Nathan Kelly overcame a cocaine addiction to become one of Ireland's hottest fighting prospects.
Kelly, 27, has a professional MMA record of 10-2 and fights Jose Sanchez at the Bellator Champions Series in Dublin tonight. Life hasn't always been smooth sailing for Kelly, who didn't fight for three years as he went through a rough patch because of a substance abuse problem.
With his drink and drug days behind him, Kelly wants to use his platform as a top MMA fighter to inspire youngsters in his local area. “I’d love to be a shining light for all of the youngsters around the area. I feel like a lot of them are misled and don’t have positive male role models in their life," he told Mirror Fighting.
"Even some of those who do, their mates are bad influences that they lead them down the wrong road anyway. I know everyone has a choice, but sometimes your mates can drag you down. It’s about getting young lads to realise that you need to think for yourself and do the right things to put yourself in the right position in life."
“I was in a bad position, had mental struggles and addiction problems but with a bit of self-help and willpower I got myself out of that. I come from nothing, I’m not supposed to make it. We’re doomed from this area, so I’d like to show people to not listen to the critics and that you can achieve anything if you put your mind to it."
Reflecting on his dark days, Kelly couldn't understand what was wrong with him and why he chose the path he did. The Irishman felt anxious on a daily basis from abusing cocaine and admitted it was a choice he made. "I look back and couldn't believe what the f*** I was doing," he added.
“It actually baffles me how normalised the drink and drug culture is nowadays. It’s almost like you have to do it, to experience that part of your life and say you did it. Bit by bit, people get worn down from being on cocaine and a lot of suicides come in. People go into states of psychosis and owe money, families get dragged into it and it causes so many problems that people don’t realise."