Ryan’s act of Valor gives him a debut win

Pic: Fiona Walsh

Nineteen-year-old Ryan Herihly from Sorell has taken the Tasmanian Mixed Martial Arts
scene by storm this weekend breaking onto the scene with an incredible win in his debut
match against mixed martial arts and Valor veteran Jesse Gibbons.

Barely giving his opponent a chance, Ryan took out the match by TKO in the first round
at the Valor event in Launceston last night.

Ryan said the event is something he had been preparing for mentally and physically for a
long time.

“This was something I put a lot of thought in to, I’ve been training 5-6 times a week in
Brazilian Jiujitsu, Muay Thai and MMA to get my mind and body in to the best shape
possible,” he said.

“This is my first competition, so I know I still have a lot to learning to do and a lot of
work to do on my technique.

“It’s important to me as an athlete to focus on each of the elements that make up this
sport, so I know I’m going into that cage as prepared as I can be,” he said.

Ryan’s coach and owner of Hobart Martial Arts Academy, Gerry Young, said Ryan is the
epitome of what it means to commit to mixed martial arts as a sport.

“Ryan is an exceptional young athlete who has put in the hard yards to ensure his skills
and technique are where they need to be to win competitions and championships,” Gerry
said.

“What you see with Ryan is what we (Hobart Martial Arts Academy) believe Mixed Martial
Arts is really about; being a committed athlete in numerous disciplines of martial arts
and finding out what your body is truly capable of.”

Gerry said that anyone can be a fighter, but very few can be an athlete.

“Any thug can fight on the street, but when it comes to mixed martial arts, it’s about the
correct training, your diet and health and your mental preparation, just like many other
sports,” he said.

“We couldn’t be more proud of how Ryan has represented himself, the club and the
sport.”
Carla Johnson