Who Should the Brits Face Following UFC London

Who Should the Brits Face Following UFC London
by Chris Houten - mrhouts

Saturday night was a great night for fight fans in the UK, but not the best night for fighters in the UK. The cards British contingency went 2-3, with some looking fantastic, and other looking decisively poor.

We take a look at what could be next up for the winning and losing British fight on Saturday night's UFC Fight Night 37. 

Jimi Manuwa
Alexander Gustafsson gave Jimi Manuwa a tough time both on the ground and on the feet on Saturday night; it what really was a difficult fight for Manuwa so early in his UFC career. Although Manuwa may have been ready for a top 10 test having looked virtually untouchable in the first 3 bouts of his UFC career, Gustafsson proved to be to much of a test.

Matching for Manuwa's next fight could prove to be a difficult one as it take some really consideration to where he now figure in the division. Does he stay around the top 10 or does he return back to the level of fighters his was fighting before the Gustafsson bout.

A fight against the loser of Phil Davis vs Anthony Johnson seems to be on the lips of fans, which would probably be a pretty descent contest should Johnson end up the loser. Both man have excellent striking and are equally capable of finishing each other with just one shot.

I still think Davis vs Johnson loser would be a tough test for Manuwa. I'd like Manuwa to fight one step lower and fight former Strikeforce Light-Heavyweight champion Rafael Cavalcante. Cavalcante might be coming off a win in his last fight, but I don't think Manuwa should loss to much position with the loss to Gustafsson. Cavalcante also carry the skill set and tools needed to give Manuwa a great fight.

Brad Pickett
Although Pickett was able to see off a game Neil Seery 30-27 on 2 judges score cards, I feel he will need to have at least one more fight before the UFC will give him a shot at the flyweight title.

I think we wait and see whats going on with Ian McCall and set that fight up again if he expects to be back soon. Failing that there are some excellent match ups out there for Pickett in the form of Dodson, Moraga, and Lineker.

Luke Barnatt
With another impressive victory this weekend against Mats Nilsson - his 3rd in the UFC, Luke Barnatt is rapidly becoming on of the finest prospects in the Middleweight division, and is on his way to becoming a the PPV main card fighter he promised to become on the MMA Hour.

I feel like it might be time to see how far Barnatt can go and put him in there with some one from the upper echelons of middleweight division. A fight against Costas Philippou might make sense for both men with Barnatt looking for the scalp which will take him to the next level, and Philipou needing a step away from the top 10 to try and get his career back on track, having lost his last 2.

I know the UFC likes to match winners vs winners, but this fight would suit both men.

Brad Scott
Scott may feel a little hard done by following his loss at the weekend to new-comer Claudio da Silva, and will feel the fouls which took place during the fight ultimately gave a tired and beaten da Silva to regain the energy needed to win the final round, and lead to him taking the victory. In reality Scott really only has his self to blame and will need to look at his take down defend over the next few months, as he ended up losing to a guy who is probably not as good overall because he couldn't stop the shot, and was unable to get up off the ground.

While Scott isn't done and dusted yet, at 1-2 in the UFC he will be pretty desperate for a win in his next fight. A fight with fellow Ultimate Fighter contestant Daniel Sarafian could prove to be a great battle, although it may not be a bad decision to go back to 170lb where he has previously fought, and could do again with just a few tweeks to his diet.

Danny Mitchell
Danny Mitchell didn't look particularly bad in his debut, he was just a slight second behind Igor Araujo on the ground on Saturday night, and by his own admission "felt pretty flat out there."

Mitchell will be given another opportunity to make up this on an upcoming EMEA Fight Pass card, and if I had to guess I'd say one of the Asian Fight Night cards planned for the Autumn. If this happens a fight against some one like Wang Sai who was runner up in TUF China, or Takenori Sato who recently lost his debut in Brazil to Erik Silva might be on the radar for Mitchell, as both men are 0-1 in the UFC also.

Phil Harris
As sad is it will sound for British fight fans,  at 1-3 in the UFC I feel Harris may get released following his loss to Louis Gaudinot this weekend. I genuinely think Harris is a better fighter than his UFC record suggests and with the skill-set he possesses he would have a complete different record is he wasn't 125 pounder.

Harris has a had a pretty tough run since joining the promotion with all of his of opponents being top 15 guys. But that's the problem with the flyweight division, there's not many of them but they are all super good.

If Harris does get another fight, and as a fellow Brit I hope he does (it's never nice to lose one of your own), Harris should be given a real step down in competition and a bout with TUF Smashes contestant Ritchie Vaculik could provide firework, with both men desperate for a victory.

UFC London Results: Gustafsson Declares 'I Want Title Shot' After Impressive Victory over Jimi Manuwa

UFC London Results: Gustafsson Declares 'I Want Title Shot' After Impressive Victory over Jimi Manuwa
by Chris Houten - @mrhouts

UFC.com

Alexander Gustafsson took to the mic after an impressive second round TKO victory over Jimi Manuawa in the main event at UFC Fight Night 37 to tell Jon Jones "I want my title shot again."

Manuwa started quickly with a nice jab and a solid kick to the legs of Gustafsson. Gustafsson responded with a descent jab of his own before taking the fight to the ground where he gained top controlled and immediately attacked the right arm of Manuwa. Manuwa defended well and was able push Gustafsson up to create space to get back to his feet with a minute remaining however he was unable to capitalise before the round ended.

