THE UFC’s return to London saw two Irish fighters kick off their 2025 campaigns in style.
Shauna Bannon and Caolan Loughran both claimed impressive wins on Saturday’s early preliminary card.
Tallaght ace Shauna Bannon pulled off a thrilling comeback victory, submitting India’s Puja Tomar via armbar in the second round.
It marks back-to-back UFC wins for the Dublin native, who had edged Alice Ardelean via split decision at UFC 304 in Manchester last July.
Bannon had a shaky start to the bout as Tomar pressed forward aggressively and landing early shots.
But the 30-year-old showed composure as she weathered the storm before turning the tide.
As the fight hit the mat in the second round, Bannon locked in a textbook armbar to seal the win, which was her first finish inside the Octagon.
The win moved her to 7-1 in her mixed martial arts career.
Her UFC journey began with a decision loss in London in 2023, but Bannon looked like a fighter reborn in the English capital.
In the men’s bantamweight division, Caolan Loughran delivered as he took a split decision victory over Nathan Fletcher in a tense bout.
The Tyrone native avenged a previous amateur defeat to the Englishman.
He now 2-2 in the UFC and getting his year off to the perfect start, and his record moves to 10-0-2.
Loughran’s forward pressure, strong clinch work, and relentless grappling saw snatch the win.
It was a big moment for Loughran, who had endured a tough introduction to the promotion with short-notice matchups and back-to-back losses.
Saturday’s win firmly puts him back on the map in one of the UFC’s most competitive divisions.
