Still, the undefeated Irish standout sees at least two potential roads ahead, as he returns at Bellator Belfast this Friday, taking on Darius Mafi.

“It’s like, there’s two avenues now,” Clarke told Cageside Press during this week’s Bellator Belfast media day. “I can pursue maybe, whether it be a tournament I work towards, or— the only ting I would say, it’s a little bit in limbo with Bellator as far as the Champions Series, there’s no rankings, but we still obviously see the title fights are going ahead.”

The PFL has tournaments. Bellator has title fights. Both could be big. That said, Clarke clearly recognizes what he needs to do to land such an opportunity.

“I’d have to be in a position where I’m good enough to be considered for these things. But yeah, that’s it, just focus on each fight,” Clarke continued. “If I keep winning, then Bellator, I’ve never turned down a fight. If they tell me it’s X person next, it’s like yeah.”

“Here in Bellator, like you said, I started with them, I’m 8-0, please God be nine. I’m here to fight the best that they have, I’ve said yes to everybody. The opponent on Friday, I take him very serious, and that’s it.”

As Ciaran Clarke noted, rankings in Bellator appear to be gone. The promotion’s official rankings, previously voted on by members of the media (including from this website), have been removed from Bellator’s official site. For Clarke, however, the rankings were never really a necessary yardstick to determine where he was at.

“I don’t really care about the rankings. It’s kind of more you guys, actually, where you put us if that makes sense. Because reason being, when I’m losing fights even, Monday morning comes, or whenever, say please God all goes well, I was back to the gym Monday. It’s funny because win or lose, it’s just like ‘well done,’ fist bump. The man that I’m training with, he has a fight next week, I’m helping him prepare,” explained Clarke. “We know how good we are, we don’t need results or wins or losses to determine it. Of course that’s what this game is all about, is records and on the night, how good you are. But I think if you put it on a pedestal, this kind of big event, that’s where you crumble, the nerves get to you.”

“I know how good I am. I’ll just fight whoever they put in front of me, and if that means it’s a tournament ahead of me, or if it’s a title, or a guy that was ranked before, that’s the way I take it. And I’ll be taking it, I don’t worry.”

Watch the full Bellator Belfast media day appearance by Ciaran Clarke above.

The post Bellator Belfast: Ciaran Clarke Doesn’t Need Ranking to Know How Good He Is appeared first on Cageside Press.

Originally the move down to bantamweight came at a surprise, as Clarke has previously fought at as high as a 149.2lb catchweight. Despite that, Clarke admitted that he was ‘gutted’ to learn that his bout was changing to another catchweight bout, as he was excited to make the cut to bantamweight for the first time.

“The opponent didn’t change but this is actually at 140lbs now. Ten days out I got the news but it gets like that. I was gutted, I wanted to make 135 because this is actually the third fight that I haven’t fought in a weight class.

“Kind of gutted I wanted to see how it’d be, I just wanted to make the weight but it doesn’t matter, everything happens for a reason and I’m feeling good,” Clarke said.

Despite the move down to bantamweight being a surprise for everyone else, Clarke explained the reasons as to why he wanted to move down to a new weight class.

“First of all I knew I could make it. Back in November 2021 I was getting really light so I knew I could make it as well as sizing myself up to other people. The second reason is because I’m fighting a bigger man every time in there you can see it, I’m definitely giving up 10lbs.”

Unfortunately for Clarke, this camp isn’t going to be the one to decide how he feels at bantamweight, but with him being an active fighter, the opportunity will soon come.

Clarke takes on Polish fighter, Przemyslaw Gorny, at Bellator 299, who will be making his promotional debut on enemy territory.

Check out the full Bellator 299 media day with Ciaran Clarke above.

The post Ciaran Clarke ‘Gutted’ About Late Weight Change Ahead Of Debut In New Weight Class appeared first on Cageside Press.

Among the names added are a number of Irish stars, including Peter Queally, Ciaran Clarke, and Charlie Ward.

