Legendary coach John Kavanagh has described moves to recognise mixed martial arts as a sport in Northern Ireland as a "major step forward".
MMA has grown into a massive sport here, with a rising number of clubs and participants producing amateur and professional champions.
But despite its growing popularity, MMA continues to be self-regulated and funded throughout the island of Ireland.
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But that looks set to change after the Irish Mixed Martial Arts Association (IMMAA) announced on Friday that Sport NI has passed an application to begin finalising the recognition of mixed martial arts as a sport.
IMMAA says the development marks a 'significant milestone' for the association and the MMA community after 'many years of relentless, hard work and dedication'.
SBG Gym supremo Kavanagh said on social media: "Big day for Irish MMA. This is something I have been waiting 20 years to announce.
"That Sport NI has accepted IMMAA's application for MMA to be recognised as a sport. Huge achievement for all those involved.
"I want to thank everyone who put in a lot of hours behind the scenes, in particular Danny Corr."
A statement on the IMMAA website said: "The recognition of MMA as a sport will bring numerous benefits including increased focus on fighter safety, regulation of events, and the possibility of funding for the development of the sport.
"The IMMAA team, led by Danny Corr, worked tirelessly with Sports NI to make this achievement a reality."
Corr - lead of the IMMAA team dealing with Sports NI - said: “This is a huge moment for IMMAA and the MMA community in this country and indeed in the UK as a whole. To be leading the way in the recognition process is a huge achievement but to get to a stage many believed was impossible is immense.
"This final approved application will be the blueprint for the sport and will be key to the sport being recognised in Ireland as a whole and the other UK regions.
"It has been a bumpy road to get where we are but we have put a tremendous amount of effort into this goal and we are thrilled that our hard work is paying off. I cannot thank Sport NI enough for their help and constant support throughout.
"Recognition will bring greater opportunities for growth and development of the sport in Northern Ireland.”
IMMAA President Kavanagh - the man behind Conor McGregor's incredible rise to success in the UFC - added: “This is a major step forward for MMA in Northern Ireland.
"We have always believed in the positive impact that MMA can have on individuals and communities and reaching this milestone is a testament to the dedication of our members and supporters.”
IMMAA ChairpersonTim Murphy said: “This is a huge step forward for MMA on the island of Ireland and we are very grateful to Sport NI for engaging with us in an open and productive way.
"Our path towards recognition in the Republic has proven more difficult so far but we are hopeful of making significant progress in 2023 and we could again call on the key stakeholders involved to engage with us in a positive manner.”
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