The 32-year-old, who joined the American Bellator MMA franchise in 2012 after being crowned British champion at Fort Regent, has dominated proceedings at light-heavyweight level of late. And with nine convincing victories (from nine professional fights) to his name, he is now vying for the world title.
Age: 32
Height: 6-ft 6-in
Weight: 93 kg
Professional record: 9 wins, 0 defeats
The achievements of the 6-feet 6-inch powerhouse may well have gone unnoticed by many in Jersey as the sport struggles to attract the level of attention paid to it across the pond. But, despite only having moved to the Island as a teenager, he still views it as his home and constantly has to correct his American counterparts who know only of their own ‘Jersey’.
McGeary moved over from the UK at the age of 15 to work as a steel fixer and then later as a delivery driver. He had a basic understanding of boxing from an early age from his father, who still lives in Jersey, but it wasn’t until his mid-twenties that he began training in kickboxing and Brazilian Jiu Jitsu.
His natural talent was immediately recognised and he combined his skills under Jersey MMA coaches Andrew Toporis and Stuart McIntyre, and his ability was such that he turned professional after just one amateur fight. With the reigning champion then being the only fighter willing to face McGeary, the Islander went on to capture the ICO British title in only his second professional bout, which took place at Fort Regent in 2011.
However, with MMA still largely unrecognised in the Island, he then had trouble finding opponents as top fighters in the UK remained wary of Jersey’s ‘unknown quantity’. Even as British champion McGeary struggled to attract the level of support (both financial and moral) obtained by his mainland counterparts and he was forced into selling everything he owned to fund his relocation to America, where the sport is mainstream and the training is cutting edge.
- Mixed Martial Arts is a combat sport that incorporates boxing, kickboxing, wrestling, judo and jiu jitsu.
- Fights incorporate 3 x 5 minute rounds (although McGearys title fight will be 5 x 5 minute rounds as it is for championship).
- Fighters wear shorts, 4 oz gloves, groinguards and gumshields.
- Wins can be achieved by knockout, technical knockout (referee stoppage), submission (via a joint lock) or by judges decision.
- Wrongly labelled cage fighting, MMA is a multi-billion dollar industry worldwide, with main sponsors including Xbox, Gilette, Sky, Harley Davidson, Budweiser and Burger King.
- Bellator is one of the two main MMA franchises in America [UFC is the other], and the last event broke viewing records, with over three million people tuning in.
- Bellators owners also control Channel 5, who will be televising McGearys fight.
- Plans are in place to broadcast the fight in Jersey, although venues are still to be confirmed.
Ironically enough, McGeary moved to New Jersey in 2012 and in a matter of months he had his first US victory – a second round knockout. This success was so impressive that he was signed by Bellator, and he gained entry into last summer’s championship with three first-round wins.
Three further devastating wins, including one which took just 22 seconds, gave McGeary a Bellator light-heavyweight title (he was the first Brit ever to achieve this) and, as a result, he now has a shot at becoming world champion at the Mohegan Sun Arena in Conneticut later this month.
Should he make it ten wins from ten when he meets Emmanuel Newton on 27 February, McGeary will become the first British fighter to win a major world title in MMA. And, despite support here still being limited other than some private backing from Islanders such as Margaret Thompson and Kate Taylor, he is hoping he can finally put the ‘original Jersey’ on the map, once and for all.
‘Whenever I tell people I am from Jersey they assume New Jersey, as it is very close to New York, where I train,’ said McGeary. ‘I have to correct them and they get confused when I say “no, original Jersey”.
‘I am working hard to make sure I am the first British world champion and it is an honour to represent my country like this. I want to return to Jersey to see my friends and family with the world title belt around my waist … that would be some homecoming.’
Islander Mike Cañas, McGeary’s UK promoter, added: ‘It is a huge opportunity for a British athlete, let alone a Jersey lad. This isn’t just achieving good results locally or even nationally; this is a Jersey athlete representing the country internationally to become number one on the planet.
‘A lot of attention is paid to other sports and athletes locally but when you compare impact, level of competition and fan-base then the relative support given seems a bit skewed. There can only ever be one first British world champion, imagine that accolade going to a Jerseyman!’.
