CATHAL PENDRED HAS scored his third UFC triumph tonight in Boston — but there were a few raised eyebrows afterwards.
Pendred and Sean Spencer went the distance in the final bout of the UFC Fight Night 59 preliminary card, and the judges awarded the unanimous decision to the Irishman on scores of 30-27, 29-28, 30-27.
However, many were surprised to see the result going Pendred’s way. On the live broadcast, UFC commentator Joe Rogan said: “I don’t know what to say because I’ve just seen somebody get robbed.”
UFC President Dana White agreed with Rogan’s sentiments, but it matters little to Pendred who is now 3-0 in the UFC, 16-2-1 for his career and carrying an undefeated streak that spans eleven bouts, stretching back to 2010.
Pendred began and ended the opening round by succeeding with takedown attempts, but he was unable to make the most of the resultant position and Spencer soon found himself upright on both occasions.
But the main talking point of the first round was a flurry of big punches from Spencer that sent Pendred to the canvas. The Dubliner looked to be in trouble but displayed incredible toughness and heart, as has become his trademark, to withstand the onslaught and regroup.
The second round was competitive and Pendred finished it strongly, attempting a kimura in the closing stages but Spencer was able to escape before the buzzer. It was a tight third round, but Spencer seemed sure that he’d done enough when the buzzer sounded.
However, it ended with a second win of the night for Ireland. Pendred’s SBG team-mate Paddy Holohan got the Irish off to a positive start earlier in the evening at UFC Boston. The Tallaght flyweight comprehensively overcame Shane Howell via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27).
Great move for Arnold who’ll be coming out of his 3 year contract with Brive at only 28.
Hopefully he can build up an impressive reputation and shine for a wayward Brive side similarly to Farrell in Grenoble.
The first of many players across the four provinces who will be making this call in the coming months. With the fewer games in the URC and none in international windows game time has got more and more precious. Connacht are well served at centre with Aki, Daly, Farrell, Robb, and Bolton remaining. Other Irish players I could see similarly on their way to pastures new include Gallagher, any one or two of Healy, Crowley, and Flannery and Loughman at Munster and Ed Byrne, Josh Murphy, Penny, and the two O’Brien’s at Leinster.
@David Finn: i wouldnt include Robb here…hes never fit to play. I cant see Connacht holding on to him to be honest
@David Finn: ….you may not have all the names exactly right but your point is well made. Revive the 5th Province Meath, base it in Navan and develope the facilities to match in what is already a very progressive and ambitious club with a proven track record of growing the game to cater for diversity and an impressive record of progress on the field.
@Michael Murray: There is no need for another province what we need in Ireland is a draft system from schools rugby so players go where they are needed most. No use in IRFU shelling out money to keep 8 top class Irish back rows at leinster and then other provinces having to shell out big money for NIQ back rows makes no sense at all. Worst performing province gets first pick of the talent pool each year. We should also move the provincial schools tournament to a national level.
@Punts & Race Discussion: this is an interesting idea, but Leinster can only signup x amount of players each year to academy contracts.
There are still dozens of players who leave school in Leinster who aren’t signed by Leinster but aren’t picked up by other provinces at this early stage.
Also because of the amount of positions, it would take years before a drafts benefits would kick in.
And Leinster only add 4 or 5 players into the academy each year. So that’s 1 round of picks between the 4 provinces. Either way it still means theres talent coming out of schools in Leinster that provinces are ignoring currently.
@Billy Keenan: Leinster sign them to the sub academy so they stay and play their club rugby in Leinster rather than chance a trip to another province
@john joe brady: yeah that’s a good point and there was an article in the indo a few years ago saying something like 20 players were involved in sub academy.
But surely you’d have to say that an Academy contract would outweigh a sub academy one ?
Think Connachts of Illo from the U20s would be an interesting case study. ATightehad (not a position of typical leinster depth with salanoa, angier bent and McGrath leaving recently) who played underage rugby with Leinster. Could be good to dive deeper into what went on there and how he was brought west, a great talent.
@Billy Keenan: and Leinster took on 7 into the academy this year, which in fairness is much more than the 4 I said they did earlier ^^
@Punts & Race Discussion: absolutely no sense in changing Schools comp to national level. For a start you could have Bandon Grammar/PBC/CBC Cork/Newtown Grammar playing up the top of the country. The local rivalries are what drives the Schools Cups, and kids spending hours sitting on coaches to and from games against Schools they have no inbuilt rivalry with will detract from their enjoyment..
Also Connacht, (Garbally apart) doesn’t have schools where Rugby is the main (or only) Sport with male enrollments big enough to compete with other provinces. There are barely a handful of Boys only schools left in the province and fewer against with enrollments near 500 or more…
Anyway the underage Interpro’s pretty do the job pretty well anyway….
@Punts & Race Discussion: so basically force kids to play for teams even if they have no interest in playing for them? Move to a provience where thsy have no connections?
So say a lad from west cork was picked by ulster and said no i dont want to go there do se ban him from playing for his local club?