Last Thursday, the Reel Cinema in Morecambe hosted the highly anticipated premiere of A Journey to Greatness: The Untold Story of Shay Walsh. This documentary showcases the inspiring journey of Shay Walsh, who following retirement from professional mixed martial arts due to a career ending injury, focused his efforts on building a thriving community gym in the heart of Lancaster. The premiere was an overwhelming success, with guests praising its powerful storytelling and thoughtful reflection on the importance of community.

The evening began with a red-carpet welcome, as Shay’s friends, family, and gym members gathered in anticipation of the film’s premiere. Guests watched intently as untold moments of Shay’s story came to life. As the credits rolled and Shay stood to thank those who have supported him, he was met with a standing ovation. Struggling to contain his emotions, Shay shared “This all started as an idea to capture the events of the ‘Great Reopening’ of the gym back in July, but it’s very overwhelming and completely surreal to see my life’s story on the big screen. I hope that what I’ve shared can motivate others to keep pushing through their own challenges.”

Following the film, the audience were surprised to find a series of video testimonies from Shay’s close network of elite MMA fighters and coaches from across the globe. 6x UFC World Champion Alexander Volkanovski exclaimed how Shay and his community are truly incredible human-beings, highlighting how the film captured the importance of finding purpose in life. Shay’s care for the community continued to show after the film finished as he invited to the stage, four of his young fighters who were all set to compete on the upcoming weekend. He awarded one of the rising stars, Charlie Ash, an apprenticeship at his gym.

The emotional impact of this moment extended beyond the premiere, as all four fighters secured consecutive victories in the local MMA event. Reflecting on the weekend, Shay posted on social media, “By far the best week in the gyms history, just getting started! The premiere was a very emotional evening for me and the film added a little more motivation for the guys and girls competing this weekend.”

Closing Statement:

The documentary’s success has sparked immediate interest in future screenings. “We have all been blown away by the feedback. Shay’s life’s journey has such depth, we are only at the start of uncovering the real untold story,” says Zak Sylvester, the director of the film. Zak is set to develop this project further, delving deeper into Shay’s past with the aim of inspiring even more people. This will be alongside upcoming events and initiatives that will focus on empowering young people to develop their wellbeing and leadership through martial arts and storytelling. If you are interested in learning more or becoming a valued part of the community, please contact the team with the details on this page.