Belfast kickboxing champion learning off Hollywood stuntman father

Brandon McKibben was always destined to be a kickboxer. It was in his genes from a young age.

His father introduced him to martial arts when he was just three years old. He started competing when he was 11.

The now 23-year-old looks back to those days with fondness, moments of reflection after becoming a World amateur champion.

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McKibben has already claimed three World titles in his young career, while he's also won European, British, Irish and Ulster belts and trophies along the way.

Much of Brandon's success is down to his father Gary, a former champion kickboxer who has enjoyed a storied career and life including jobs as as professional wrestler and a Hollywood stuntman.

Gary was stunt co-ordinator for 2008 movie City of Ember which starred Bill Murray. He has also worked alongside the likes of Northern Ireland's very own James Nesbitt.

He now owns and coaches out of Victory Martial Arts gym in East Belfast, guiding the fighting careers of multiple champions including his own son.

"My dad has done it all. He used to fight and then he was a professional stuntman and was also a pro wrestler for a couple of years," Brandon said.

"He won kickboxing titles as an amateur and professional at multiple weights. He then went into stunts and was a professional stuntman.

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"He got offered a chance to move to the USA but stayed at home. All our family is here and we are very close-knit.

"But he was in loads of movies including City of Ember with Bill Murray. He was stunt co-ordinator in that. I was onset for that movie so I remember it well. He ended up organising all the flips because of his martial arts background.

"He is in the movie about five or six times as different characters. He helped some of the actors do flips.

"In one he was wearing sunglasses and a fake moustache, and then he got pushed out of a building. He trained in Las Vegas to get his stuntman licence.

"He has also worked with the likes of James Nesbitt. He was even a pro wrestler for a while, he was into everything."

Brandon's own kickboxing story continued recently when he remarkably won two World titles with back-to-back wins in two different weight divisions at a World Kickboxing Organisation K1 competition in Basildon. It was a box office success for the 23-year-old who stopped France’s Nathan Berthet and secured a TKO victory against Slovakia’s David Zold.

Brandon said: "The two fights were four minutes apart. I actually didn't realise I had entered in two different weight divisions.

"I weighed in light but still beat the guy in the heavier category as well. I KO'ed the first guy with a body shot, and I TKO'ed the second guy.

"I caught him with an up kick in the first round and he got an eye injury. It was eventually waved off.

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"My first title came in the 65kg category against a French opponent, and then I stepped up to 69kg for the second fight against a Slovakian opponent. I found the weight change okay, but I was tired in the second round of the second fight.

"The first fight was clean and perfect. The first round of the second fight was perfect, but I was knackered in the second round but I dropped him in the third.

"I had a four-minute break between the two fights, which is a bit crazy. The two fights had different rules as well.

"The first was A-class which is the highest level amateur, and the second was semi-pro which was literally fighting with pro rules, including no shin guards which I preferred. That went really well."

Brandon admitted he had manifested his two World title wins after writing down beforehand exactly how each fight would unfold.

He added: "I wrote down a week or two before the competition how I would beat each opponent, and it worked out exactly the way I predicted. Which is a bit strange.

"The Slovakian guy, I said I would catch him with a leg kick and slow him down a bit and catch him with upkicks, and drop him in the third round and get the TKO win.

"The first one against the French guy, I didn't see any footage of him fighting before. But I knew I would catch him with a body shot, and I did.

"I practise visualising things. The last five or six guys I have fought I have dropped."

Brandon's amateur success has paved the way for a move into professional kickboxing. He hopes to make his pro debut in March or April next year.

"I have three world titles now, and a Grand Prix World title which is when you score the highest ranking out of everyone for the whole year. I also have Ulster and Irish titles, a couple of British titles and four European titles," he said.

"My dad started training me in martial arts when I was three, and I started competing when I was 11. I have been involved since I was a young boy.

"The aim now is to turn pro. That's the path I am on right now, and hopefully I will have my pro debut next year. I will enjoy Christmas before that and then return next year. It will probably be March/April time for my pro debut."

Victory Martial Arts on the Castlereagh Road offers fighters a unique family approach. It is run by Gary, but Brandon and his sister also help coach some of the fighters there.

"My dad has run the gym since I was a young boy. It has been about for over 15 years," Brandon said.

"I love training with dad. I also work and teach at the gym. It is a family run gym. My sister also teaches there.

"My sister did my corner in my last fight, and my cousin has been in my corner. It is very much family orientated.

"My dad has also trained and produced many champions as well."

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