An Irish MMA fighter has been arrested following a disturbance on a Ryanair flight.

Sinead Kavanagh, 39, was detained on Monday evening following the incident, which occurred on a flight from Gran Canaria to Dublin. It is alleged that she attacked two members of La Guardia Civil, the Spanish civil guard.

Ms Kavanagh was brought before the courts on Tuesday morning, according to police. The incident occurred while the plane was preparing to take off at around 7.30pm.

Irish MMA fighter Sinead Kavanagh has been arrested following a disturbance on a Ryanair flight. Pic: INPHO/Bryan Keane

Local media reports that two Civil Guard officers who were allegedly assaulted are currently on sick leave, while Atlantico Hoy shared footage of the incident in the aisle of the plane. A woman can be heard shouting in English while officers attempted to restrain her.

Canarias 7, a local newspaper, added that the pilot of the flight requested police presence after they were unable to control Ms Kavanagh’s ‘violent attitude.’

Ms Kavanagh, from Inchicore in Dublin, was reportedly released on bail pending an ongoing criminal investigation following a closed court hearing.

Ms Kavanagh has a 9-7 MMA record, and is friends with former UFC fighter Conor McGregor. Pic: Tyler Miller/Sportsfile

Ms Kavanagh was a five-time national boxing champion, and competed alongside Katie Taylor when they competed at the Men’s and Women’s Strandja Multi-Nations back in 2011.

She went on to begin an MMA career, where she trained with Straight Blast Gym (SBG) – the gym which trained Conor McGregor. She is said to be a friend of McGregor’s, a fellow featherweight.

She fought most recently in Bellator MMA, competing for the Women’s Featherweight Championship, which she lost to champion Cris Cyborg.

The incident occurred on a flight from Gran Canaria to Dublin. Pic: INPHO/Bryan Keane

Her last fight occurred in the 3Arena back in June 2024, where she lost to Arlene Blencowe for Bellator.

According to Fight Matrix, she is the 10th highest-ranked female featherweight fighter in the world.

Footage of the incident can be found below: