The Octagon awaits, and once again, the Monitrex community steps up.

Following on from the success of our ‘It’s Your Round’ event in Liverpool, we decided it was time to take it further afield, so we took our community-led fight experience over to Fight Academy Ireland in Belfast.

This time, we stepped into the world of MMA, with professional fighter and Montirex athlete Paul Hughes. The former Cage Warriors Featherweight Champion led the session, which was part of our Break The Wall campaign, focusing on using sport and community to support mental health. The day helped to create a space where anyone could step in, train and feel a part of something bigger.

Whether it was their first time walking into an MMA gym or they were seasoned fighters, our community showed up and got straight to it. Guided by Paul, attendees got the chance to experience a real MMA session, where they learnt new skills and got to put them into practice.

Once the session ended, it was time to recover with refreshments and a panel talk bringing together our professional athletes to share their own experiences inside and outside the octagon. And the fun didn’t end there.

As the evening rolled around, Lab54 took over, hosting the official It’s Your Round afterparty with drinks from Jubel.

From the first session to the final song, the day was about coming together, breaking down barriers and showing what can happen when a community steps up for each other.