A former title challenger in the Bellator MMA lightweight division, Queally (13-8-1) will be looking to pull out of a tailspin in his fight. The 34-year old known as “The Showstopper” has not won a bout since his 2021 title fight with Patricky Pitbull, for the belt vacated by Pitbull’s brother Patricio.

After being finish in the second round of that contest (moving Queally’s career series with Patricky Pitbull to 1-1), Queally dropped a decision against Benson Henderson, then was finished by Bryce Logan in his last outing.

Against Queally on September 23 in Dublin will be Daniele Miceli (10-5). The Italian fighter is coming off a submission win that saw him put away Cédric Severac with a Von Flue choke last November. Miceli has competed for Bellator MMA once before, but it’s been a while — he’s returning to the company for the first time since Bellator 152 in 2016.

The bout has been booked in the welterweight division, with Queally returning to 170lbs for the first time since his BAMMA days.

The undefeated Ciaran Clarke (7-0), meanwhile, looks to continue his winning ways against Poland’s Przemysław Górny (5-3), who will be making his promotional debut in the fight. That fight is set for 135lbs. And Charlie Ward (10-6), a teammate of Conor McGregor at SBG Ireland, takes on veteran Gregory Babene (22-11) in middleweight action.

The final fight added to Bellator 299 on Monday sees featherweight Darragh Kelly (4-0) throw down with Jelle Zeegers (2-2).

Bellator 299 at the 3Arena in Dublin, Ireland is set to be headlined by a middleweight title fight between champ Johnny Eblen and #1-ranked contender Fabian Edwards on September 23, 2023. The following match-ups have been announced for the event:

Johnny Eblen vs. Fabian Edwards — for the Bellator MMA middleweight championship
Aaron Pico vs. Pedro Carvalho
Sinead Kavanagh vs. Sara Collins
Mads Burnell vs. Daniel Weichel
Peter Queally vs. Daniele Miceli
Charlie Ward vs. Gregory Babene
Ciaran Clarke vs. Przemysław Górny
Kenny Mokhonoana vs. Josh O’Connor
Luke Trainer vs. Laurynas Urbonavicius
Brian Moore vs. Otto Rodrigues
Darragh Kelly vs. Jelle Zeegers
Nicolo Solli vs. Romain Debienne
Mark Ewen vs. Noah Gugnon
Chiara Penco vs. Mackenzie Stiller

The post Four Fights Added to Bellator 299 in Dublin: Peter Queally, Ciaran Clarke, Charlie Ward Join Card appeared first on Cageside Press.

The SBG Ireland featherweight’s entire career has been spent under the Bellator banner, and his most recent win was a big one at home — with the only downside being an early ending. That, thanks to a doctor’s stoppage following the first round, which saw Tounkara sustain a shoulder injury.

“It’s a bittersweet ending to be honest,” Clarke said following the fight. “But if I could see it in my head, I was coming in the second and third. I really thought that was his best round, you know? I felt I was crowding him with the standup, he couldn’t get his shots going. That was the plan.”

In terms of getting back to action, given the early ending Friday, “I’d love to,” said Clarke, though he’d like a wee break first. “I’m going to have a chat with Jude, and hopefully get in there as soon as possible. I do need a week off after this though. I need a week off, I just need to decompress. I basically just kept training over Christmas because I got this fight announced, so I’m looking forward to getting fat now for a week.”

Asked whether he wanted a ranked opponent next, Clarke appeared content to take whatever the promotion offers up.

“I don’t want to rush anything or anything like that. Not that I don’t think I’m up there, I’m training with the likes of Pedro Carvalho and Richie Smullen and all the likes, UFC vets and Bellator vets. It’s not as if I don’t feel like it, I just don’t want to bite off more than I can chew. I’m a company fella I should say, I’m just here to fight who they put in front of me.”

Watch the full Bellator 275 post-fight press scrum with Ciaran Clarke above.

The post Bellator 275: Ciaran Clarke Doesn’t Want to “Bite Off More Than I Can Chew” appeared first on Cageside Press.