Hailing from Twinbrook, Northern Ireland, No. 4-ranked Bellator MMA light heavyweight contender Karl Moore discovered his ardor for combat sports amid the rugged arena of street wrestling. Inspired by professional wrestling icons like “Stone Cold” Steve Austin, he immersed himself in the world of mixed martial arts, enticed by its unbridled intensity. He trained diligently at the Fight Academy Ireland Gym starting at the age of 16, balancing multiple jobs, grappling with meager finances and even resorting to sleeping on gym mats.
As he steps into the arena to take on Corey Anderson for the vacant light heavyweight championship in the Bellator 302 main event this Friday at the SSE Arena, a look at some of the rivalries that have helped shape his career to this point:
Rimantas Pukas
The Irishman started his professional journey in 2011 against Pukas at Battlezone Fighting Championships 4.