Leah McCourt
Born (1992-06-21) 21 June 1992
Saintfield, Northern Ireland, United Kingdom
Other namesThe Curse
ResidenceBelfast, Northern Ireland
Height5 ft 10 in (1.78 m)
Weight145 lb (66 kg)
DivisionFeatherweight
Reach69 in (175 cm)
Fighting out ofBelfast, Northern Ireland
TeamStraight Blast Gym
Next Generation MMA Liverpool
ACTJJ International
RankBlack belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu[1]
Black belt in Judo[1]
Years active2017–present (MMA)
Mixed martial arts record
Total11
Wins8
By knockout2
By submission2
By decision4
Losses3
By knockout1
By decision2
Mixed martial arts record from Sherdog

Leah McCourt (born 21 June 1992) is a Northern Irish professional mixed martial artist and submission grappler who competes in the Featherweight division of Bellator MMA.

As of October 10, 2023, she is #1 in the Bellator women's featherweight rankings and #6 in the women's pound-for-pound rankings.[2]

Background

McCourt, who grew up on a council estate in Belfast, was enrolled in judo as a child by her father. From the age of 11, she quit judo and all her spare time was spent riding ponies and horses, competing around Northern Ireland at places like Balmoral and the Dublin Horseshow. When she was a teenager, McCourt developed an allergy towards horses, leading her to give up riding.[3]

She first started training at a mixed martial arts (MMA) gym aged 18, after giving birth to her daughter Isabella .[4]

McCourt signed an exclusive multi-year fight sports equipment and sports apparel agreement with Everlast is the first female athlete to be placed on an apparel deal from the UK.[5]

Amateur mixed martial arts career

McCourt started her MMA career in Clan Wars MMA, debuting on 7 June 2014 at Clan Wars 19, winning the fight versus Sarah Louise Scott by armbar submission.[6]

On 1 November 2014 McCourt lost from Aoife Murphy at Clan Wars 20 by TKO (punches).[7]

In November 2015, she won the IMMAF - European Open Championships in the 155 lbs division by defeating Sini Koivunen (by armbar submission) and Mia Isola (by unanimous decision).[8][9]

In November 2016, McCourt won the 2016 IMMAF World Championships after defeating Yvonne Chow (by Kimura submission), Taryn Conklin (by Kimura submission), and Julia Dorny (by TKO).[10][6][9][11]

Professional mixed martial arts career

McCourt made her professional MMA debut on 24 June 2017 at CWFC 85 - Cage Warriors Fighting Championship 85, losing by Rizlen Zouak via TKO (Punches) in Round 2.[12]

On 16 June 2018, McCourt took part at CW 94 - Cage Warriors 94 and won the fight versus Manon Fiorot by split decision.[13]

After this win, McCourt signed a six-fight deal with Bellator MMA.[14]

McCourt made her Bellator debut against Hatice Özyurt at Bellator 217 on 23 February 2019. At weigh-ins, Ozyurt came in at 148lbs and was fined 20 per cent of her fight purse. She won the bout via doctor stoppage after the doctor stopped the fight at the end of the first round due to a cut under Hatice's eye.[15]

McCourt won her sophomore performance on 27 September 2019 at Bellator 227 versus Kerry Hughes by Submission (Rear-Naked Choke).[16]

McCourt faced Judith Ruis at Bellator 240 on 22 February 2020. However, on February 4, it was announced that James Gallagher pulled out of the event due to a back injury, thus a McCourt's bout was bumped to the main event.[17] In the process, she became the first woman to headline a MMA event in Europe.[18] McCourt won the bout via unanimous decision.[19]

After her win against Ruis, McCourt had surgery in two places on her right shoulder, which prevented her from fighting again in 2020.[20]

McCourt faced Janay Harding on 21 May 2021 at Bellator 259.[21] At the weigh-ins, McCourt weighed in at 149.4 pounds, three and a half pounds over the featherweight non-title fight limit. The bout proceeded at catchweight and McCourt was fined a percentage of her purse, which went to her opponent Harding.[22] After McCourt caught Harding with an upkick, McCourt locked in the triangle choke and won the bout in the second round.[23]

McCourt faced Jessica Borga on 1 October 2021 at Bellator 267. She won the one-sided bout via unanimous decision.[24]

McCourt faced Sinead Kavanagh on 25 February 2022 at Bellator 275.[25] McCourt lost the bout via unanimous decision.[26]

McCourt faced Dayana Silva on 23 September 2022 at Bellator 285.[27] She won the fight by unanimous decision.[28]

