Leading mixed martial arts gym, Straight Blast Gym or “SBG” as it’s more widely known, home to some of the world’s best professional MMA athletes, opened its doors to the Dublin community on Saturday afternoon, as fans filled the MMA cage with new children’s toys, all in the name of charity.
The toys collected will be donated to St Vincent De Paul (SVP) – the largest voluntary charitable organisation in Ireland – with the presents being delivered to children across the country in time for Christmas.
The event, which was organized by leading MMA promotion BELLATOR MMA, challenged its loyal and passionate fanbase in Dublin to create a truly knockout Christmas and they didn’t disappoint with fans turning up in their numbers to support a great cause.
The cage was stacked with donations from the generous Irish fans, with hundreds of presents donated with the aim of putting smiles on children’s faces across Ireland during this festive season.
Alongside donating their gifts, fans were able to pose for photographs and meet their heroes including legendary MMA coach John Kavanagh, as well as a host of current Irish BELLATOR stars including, Peter Queally, Sinead Kavanagh, Brian Moore and Darragh Kelly.
The community event, which was broadcast live on FM104, also included prize giveaways and live music throughout a fun-filled community afternoon in the Irish capital.
Speaking on the day at SBG Ireland MMA legend John Kavanagh, said:
“I’m delighted we were able to help organise the event and host it here at SBG HQ. The cage was filled with toys and it’s incredible to see them all stacked up. It will make a huge difference this Christmas for the children who need it most. I want to thank everyone who donated and came down on the day. Merry Christmas to everyone.”
Irish BELLATOR MMA star Sinead Kavanagh, said:
“It’s a week to go until Christmas and times are tough for everyone but it’s great to be able to give something back to the children of Dublin and support the St Vincent De Paul charity. It’s incredible to see so many toys and let’s hope it’s a good Christmas for everyone.”
BELLATOR MMA’s Head of Europe, David Green, said:
“It has been a truly special day here in Dublin and I want to thank the extremely generous Irish community for their donations for such a great cause. Dublin is a huge part of the BELLATOR MMA event calendar, and we wanted to give something back to the community at this special time of year.
“We hope the donations received will provide a special Christmas for families across Ireland. From our fans to the wider community, Ireland has given so much to BELLATOR MMA, so to play a small part in giving something back is very rewarding. I wish everyone a Merry Christmas and we can’t wait to provide many more special moments in Dublin in 2023.”
BELLATOR MMA returns to the 3Arena on Saturday, February 25, 2023 for BELLATOR 291 Amosov vs. Storley. Tickets are selling fast and can be purchased at Ticketmaster.ie and Bellator.com now.
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