Cathal Pendred

Cathal Pendred is an Irish actor and former mixed martial artist who competed in the Ultimate Fighting Championship. He was the Cage Warriors Welterweight World Champion.

Background Pendred was born in Boston, Massachusetts to Irish immigrant parents, when he was four years old he moved to Dublin, Ireland with his parents where he was raised alongside a younger brother and two younger sisters. Pendred competed in rugby growing up and was talented, winning the Leinster Schools Senior Cup.

Mixed martial arts career

Early career Pendred started his professional career in 2009. He became the number one ranked welterweight in Ireland in 2010 after winning the national title. In March 2013 he became the Cage Warriors Welterweight Champion after beating the title holder Gael Grimaud in London, England.

The Ultimate Fighter Pendred was selected as a cast member of the nineteenth season of The Ultimate Fighter on 25 March 2014. He was then chosen as the third pick for the middleweights on coach B.J. Penn's team.

In the quarter-final rounds, Pendred fought Team Edgar middleweight Urbina. Pendred defeated Urbina by decision after three rounds. Pendred fought Eddie Gordon in the semi-finals. He lost the bout by a split decision.

Ultimate Fighting Championship

Pendred faced Team Penn teammate Mike King at middleweight on 19 July 2014 at UFC Fight Night 46. He was victorious via second-round submission. The win earned him 'Fight of the Night' honours along with Mike King. However, King would also later go on to fail the drug test which resulted in his half of the bonus going to Pendred.

Pendred dropped to the welterweight division where he fought Gasan Umalatov on 4 October 2014 at UFC Fight Night: Nelson vs. Story. He defeated Umalatov by a split decision.

Pendred next faced Sean Spencer on 18 January 2015 at UFC Fight Night 59. Pendred won the fight by a controversial unanimous decision. Both Joe Rogan and Mike Goldberg had felt Spencer had dominated the fight and declared on air how baffling the decision was; later UFC president Dana White echoed this sentiment on air. Likewise, all 15 major MMA media outlets scored the fight in favour of Spencer.

Pendred faced Augusto Montaño on 13 June 2015 at UFC 188. He won the fight by unanimous decision. Montaño tested positive for testosterone metabolites in the post-fight drug test.

Pendred faced John Howard as a short-notice replacement on 11 July 2015 at UFC 189. He lost the fight via split decision.

Pendred next faced Tom Breese on 24 October 2015 at UFC Fight Night 76. Pendred lost the fight by TKO in the first round.

Pendred announced his retirement from MMA on 25 November 2015.

Acting career On 23 May 2017, it was announced that Pendred had been cast in a lead role in the Amazon produced TV series Lore, which is based on the popular podcast of the same name. Pendred plays Michael Cleary, a real-life character from Irish folklore in the horror anthology series. Michael is married to the younger Bridget (played by Holland Roden). When Bridget starts making more money than he does, and starts questioning his decisions, Michael is convinced that his loving wife has been replaced by a changeling. Lore premiered on 13 October 2017.

Personal life Pendred was educated in Belvedere College, Dublin and won a Leinster Senior Schools Cup medal in 2005 alongside future Irish internationals Cian Healy and Ian Keatley.

Pendred attended Dublin City University where he studied forensics, he graduated with a BSc degree in Analytical Science in 2012.

In April 2014 Cathal was pictured carrying a baby dolphin into the ocean. The dolphin had become beached and was unable to return to deep enough water on its own. A picture was taken with the dolphin in Cathal's arms as he carried it into the sea, this picture went viral soon after the incident. Subsequently, the story was reported across the globe.

In March 2022, Pendred graduated with a master's degree in climate change from Dublin City University.

In June 2024, Pendred married Virgin Media Ireland presenter Síomha Ní Ruairc.

Other endeavors Cathal was the subject of a 2013 MTV UK mini-documentary entitled "Pendred".