McCourt faced Cat Zingano on March 31, 2023 at Bellator 293.[29] She lost the fight via unanimous decision.[30]

McCourt faced Sara McMann on October 7, 2023 at Bellator 300.[31] She won the fight by ground and pound TKO in the first round.[32]

Submission grappling career

McCourt competed and won gold at the 2016 IBJJF World No-Gi Championship in the adult/female/blue belt/medium-heavy division.[6][33]

McCourt competed at the 2018 IBJJF European No-Gi Championship. After defeating the only other competitor in the adult/female/purple belt/medium-heavy division, she entered and won the adult/female/purple belt/open division.[34]

McCourt competed and won gold at the 2021 IBJJF World No-Gi Championship in the adult/female/brown belt/medium-heavy division.[35][36]

Championships and accomplishments

Amateur mixed martial arts

Submission grappling

Mixed martial arts record

Professional record breakdown
11 matches 8 wins 3 losses
By knockout 2 1
By submission 2 0
By decision 4 2
Res. Record Opponent Method Event Date Round Time Location Notes
Win 8–3 Sara McMann TKO (punches) Bellator 300 7 October 2023 1 4:30 San Diego, California, United States
Loss 7–3 Cat Zingano Decision (unanimous) Bellator 293 31 March 2023 3 5:00 Temecula, California, United States
Win 7–2 Dayana Silva Decision (unanimous) Bellator 285 23 September 2022 3 5:00 Dublin, Ireland
Loss 6–2 Sinead Kavanagh Decision (unanimous) Bellator 275 25 February 2022 3 5:00 Dublin, Ireland
Win 6–1 Jessica Borga Decision (unanimous) Bellator 267 1 October 2021 3 5:00 London, England
Win 5–1 Janay Harding Submission (triangle choke) Bellator 259 21 May 2021 2 2:42 Uncasville, Connecticut, United States Catchweight (149.4 lb) bout; McCourt missed weight.
Win 4–1 Judith Ruis Decision (unanimous) Bellator 240 22 February 2020 3 5:00 Dublin, Ireland
Win 3–1 Kerry Hughes Submission (rear-naked choke) Bellator 227 27 September 2019 1 2:42 Dublin, Ireland
Win 2–1 Hatice Ozyurt TKO (doctor stoppage) Bellator 217 23 February 2019 1 5:00 Dublin, Ireland Catchweight (148 lb) bout; Ozyurt missed weight.
Win 1–1 Manon Fiorot Decision (split) Cage Warriors 94 16 June 2018 3 5:00 Antwerp, Belgium Catchweight (138 lb) bout.
Loss 0–1 Rizlen Zouak TKO (punches) Cage Warriors 85 24 June 2017 2 3:46 Bournemouth, England

[37]

