FAMILY rows could easily get a bit messy in the Conlin household...

As brothers Kieran, 18, Liam, 22, and 50-year-old dad John are all cage fighting fanatics.

The Clydebank trio are obsessed with mixed martial arts (MMA) which sees competitors battle it out in a caged octogon-shaped arena.

Made famous by the Ultimate Fighting Championship in America, MMA is now the fastest growing sport in the world and Kieran has emerged as one of the country’s hottest talents.

Kieran trains six days per week and is joined at the D-Unit MMA gym in Dumbarton by his brother and father around four times a week.

The teenager is well-equipped to deal with the bumps and bruises that come with MMA as he is also studying sports therapy at City of Glasgow College.

And Kieran, a former St Peter the Apostle pupil, is now preparing for his first competitive fight next Saturday in Hamilton.

He said: “I played pro youth football for years and my older brother had trained in mixed martial arts for a short time previously and wanted to get back into it. So I went along with him and my dad and I got hooked straight away. It’s gradually progressed from there and my interest for football died down as my interest in MMA grew.

“The environment of the D-Unit was a big factor in this. I was expecting the typical stereotypes of so-called cage fighters but every single member of what is in reality a community and a family welcomed me with open arms and helped me progress to the stage of being good enough to compete in this upcoming bout.

“It’s also given my brother, my dad and myself the same interest and we’re now surrounded by the same influential people.

“My dad is still the boss in the house — but he’s getting a wee bit old now.” Kieran could have made it as a professional footballer, having played with Hamilton Accies and Kilmarnock youth sides, but his love of mixed martial arts took over and he quit football 18 months ago.

MMA is a highly-skilled sport as it involves a variety of fighting disciplines from boxing and jiu jitsu to Muay Thai. Bouts are generally fought over three five-minute rounds and are decided by submission, knockout, or judges’ decision.

Kieran takes on Connor Magowan at the First Fighting Championship in Hamilton town hall next weekend.

He said: “I don’t know too much about my opponent other than the fact that he’s a bit older than me and has already had two competitive fights.” Kieran’s coach John Nicolson said: “Kieran is a dedicated athlete who has done extremely well since crossing over into MMA from pro youth football.

“He is fully aware of the commitment required to succeed in sport, and he has a great family behind him aswell as the full support of all his team mates.

“As a prospect, quite truthfully, he potentially is as good as we’ve had. Each generation we produce better and better MMA athletes. Getting Kieran young, with his already well-developed work ethic, was ideal.” STUDENTS in Clydebank have been offered advice on how to spot rogue letting agents.

It is the busiest time of year for would-be tenants as the new term in West College Scotland begins.

But new students are being “ripped off” and subjected to dangerous living conditions, the Council of Letting Agents (CLA) has warned.

CLA Convener Kathleen Gell said: “For too long students have been ripped off by rogue letting agents. “It is critical that they are aware of their rights are and what level of service they should expect from their letting agent.” Visit www.counciloflettingagents.com for more information.