm (Irish time). The fight is exclusively live on UFC Fight Pass.
– First published 06.30
Let’s hope Scotland bottle it like they did in their independence referendum.
To be honest I’ll be disappointed enough if, atleast a handful of lads don’t moon em shouting freedom!
this is a proper game
okay deflection but I still think a decent keeper would have saved it
what’s he takin Wes off for?!!
I’m sorry but where was the f*cking urgency in those last 5 to 10 minutes
One word-drab
Not the team I would have picked but I am not the manager. Here’s hoping MO’N knows something the rest of us don’t! COYBIG!
No anya in Scotland team!!
not confident at all to be honest. n ire, Scotland and Wales all on the rise while we seem to be gettin worse, or at least not progressing much
we reap what we sow, total lack of support & investment in our league
Anyone else agree that Ronnie Whelan shouldn’t have the commentary gig for such an important match? I think every second thing he says makes me grind my teeth. Why couldn’t they have given the job to Giles?
Playing with a diamond midfield I think, 1-0 Ireland win. COYBIG
Rte player down. What the hell do I do???
watch porn instead
Is there a more unlikeable player around than Naismith?
Ronaldo. At least he’s a great player though
Looked like offside, 5 million to Scotland
You have stay positive #COYBIG
COYBIG
Scottish jersey looks like someone puked on it
That Naismith is an awful pr*ck. He’d also give Tom Daley a run for his money in the diving stakes.
This game is made for McClean & Long
And walters…. G’won
Nice start, keep it up! COYBIG
why is shane long still sitting on the bench?baffling.
C’mon Ireland! 1 more now!
And no dirty stuff!!!!
Get McCarthy off now. The lads head isn’t in the game at all. looks like he’s trying to get himself sent off
Mon now Ireland ta f**k! doesn’t even have to be pretty. grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr just feckin do it lads
Great atmosphere. The fans are really noisy. The team are playing with great attitude. And it’s 1-0… This game reminds me of Irl v Holland in 2001 when we won 1 nil courtesy of McAteer and we went on to qualify for the World Cup. It was a Saturday too if I remember correctly.. More of the same please!!!!!!!!
Really hoping for an Ireland and a Laois win!!
Scotland have this won from the National Anthem. We are a disgrace.
it’s the euros Ryan, not the eurovision
Given, whyyyyyyyyyyyyyy
Deflected in fairness to him. O.G.
Deflected
Yes I know this,but as a keeper myself he really should have gotten something on that playing at international level
Also, does Given know he’s allowed throw the ball to one of his defenders?
given should have readjustd simple as
Cant believe Shane Long not starting, he’s a proven scorer at premier level. Murphy ok, but scoring in lower league,
Proven scorer? Once every 4 games or so?
Really hope Ireland wins.( support Celtic after all) green`s my favorite colour ) Dunno what colour scotland’s strip supposed to stand for? Great goal from Ireland.
I’ve been prepared for the thumping we’re going get since the Poland game and this lineup offers no hope.
That’s the spirit!
O’Neill and Keane will get plenty of criticism after this but it’s time for the likes of McCarthy, Wilson, and Whelan to stand up in games like this. They are all playing for top half premier league clubs and their influence on the game today was negligible. It was poor, but I don’t think any other manager could have conjured up a performance from that group of players. Just a complete lack of leaders on the pitch when they were needed.
Is O Neill waiting for us to go 2-1 down before making a change.Murphy hasn’t done a thing
And bizarre decision to take Hoolahan off for Keane. Agree, should have been Murphy off
thought Murphy played well actually
Sorry, Murphy did play well, but faded later
Anyone else think we should have kept Trappatoni?
no.
Route 1 football on show,hoof it up and hope for the best,pure dogged effort,it’s like watching a mix between afl and tennis.Whelan and Walters thriving on it
Robbie Brady’s left foot should be made a patron saint #COYBIG
In my drunken state I have appointed him Fed Ex Brady because of his great delivery.
his delivery was brutal, don’t get that
It’s great to see Ireland winning, another home nation at the euros next year !
Home nation?
Ireland are a home nation like Wales
‘There were estimates that around 20,000 fans would travel over for the weekend — let’s hope that they don’t all have tickets’ – what a dreadful unsporting comment to make.
Well shut up about it
Murphy was terrible, look disinterested in the game, no urgency to get across defenders to try and get a header in, don’t know how o’neill and co could leave him on for 80mins and take-off Holohan. actually at half time o’neill must have told them relax Folks we have won because as a team they had no desire in that second half.
So are we out or what??