Healy Park to host action-packed night of cage drama

OMAGH is about to witness something truly special.

On Saturday, Healy Park will transform into a battleground for Virtus 4 – a groundbreaking mixed martial arts event that will make history not just for the town, but for Northern Irish MMA as a whole.

At the heart of this electrifying night stands Omagh’s own Damien McKenna, the town’s first-ever professional MMA fighter. In what promises to be an unforgettable moment for local fans, McKenna will headline the event in Omagh’s first professional MMA bout, marking a monumental milestone for the community and the sport.

McKenna, an undefeated force inside the cage, brings a tidal wave of pride and passion to the Virtus stage. Having built his reputation from the ground up—starting in local gyms, scrapping through amateur wars, and now breaking into the pro ranks—McKenna embodies the spirit of Omagh: gritty, fearless, and built on heart. His main event clash with fellow standout Alex McCooke, a champion in his own right, is already being billed as a ‘champion vs champion’ war not to be missed.

But McKenna isn’t the only one flying the local flag high.

Virtus 4 will feature 40 bouts in total making it the biggest MMA event Ireland has ever had – 25 are high-octane bouts from the Alpha Project, a 20-week training initiative designed to introduce and develop new fighters through rigorous preparation and competitive matches. This programme alone will showcase 30 fighters from the local gym OMMA (Omagh Mixed Martial Arts), a powerhouse gym that’s rapidly becoming the heartbeat of MMA in the region.

Virtus MMA, the promotion behind the event, has earned widespread praise for their dedication to grassroots development and professional excellence. Hosting this calibre of event in Omagh—complete with full production, broadcast coverage, and a stacked fight card—is a testament to how far the local scene has come.

Among the night’s most talked-about match-ups is the SubVault special feature, a unique submission grappling bout with a twist: ‘the clock is cash’. In this money match, every second counts—literally. Local BJJ prodigy Jacob Kerrigan, another rising star from OMMA, will lock horns with last year’s main event winner Jake Gilpin. Stakes are high, and the energy around this clash is already electric. It’s a perfect blend of technical grappling mastery and high-stakes drama.

Other standout bouts include: Cesar Correia vs Eoghan Gorrell – Two rising MMA talents set to throw down in what promises to be a technical and tactical firefight.

Jacob Kerrigan vs. Jake Gilpin – The SubVault main event. Expect slick submissions and relentless scrambles.

Tickets are available now through official Virtus MMA channels and are expected to sell out quickly.