After more than a decade of building his name, Ciarán Clarke had the chance to break through and showcase their talents on the biggest stage they had ever encountered. With half a million dollars and a shot at gold hanging in the balance, he trained tirelessly, knowing this was the chance that everything had been building towards. Through sheer bad luck, however, the opportunity was gone in a split second. The road to glory, set to run through an Orlando arena packed with thousands of fans, was replaced by the road to recovery.
Such was the case for Ciarán Clarke. The 30-year-old Drogheda native has been a mainstay of discussions on Ireland’s top MMA prospects since his teenage years. Since his amateur debut in 2012 at the age of just 17, Clarke has done the circuit of regional promotions all the way to the global stage. After turning pro in 2019, he was signed to Bellator MMA, the organisation long considered the second most prestigious in the world. With Bellator, Clarke amassed ten straight wins without a single defeat, including six stoppages.
After the Professional Fighters League (PFL) acquired Bellator, many fighters under contract with Bellator were unsure if their deals would be carried over, or if they’d be kept on at all. Clarke was one such fighter who felt that his career was in limbo. He need not have worried, though. His impressive 10-0 record was enough not only to secure him a spot on the PFL roster, but to warrant his inclusion in the promotion’s World Tournament at 135lbs.
The tournament marked a departure from PFL’s usual season format and, instead, had eight fighters compete in a single-elimination tournament. The prize for clearing the gauntlet was $500,000 and the right to face your division’s world champion at a later date. Clarke knew that this was his opportunity to break out as a global star: “I was three fights away from the title.”
Disaster struck just weeks out from the fight, however. In a training session with teammate and fellow PFL fighter Nathan Kelly, Clarke heard his knee pop and felt an “electric shock shoot up [his] leg.” He finished the session but knew it was cause for concern.
“I got the MRI done and kept fighting, training,” he said. “[The doctor] rang, and I thought he was going to say, ‘you’re being dramatic.’ But he rang me up and said, ‘Ciarán, it’s not good news […] full MCL rupture, full repair [needed.]’”
There were two options for Clarke: pull out of the fight and get surgery, or fight on but guarantee that a full reconstruction would be needed. He chose the former, knowing that fighting while injured meant he would be out longer than if he withdrew immediately: “I was just like ‘I’m gonna have to bite the bullet here, let’s get this done.’ It’s either 6-9 months, or 9 months to a year.”
Without even stepping into the cage, the opportunity to solidify his status as one of the world’s best had slipped away.
“As heartbreaking as it was at the time, it got even more heartbreaking. The guy that replaced me ended up getting to the final. It got more sickening as time went on.”
More than a year out from his surgery, Clarke is in the final stages of preparation for his comeback fight at PFL Belfast on April 16th. England’s Dean Garnett (14-4-1), the man set to welcome Clarke back to the cage, has twice made it to the finals of PFL’s European tournaments, and has made a name as an all-action brawler. The fight is, by no means, a tune-up to get an easy win after the injury, says Clarke.
“I think he’s a solid opponent […] People asked if I needed to have a warm-up fight when I get back in. I don’t feel like that at all. I wanna get straight back into where I was: a top eight guy in the PFL who’s fighting in the World Tournament. It’s gonna be a tough fight. It’s gonna be no easy fight.”
Despite coming off the longest injury layoff of his career, and carrying a top ten ranking into the bout, Clarke feels nothing but confidence ahead of his date with Garnett in Belfast. In fact, he expects the best Ciarán Clarke ever to show up in the cage on the night.
“I feel like a new man, a new fighter. Being out for a year lit a fire under me, to be honest. Time will tell as far as ring rust [goes], but – in nearly 30 fights, amateur and pro – I’ve never had ring rust.
“I was surprised to see myself in [the rankings] because I hadn’t fought for a bit […] but that’s where they see me at. I’m looking to prove that I belong there.”
Though hesitant to look past a veteran in Garnett, Clarke has a plan of what will come next with a win. With the tournament system now abolished and a conventional rankings-based matchmaking system in place, the #9 ranked contender knows he is just a few more convincing wins away from getting his first title shot at the professional level.
“Let’s just say, for talk say, that it’s next week and I’m after getting the win. I’m at a stage in my life now where I’m 30 years of age, nearly 31; I’d love to make a crack at it. Whoever they’ve put in front of me, I’ve always said yes. It doesn’t matter if it ‘makes sense.’ I don’t even think like that. They give me a name, I say yes. As a fighter, you should be confident enough to believe that you can beat any other fighter. That’s where I’m at. Build off each fight, build more momentum.”
“I want to build a bit of excitement as well. I want fights that people want to be watching and think, ‘awh, that was some scrap there. Can’t wait for his next one.’”
As difficult as it was for Clarke to stomach the disappointment of losing out on the World Tournament opportunity, he knows that – in the fight business – the best thing to do is keep going. For him, a new journey begins on April 16th; one where he’s more prepared than ever for whatever lies ahead.
I'm Jake, the Deputy Editor and Sports Editor. I'm originally from Enniscorthy, County Wexford, and I'm studying Journalism and Politics!