While running his own fast food restaurant filled his heart with joy, Richie Smullen’s drive to fight was simply too hard to ignore, with the Irish sensation turning his back on his establishment in favour of putting everything into his dream of reaching the UFC.
In 2022, the grappling specialist proved he’s a man of many talents, starting ‘Richie’s Chicken Fingers’ with Dubliners making the trip through his doors to try the delicious fried chicken he had on offer.
With ambitions to take over the industry, the SBG fighter teamed up with his MMA pal and owner of Burger Boy, Rian O’Flaherty, to collaborate on a joint venture to give the people of Ireland the greatest tasting meals in the country.
And it didn’t take long for word to spread. The Waffle Combo, which came with three chicken fingers, a Belgian waffle, hot honey, and a beverage of your choice, proved an enormous hit, with punters waltzing into the restaurant to sample everything the pair of warriors rustled up.
Alas, as much as Smullen adored filling the stomachs of every man, woman and child in Ireland, in the end, he started to struggle with finding the necessary time in the gym to improve his martial arts skills.
Ultimately, with a heavy heart, the scrapper made his choice, knowing that nothing meant more to him than reaching his optimum sporting potential. And now, after claiming a second-round knockout at Cage Legacy 22 in The Dome at Grand Central Hall, in Liverpool, the brawler is ready to make the leap to the next level.
In an exclusive interview with MMA TV Live, he beamed: “That’s three knockouts in ten weeks. What’s next? I was watching a Mick Maynard interview before the fight, and if you get finishes the UFC is interested. I’m looking for one or two more and then pushing for the UFC. That’s everyone’s dream. I’m going to get there or die trying.”
However, his road to victory on Friday night was anything but easy. Throughout the course of the opening round, Smullen struggled to deal with the explosivity his opponent brought to the table. But luckily, the sportsman had a secret weapon up his sleeve — UFC legend, Artem Lobov.
Smullen explained: “He’s cornered a lot of my fights. He’s more like a brother than a coach. Young Gary Rooney was there for me as well. He’s the future of the sport. I had a great team behind me.”
Like many before him, Smullen has utilised the tremendous platform Cage Legacy provides to hone his craft in front of a raucous crowd. And now, it appears the charismatic athlete is ready for the next level, but before he dives in at the deep end, he’ll treat himself to a juicy snack, as while he no longer works in fast food, his friend’s restaurant, Burger Boy, is still firmly in business!