See also

References

  1. 1 2 "Leah McCourt MMA: The First Female To Headline A Fight In Europe". Best Of Belfast. Retrieved 22 May 2021.
  2. ↑ "Bellator Rankings". www.bellator.com. Retrieved 16 June 2021.
  3. ↑ McCourt, Leah (15 August 2019). "Leah McCourt - The Blessed Curse". The Sports Chronicle. Retrieved 22 May 2021.
  4. ↑ "Leah McCourt". Active Communities Network. Retrieved 22 May 2021.
  5. ↑ MMA, FightPost; News, Boxing (21 December 2020). "Bellator Star Leah McCourt Signs Historic Agreement With Everlast". FightPost: Boxing & MMA News. Retrieved 22 May 2021. {{cite web}}: |last2= has generic name (help)
  6. 1 2 3 "MMA fighter Leah's daughter 'just loves it when she get home from a fight with a gold medal'". belfasttelegraph. ISSN 0307-1235. Retrieved 22 May 2021.
  7. ↑ "Leah McCourt vs. Aoifé Murphy, Clan Wars 20 | MMA Bout". Tapology. Retrieved 22 May 2021.
  8. 1 2 "IMMAF | 2015 European Open Medallists". IMMAF. 16 April 2019. Retrieved 11 November 2023.
  9. 1 2 "IMMAF | Leah McCourt returns to U.S soil for first time since winning 2016 IMMAF World gold medal". IMMAF. 20 May 2021. Retrieved 22 May 2021.
  10. 1 2 "IMMAF | 2016 IMMAF Worlds Medallists". IMMAF. 20 August 2018. Retrieved 11 November 2023.
  11. ↑ "McCourt to fight Harding in May". BBC Sport. Retrieved 22 May 2021.
  12. ↑ "Cage Warriors 85 results: Oskar Piechota claims vacant belt with 32-second stoppage". MMA Junkie. 24 June 2017. Retrieved 22 May 2021.
  13. ↑ "Cage Warriors 94: Ilia Topuria makes quick work of Brian Bouland". mmajunkie.usatoday.com. Retrieved 22 May 2021.
  14. ↑ "McCourt signs six-fight Bellator deal". BBC Sport. Retrieved 22 May 2021.
  15. ↑ "Doctor steps in to hand Leah McCourt her first Bellator win". JOE.co.uk. Retrieved 22 May 2021.
  16. ↑ Cunningham, Cillian (27 September 2019). "Leah McCourt Steamrolls Kerry Hughes To First-Round Submission". Pundit Arena. Retrieved 22 May 2021.
  17. ↑ "Injury rules James Gallagher out of Bellator Dublin; Leah McCourt vs. Judith Ruis moved to main event". mmafighting.com. Retrieved 4 February 2020.
  18. ↑ Davies, Gareth A. (19 February 2020). "A star is born as Leah McCourt first woman to headline MMA event in Europe at Bellator Dublin". The Telegraph. ISSN 0307-1235. Retrieved 22 May 2021.
  19. ↑ "'It's about the journey': Leah McCourt in disbelief after historic Bellator triumph". belfasttelegraph. ISSN 0307-1235. Retrieved 22 May 2021.
  20. ↑ "Leah McCourt pledges to return even stronger after shoulder surgery". belfasttelegraph. ISSN 0307-1235. Retrieved 22 May 2021.
  21. ↑ "McCourt to fight Harding in May". BBC Sport. Retrieved 11 May 2021.
  22. ↑ "Bellator 259 weigh-in results: Two fighters come in heavy, including co-headliner". MMA Junkie. 20 May 2021. Retrieved 20 May 2021.
  23. ↑ "Leah McCourt turns tables with upkick, submits Janay Harding in wild Bellator 259 finish". MMA Junkie. 21 May 2021. Retrieved 22 May 2021.
  24. ↑ Anderson, Jay (1 October 2021). "Bellator 267 Results: Leah McCourt Wins One-Sided Decision Over Jessica Borga". Cageside Press. Retrieved 19 December 2021.
  25. ↑ "Bellator Targeting Leah McCourt vs Sinéad Kavanagh for Dublin in February". SevereMMA.com - UFC, Mixed Martial Arts (MMA), Irish MMA. 17 December 2021. Retrieved 17 December 2021.
  26. ↑ Anderson, Jay (25 February 2022). "Bellator 275: Sinead Kavanagh Overcomes Injury, Wins Decision Over Leah McCourt". Cageside Press. Retrieved 26 February 2022.
  27. ↑ "Breaking: Leah McCourt vs Dayana Silva added to Bellator 285". SevereMMA.com - UFC, Mixed Martial Arts (MMA), Irish MMA. 27 May 2022. Retrieved 27 May 2022.
  28. ↑ Anderson, Jay (23 September 2022). "Bellator 285: Leah McCourt Hangs on to Claim Decision Over Dayana Silva". Cageside Press. Retrieved 24 September 2022.
  29. ↑ "Marcelo Golm vs. Daniel James, Cat Zingano vs. Leah McCourt headline Bellator 293 on March 31". MMA Junkie. 23 January 2023. Retrieved 23 January 2023.
  30. ↑ "Bellator 293 results: Cat Zingano wins grueling decision over Leah McCourt in entertaining scrap". MMA Junkie. 1 April 2023. Retrieved 1 April 2023.
  31. ↑ "Leah McCourt vs. Sara McMann joins Bellator 300 lineup". MMA Junkie. 22 August 2023. Retrieved 23 August 2023.
  32. ↑ "McCourt stops McMann to set up Cyborg title fight". BBC Sport. Retrieved 8 October 2023.
  33. 1 2 "Results World IBJJF Jiu-Jitsu No-Gi Championship 2016". www.ibjjfdb.com. Retrieved 11 November 2023.
  34. 1 2 "Results European IBJJF Jiu-Jitsu No-Gi Championship 2018". www.ibjjfdb.com. Retrieved 11 November 2023.
  35. 1 2 "Results World IBJJF Jiu-Jitsu No-Gi Championship 2021". www.ibjjfdb.com. Retrieved 11 November 2023.
  36. ↑ Fullerton, Gareth (9 October 2021). "Leah McCourt's stealth trip to USA ends up in world title glory". Belfast Live. Retrieved 11 November 2023.
  37. ↑ Sherdog.com. "Leah McCourt". Sherdog. Retrieved 7 August 2020.
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