GO the extra mile. How many times have those four words been uttered in a sporting context? Gavin Kelly certainly believes in it. The Moneyneana man treks 600 miles a week in the pursuit of excellence.

That’s the life of individual sport – tunnel vision. The defined path to the summit is clear but a professional career in mixed martial arts demands it. Five mornings a week ‘Heamy’ bails into his BMW and makes the familiar journey over the Feeny mountain to his training based at Evolve in Derry.

With his thoughts for company and the vibes of Lateralus (by Tool) booming out of the speakers- time to get tuned for the week ahead.

With the training session in the bank, Kelly heads back home around midway to recharge the batteries for the second part of his day.

Training twice daily, with Sunday as his only day off, it is a tough schedule. Kelly takes up the story. “Every morning in Derry is technical stuff like striking and grappling. In the evening in Ballymena, it would be harder training. You’d be live, you be wrestling and sparring.

“Every day is much the same, we do different things at training but the week is pretty much set – Derry every morning and coaching (in Ballymena) every evening.”

Kelly comes from a GAA background and often gets asked about his MMA schedule.

“In the morning it’s like a shooting drill under no pressure, going over the techniques. Then in the evening you’d have a defender on you, hounding and tackling you. It’s live and fight specific.”

Like most other lads in Ballinascreen, Kelly spent his time kicking and pucking balls.  Kelly scored the winner in the 2005 minor championship final win over Bellaghy.

FIRST TASTE

University came calling and still Kelly’s new sporting life hadn’t raised its head just yet. His career pathway was ignited by two fellow ‘Screen men.

“I used to be massive into my GAA and went to uni to be a Sports Development Officer, going down the Tony Scullion, Kevin Manás (Kelly) route.

Once in Jordanstown another friend introduced him to the realms of MMA. “Philly McGlade got me into it, he showed me a video and we started watching a lot of it.”

The duo were joined by Benny Ennis (a former Down hurler) for a stroll down the UUJ mall and a poster advertising MMA caught their eye.

“We just rocked down, I really enjoyed it so I started training and I ended up taking it a bit more serious. Philly trained serious enough for a year, had two amateur fights and won them both.”

Alongside the studies Kelly’s career rocketed with a 10-4 record (10 wins and 4 defeats) promoting him to the number one bantamweight in the country. On graduation his calling was just around the corner.

“I got offered a pro fight so I just turned pro and that was it and (now) I’m pretty much full time.” Kelly had plans for the summer in San Francisco, post graduation - to kick a bit of ball and see the world.

“I got a good opportunity to turn pro and I was going to America so I could have done with the money from the fight.

“Basically your management team know when you are ready to turn pro. I didn’t even think about it. You’re fighting amateur and you’re not getting paid, then somebody offers you money for a fight so you’re saying ‘Jeez aye’ and everything went well and then ended up in a career which I never expected.”

Now in his third year as a pro (6^th season in total), Kelly typically fights three or four times a year and enjoys the flexibility of dictating his own schedule. It helps him continue dipping into his GAA past.

“You fight when it suits you so I try to keep the summer free. I’d hate it if the summer I had a fight, we’d (Ballinascreen) end up winning a couple of championships.”

If anything the GAA training complements his MMA preparations, helping top up on his cardio sessions. “Out of fight camp the intensity is low, you’re trying to improve everything and stay injury free.

“Once it hits the eight week mark, you are basically flat to the wall for six weeks and you’ll chill for two weeks and cut the weight.”

"During fight camp you concentrate more on the explosive stuff. I’d only really right fight maximum three or four times. You can’t be in fight camp all the time as it is too gruelling,” indicated Kelly.

His style demands a high level of fitness. As Kelly explains, it’s all about turning up the heat on his opponents to a level that only the strongest will survive.

“I am a wrestler. I’m very fit. I am a grinder, I want to make the other person quit. To set such a pace that they just want to get out of there.”

ADVERSITY

His career wasn’t without it's drawbacks, with an ACL (cruciate) and two broken legs. Living in Liverpool at the time economics dictated a return to Ireland.

“It (2012) was just the worst year ever. If you don’t fight or coach you don’t get paid so I couldn’t afford the rent so moved home.”

Kelly bounced back though. The resolve bubbles out of those with the focus to reach the pinnacle of their career. He didn’t do it alone though.

The strength and conditioning work in Antrim based gym CrossFit, the support of his grappling coach Jason McCabe, evening sessions spent with his MMA coach Rodney Moore in Ballymena all helped Kelly build himself back up again.

To put the finishing touches Kelly still returns to Merseyside in the immediate build-up to his fights. “For my last fight I went to Liverpool for three weeks before it. The training is better, more training partners and also Paul Rimmer is one of the best coaches around.”

‘Heamy’ owes a debt of gratitude to a more local influence. “My main training partner was a wee guy Jarlath McGuigan (from Draperstown) until I moved to Liverpool.

“I fought out of Evolve in Derry and when I went to Liverpool I started training at Next Generation and they have a gym in Ballymena so when I am home I train there.”

For a career that started from an impulse decision back in his student days, Kelly is thriving. However, the drawback is ‘making the weight’ (135 lbs) for his fights.

A change of lifestyle gives him a succinct advantage. “I used to cut 30 pounds then I turned vegan and got my walking weight down. So now I only cut my weight by 15 pounds, the vegan diet is a lot easier with the weight cuts.

“That’s the crap part, all the rest is fun,” added Kelly.

It’s a sacrifice, a means to an end and that is the attraction of individual sport for Kelly. ”If I lose there is nobody to blame but myself.

“You have your training partners and your coaches but if you don’t put in the work it’s your fault, nobody else that lets you down. The same thing when you win, you have put in the work.”

McGREGOR

As our conversation reaches a conclusion, I randomly throw the name of Conor McGregor out there.

Kelly confesses to ‘not really being a McGregor fan’ but having encountered ‘The Notorious’ early in his career, Kelly is somewhat surprised by his progress.

“We fought on the same shows (not against each other) in Derry and Letterkenny. We were sharing a changing room and back then you’d never have guessed how far he would get.

“He wasn’t even one of the main fights on the card. It’s crazy how far he has come,” Kelly admitted.

Kelly and McGregor’s gyms are in opposition but Kelly has fought a lot of ‘their’ guys. So what is next for the Moneyneana man?

“My main goal is to get top fighter in the country. I am currently ranked number three but I train with the top two guys Alan Philpot (Ballymena) and Damian Rooney (Newry) so I can’t fight them to get to number one.”

Kelly points to ‘other fights’ and still aims to get to the top.

The next chapter isn’t until September so for now Kelly’s BMW will get a bit of respite, for now anyway.

Heamy will swap some of his Derry and Ballymena sessions for the familiar surroundings of Dean McGlinchey Park.

Keeping his fitness levels topped up on the GAA fields of the county will keep the mind fresh. A change is as good as a rest. Behind it all will be the hope that a serious injury doesn’t crop up.

Once fight camp recommences, the caman and football will be put to one side again. The MMA will get his full undivided attention. It will be the serious business again and Kelly will be back in his cocoon – time to go the extra mile.

If you have a story or want to send a photo or video to us please contact the Derry Now editorial team on 028 7129 6600 for Derry City stories Or 028 7774 3970 for County Derry stories. Or you can email gareth@derrynews.net at any time.