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A fighter from Belfast is hoping that success on the world stage can help to inspire young people back in his hometown.<\/p>\n
Paddy McCorry from west Belfast is a middleweight mixed martial arts (MMA) fighter with a professional record of four wins and one loss but has gained prominence with stunning finishes – the MMA term for ending a fight by stopping your opponent from being able to continue.<\/p>\n
His next step is Las Vegas, where he hopes to emulate the success of fighters from Belfast who made the step up to global stardom.<\/p>\n
In the US city, McCorry will feature on The Ultimate fighter TV series, which amasses thousands of viewers globally.<\/p>\n
He currently trains at Fight Academy Ireland gym based in Belfast which has been home to multiple world champions in MMA.<\/p>\n
“I aim to have a great impact on my community in West Belfast,” he told BBC News NI<\/p>\n
“If I can even inspire a handful of kids from my area then that’s enough for me.”<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
The show features professional MMA fighters living together and follows them as they train and compete against each other for a six-figure contract with the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC). <\/p>\n
Many winners of the show have gone on to compete for UFC championships with some becoming UFC champions. <\/p>\n
The UFC is for many MMA fighters the holy grail of promotions, with the sports most talented fighters going head to head in front of global audiences.<\/p>\n
McCorry acknowledged the success that Belfast born fighters have had on the world stage.<\/p>\n