In 2015 Pendred became the first UFC fighter to support an anti-domestic violence group. He spearheaded a campaign which promoted the positive influence men can play in stopping domestic abuse of women and children. The campaign involved the release of a powerful YouTube video in which Pendred spoke about the role men can play in preventing abuse.

Filmography Film Year Title Role Notes 2016 Split Enforcer Also stunt player 2016 Jack Taylor: In Purgatory Xavier 2017 Cardboard Gangsters Security Officer 2017 My Name Is Lenny Roofie 2017 Release Marcus 2018 Black Water Dax 2019 The Corrupted Gerry Dwyer

Television Year Title Role Notes 2013 Ripper Street Phillip Guest role; 2 episodes 2013 Pendred Himself 1 episode; (MTV UK production) 2016 Ray Donovan Joxy Maguire Episode: "The Texan" 2017 Into the Badlands Rafferty Guest role; 2 episodes 2017 Lore Michael Cleary Episode: "Black Stockings" 2018 Strike Back Anton Krupin Episode: #6.10 2018 Magnum P.I. Wade Steuben Guest role; 2 episodes

Championships and accomplishments

Mixed martial arts Ultimate Fighting Championship Fight of the Night (One time) vs. Mike King UFC.com Awards 2014: Ranked #10 Fight of the Year Cage Warriors Fighting Championship CWFC Welterweight Championship (One time) Cage Contender Cage Contender Welterweight Championship (One time)

Mixed martial arts record Loss

Tom Breese TKO (punches) UFC Fight Night: Holohan vs. Smolka

Dublin, Ireland Loss

John Howard Decision (split) UFC 189

Las Vegas, Nevada, United States Win

Augusto Montaño Decision (unanimous) UFC 188

Mexico City, Mexico Win

Sean Spencer Decision (unanimous) UFC Fight Night: McGregor vs. Siver

Boston, Massachusetts, United States Win

Gasan Umalatov Decision (split) UFC Fight Night: Nelson vs. Story

Stockholm, Sweden Win

Mike King Technical Submission (rear-naked choke) UFC Fight Night: McGregor vs. Brandao

Dublin, Ireland Win

Che Mills TKO (corner stoppage) CWFC 55

Dublin, Ireland Win

Gael Grimaud Decision (unanimous) | Cage Warriors: 52

London, England Win

Bruno Carvalho Decision (unanimous) Cage Warriors: 49

Cardiff, Wales Win

David Bielkheden Decision (unanimous) Cage Warriors: 47

Dublin, Ireland Draw

Danny Mitchell Draw Cage Warriors: Fight Night 2

Amman, Jordan Win

Nico Musoke Decision (unanimous) OT: On Top 2

Glasgow, Scotland Win

Vladimir Malko TKO (punches) Cage Warriors: 42

Cork City, Ireland Win

Liam Shannon TKO (punches) Cage Contender 8

Dublin, Ireland Loss

Lee Chadwick TKO (punches) OMMAC 8

Liverpool, England Win

Jamie Rogers Decision (unanimous) Cage Warriors 39: The Uprising

Cork City, Ireland Win

Yuri Malko TKO (punches) TNP: Boiling Points

Wexford, Ireland Win

Liam Shannon Decision (unanimous) Cage Contender 5

Dublin, Ireland Win

Jonny Shiels Decision (unanimous) Cage Contender 4

Belfast, Northern Ireland Win

Merv Mulholland TKO (punches) KO: The Fight Before Christmas 2

Dublin, Ireland Loss

Ronan McKay Submission (triangle armbar) Immortal Fighting Championship 1

Strabane, Northern Ireland Win

Attila Horvarth TKO (punches) Strabane Fight Team: Fight Night 2

Strabane, Northern Ireland Mixed martial arts exhibition record Loss

Eddie Gordon Decision (split) The Ultimate Fighter: Team Edgar vs. Team Penn (airdate)

Las Vegas, Nevada, United States Win

Hector Urbina Decision (unanimous) The Ultimate Fighter: Team Edgar vs. Team Penn (airdate)

Las Vegas, Nevada, United States