– Paul Dollery reports from Las Vegas

CONOR McGREGOR COULD get his hands on a UFC title on Saturday, but he might not be the first Irish champion crowned in Las Vegas that day.

Before McGregor takes on Chad Mendes for the interim UFC featherweight title in the main event at UFC 189 at the MGM Grand Garden Arena, the finals of the IMMAF (International Mixed Martial Arts Federation) Amateur MMA World Championships will take place up the road at the Flamingo Hotel and Casino.

Under the stewardship of McGregor’s head coach John Kavanagh, a four-strong Ireland team is competing in the tournament. Northern Ireland has also brought a team comprising of six fighters, with 28 countries in total being represented.

Ireland’s James Gallagher, who’s been part of McGregor’s training camp in Vegas in recent weeks, was particularly impressive as he disposed of American opponent Sam Agushi via third-round rear-naked choke in Monday’s first round match-up. The42 was on hand to get Gallagher’s reaction.

The Northern Ireland team got off to a winning start too, as Carl McNally submitted Sweden’s Renato Vidovic — also via rear-naked choke. The action continues tomorrow, with the finals scheduled to take place at the UFC Fan Expo on Saturday.

Team Ireland

Sinead Kavanagh
Frans Mlambo
James Gallagher
Kiefer Crosbie

Team Northern Ireland

Mark McGlinchey
Carl McNally
John McCorriston
Ciaran Breslin
Steven Moore
Denis Perry

Follow @IMMAFed to stay up to date with the latest results.

‘Conor is the number one mixed martial artist on the planet’

It’s been a long journey from a shed in Galway to the MGM Grand for Neil Seery