OISÍN Brady didn’t hide his emotion after his emphatic win at Total Kombat in London.
As his hands were raised in triumph after a knock-out victory at The O2, the Bantry kickboxer was draped in the French flag and wearing a tribute top to his late cousin, Oisín Gillain, who passed away suddenly in mid-March.
Oisín Brady and his siblings were more than just cousins to Oisín Gillain – their connection runs far deeper.
Oisín wore the special jersey designed by Keith Hunt in Oisín Gillain’s memory. It features a photo of Oisín Gillain, with flags representing Kilbrittain GAA Club and France, where he was born. It’s why Oisín Brady carried the French flag, too.
When Oisín and his younger brother Oran won world kickboxing titles in recent years, Oisín Gillain celebrated with them. He would have been proud of Oisín Brady’s performance at Total Kombat, a new form of combat sport as fighters from karate, taekwondo, kickboxing and MMA step inside the oval and battle.
In his Total Kombat debut, Oisín outclassed London fighter Abdallah Grayson-Cadogan, who has a background in taekwondo. The Bantry fighter, coached by his father Bernard, delivered the knock-out blow with his signature spinning back kick.
Oisín wears the French flag in honour of his late cousin.
‘I was planning on finishing him in the second round, but that didn’t happen. Dad told me the tactics, I was a bit too linear but I saw him overreaching on his kicks and that’s where I took him out,’ Oisín explained. He is eager to feature on the next Total Kombat card later this year – on this evidence, he will.
‘It was such a professional experience – there was the weigh-in the day before, the face-off, the ring walk, the media attention, through to the fight itself,’ Oisín told The Southern Star.
‘In the amateur set-up you could have 12 fights going on at the same time, whereas here it was one fight and a crowd of 1,000 people either cheering you on or booing you. There is an event on September 13th and I’d hope to get on that card. It’s definitely something I want to do again.’
Oisín didn’t flinch under the bright lights. It was the opposite – he revelled in it. He enjoyed all the extra attention, even his new nickname, The Natural.
The late Oisín Gillain with, from left, Bernard, Oran and Oisín Brady.
‘Myself and my dad were trying to decide on the nickname two hours before the fight,’ Oisín laughed. ‘One thing in our family is that we have said I’m the natural one, that kickboxing came to me naturally. The others might have more athletic attributes but in terms of skill I was always the more natural one – that’s where the nickname came from,’ he added, keen to do it all over again.
Oisín’s younger brother Oran (18) has also been in action recently. The current Paudie Palmer West Cork Youth Sports Star won double gold at both the Italian and Hungarian World Cups – he was unstoppable in the -84kg kicklight and light contact categories in both events.
And as Oisín and Oran fight on, Oisín Gillain will never be far from their thoughts – he will always be part of their journey.
