Coaching associate of Conor McGregor, the thirty-nine-year-old Irish MMA fighter Sinead Kavanagh discovered herself in critical scorching water after an incident aboard a Ryanair flight from Gran Canaria to Dublin on Monday, November 24. What began as aggressive conduct throughout pre-takeoff was a full-blown confrontation when the pilot requested police help, leaving two Civil Guard officers injured sufficient to take medical depart.
Sinead Kavanagh Flight Altercation
The difficulty started round 7:30 p.m. when flight crew reported that Kavanagh was displaying violent behavior on the plane, which was scheduled to depart Gran Canaria Airport. Unable to handle the state of affairs themselves, the cabin crew signaled for assist. Civil Guard officers boarded the aircraft to take away two disruptive passengers, however issues escalated when Kavanagh allegedly refused to adjust to their directions.
Video footage captured by other passengers and obtained by Spanish media outlets shows the moment things went sideways. Kavanagh is seen grappling with two officers, one male, one female, in the aircraft aisle as she allegedly “repeatedly struck” them while resisting arrest. Bystanders can be heard pleading “Don’t do this! Please!” during the struggle. The scuffle became serious enough that the officers sustained injuries, forcing both to take sick leave.
After additional backup arrived, officers transported Kavanagh to an airport holding facility, with 4 Civil Guard personnel escorting her in a patrol car. She spent the evening in custody earlier than showing earlier than a closed-court listening to in Telde on Tuesday, November 25, the place she was launched on bail. She now faces investigation for assault on a police officer and resisting arrest.
The incident gained wider attention largely because of who Kavanagh is in combat sports. The Dublin fighter is a ninth-ranked women’s featherweight competitor in Bellator MMA. She boasts 5 nationwide boxing championship titles from her novice days and competed alongside Katie Taylor on the 2012 World Novice Boxing Championships. After boxing didn’t pan out financially as a single mom, she transitioned to MMA, making her skilled debut in 2015.
Conor McGregor’s Training Partner
Kavanagh trains at Straight Blast Gym Ireland under MMA coach, John Kavanagh, who heads the facility and is best known for coaching UFC champion Conor McGregor. Although they share the identical surname, they aren’t associated, a reality Kavanagh herself has clarified. Nonetheless, she trains alongside McGregor as a part of the SBG Eire staff, and McGregor has publicly supported her fights, even serving to carry her backstage after a victory in February 2022 when she injured her knee through the bout.
As of now, Kavanagh’s investigation continues. Whether or not she’ll face journey restrictions or different situations stays unclear. Her final skilled struggle was in June 2024 in opposition to Arlene Blencowe, which she misplaced through submission within the second spherical.
