Sinead Kavanagh: Never Done Dreaming

Something always bothered Sinead Kavanagh about her August 2017 defeat to Arlene Blencowe under the Bellator MMA banner. Now, she gets to address it face to face.

Kavanagh will look to reset the narrative between the two rivals when she rematches “Angerfist” as part of the Bellator Champions Series 3 main draw this Saturday at 3Arena in Dublin. Split scorecards sent Blencowe to the winner’s circle the first time the two women met at Bellator 182. Like most verdicts of its kind, it inspired plenty of discussion and debate.

“It was seven years back,” Kavanagh told Sherdog.com. “It was a split decision loss, but if you look back on it, I think I won. I think I should have won that fight. We’ve matured as women and as fighters in them seven years. We are both mixed martial artists now. She’s fought for the title a few times. I fought for it once. I’m looking to win this fight to get back to the title, which I want.”

A longtime representative of the famed SBG Ireland camp, Kavanagh plans to drag Blencowe into the mud and avenge one of her six career defeats “by getting into a grueling fight” with the well-traveled Australian. She has never lost to the same woman twice. On the other side of the equation, Blencowe, 41, enters the cage on the heels of back-to-back losses to Cristiane “Cyborg” Justino and Sara McMann.

“It’s nothing clean with Arlene,” Kavanagh said. “She’s a fighter, and she’s a tough opponent. Both of us are tough. I need a nice standup game to win.”

In advance of her rematch with Blencowe, Kavanagh linked arms with the Crumlin Boxing Club—the same gym in Dublin where former two-division Ultimate Fighting Championship titleholder Conor McGregor set up shop.

“I’ve a lot of good partners from [the Professional Fighters League], from Bellator, from the UFC and the gym,” Kavanagh said. “I’ve been training with the best. When Conor’s down in the club, he’s got nothing but praise for me. He’s a great support for me. He sponsors me, and he’s always with me all the way. He sends me messages, and he’s just a good deal to me.”

Kavanagh has rattled off four wins across her past six outings. She last suited up at Bellator 299, where she wound up on the wrong side of a split decision against Sara Collins in their three-round battle on Sept. 23. Kavanagh still clings to the principles that brought her to the dance.

“Never give up on your dream and continue to believe in yourself,” she said. “That’s what I’ve done, and I have achieved it.”