James Gallagher Wants To Be A Two Division Champion By Next Year
James Gallagher is currently 20 years old and he holds a professional MMA record of 7-0-0, with four of those wins coming under the Bellator MMA banner.
Even though the Irishman competes at featherweight right now, by next year, the fighter wants to be a two division champion.
“It’s a different kind of challenge. Different people and I feel like, if I’m speaking realistically, I know I want the belt and I called for the belt but I feel like it’s gonna take me another three or four fights to get me a shot at the belt. But I feel like if I drop down to 135, I only need one or two [more fights]. That’s part of the reason. And I’m only 20 years old. Maybe in two or three years time I won’t be able to make 135 but I can now so I’m gonna go and do what Conor did. I’m gonna go down and get the 135 belt and then I’m gonna come back up and get the 145 belt,” Gallagher said on The MMA Hour.
Gallagher last competed at Bellator 180 and he submitted Chinzo Machida in the opening round of their fight.
The Irishman plans on dropping to bantamweight for his next fight, which should be happening later this year.
“I think November is next for me and I’m thinking I’m going down and whipping a few 135ers,” Gallagher said. “I’m gonna drop down a weight class I think. I’m gonna speak to my team first before committing to anything but it’s looking like 135 is in the cards and hopefully I can go down and get that belt. Hopefully I’ll have one or two fights and I’ll get the title shot. I’m quite confident. I’m not 100 percent sure but I’m quite confident that it’s gonna be at 135.”
Right now, the current king of the bantamweight division is Eduardo Dantas and the current king at featherweight is Patricio Freire.