Manuwa came out quickly again in round 2 but was caught with an eye poke in the opening stages of the bout which halted play to allow Manuwa time to recover. On the restart it was Gustafsson turn to come out quickly immediate pushing Manuwa against the cage where he landed a well placed knee to wobble his British foe. Gustafsson followed the knee up with a series of precise strike to the head of Manuwa which cause the previously defeat fighter to drop to the floor. Gustafsson follow Manuwa to the ground with more strikes which left referee Marc Goddard with little choice but to step in and rescue Manuwa at the 1:18 mark.

Speaking after the fight Gustafsson said:

“The support of the fans here tonight was awesome, especially the ones that travelled from Sweden.  Jimi Manuwa is a tough, powerful fighter so my strategy was to try and wear him down a bit and drain that power.  I got grazed a couple of times and you could definitely feel how hard he can throw.  I want Jon Jones next, I cant wait to have another chance at him.” 

Gustafsson is now 7-1 in his last 8 fight, while Manuwa loses for the first time in his career.

UFC London Results: Michael Johnson Earns Decision Over Melvin Gulliard

UFC London Results: Michael Johnson Earns Decision Over Melvin Guillard
by Chris Houten - @mrhouts

UFC.com

Michael Johnson earned a unanimous decision victory over former Blackzilian team-mate Melvin Gulliard on Saturday, in a bout that left fans who expected a firefight disappointed.

The lightweight bout was the UFC Fight Night 37 co-main event at O2 Arena in London. It streamed on UFC Fight Pass, BT Sports, and Channel 5 in The UK.

The opening round started fast with Guillard landed a big knee on Johnson but slowed from there with little action over the next minute until Guillard was hit with a low blow. When the round continued Johnson caught Guillard with a nice combo with Guillard offering little in terms of offense. As the boo's from the crowed started to ring out, Johnson who was controlling to octagon at this point and was the only man offering little action, began to taunt Guillard in attempt to bring him into the fight. The round ended with Johnson attempting a takedown only to be caught with a big right hand from Guillard.

Round 2 began with Johnson starting where he left off, pushing the action and controlling the octagon. At this stage the pace of the fight was starting to slow, and the fans in attendance again showed their displeasure with how the fight was progressing. Both men traded wild combos but again Guillard was showing unwillingness to trade. Johnson unleashed an excellent flurry towards the end of the round, catching Guillard with some hard punches and a big knee causing him to wobble.

The third round was all Johnson with the Blackzilian again pushing the pace with an early takedown. Guillard got back to his feet and missed with a big spinning back kick. Johnson returned with a solid punch and a follow up knee. Guillard signaled for an eye poke but the referee never stopped the action, allowing Johnson to catch Guillard with elbows against the cage to secure unanimous decision victory - 30-27 x2, and 29-28.

After the fight, Johnson, who has now won three straight bouts against top-tier opponents, expressed his disappointment with the bout, but said he is ready for a top 10 opponent: 

"I came to fight so tonight was obviously very frustrating. I don’t know if he was scared or what. The fans had a right to boo, I would’ve booed too. Im not happy at all but a win is a win. I want a top guy next, maybe a Nate Diaz, Josh Thomson or the winner of the Cowboy Cerrone fight.”

UFC London: Brad Pickett Earns a Hard Fought Decision Over a Game Neil Seery

UFC London: Brad Pickett Earns a Hard Fought Decision Over a Game Neil Seery
by Chris Houten - @mhouts

UFC.com

Brad Pickett's flyweight debut was a successful one, defeating game Irishman Neil Seery by unanimous decision on the main card of today's UFC Fight Night 37 event at O2 Arena in London.

In the opening round Seery came out showing little signs on intimidation, despite the fact he was fighting in front of 15,000 fans at the O2 who were mainly supporting Pickett. Seery was happy to stay in the pocket and trade with Pickett catching the Englishman with some solid strikes. Pickett countered by mixing in low kicks before ducking under a Seery hook to secure a takedown. Pickett work Seery on top - where it was clear to see he had the advantage, nearly ending the fight with an arm triangle attempt.

Round 2 opened with both men going toe-to-toe again. Pickett was the aggressor coming forward but Seery was happy to trade with his English opponent and in many instances he was getting the better of Pickett on the feet, beating Pickett to the punch. As in round one, Pickett again went for the takedown where he landed some descent ground and pound from inside Seery guard to finish the round.

Down on the judges score card going into the 3rd, Seery came out swinging, again beating Pickett to the punch with a number of sharp blows, to force Pickett to take the fight to the ground again, where he was able to gain a dominate position. Seery was able to get to his fight with 90 second to go, and starting firing all out hoping for the knock out, which left Seery open for another takedown which Pickett duly took. Pickett secured top position again, where to fight finish.

After the bout Pickett said:

“Im a little disappointed to not get a stoppage there especially in front of my hometown fans. Neil just kind of hung on and never allowed to me do anything. It was good to get some rounds at this weight class however. My gas tank felt superb and the weight cut was no problem. "

Having hoped for a shot at current UFC Flyweight Champion Demetrious Johnson, who Pickett has already beaten early in his career, with an impressive victory over Seery, it's likely Pickett will need to fight again now, and a previously scheduled match with Ian McCall may now be on the cards again. 

UFC London Results: Gunnar Nelson Dominates Omari Akhmedov

UFC London Results: Gunnar Nelson Dominates Omari Akhmedov
by Chris Houten - @mrhouts

ufc.com

Gunnar Nelson staked a claim as one of the best prospects in The UFCs Welterweight division with a dominate victory over Omari Akhmedov to kick off the main  card of UFC Fight Night 37.

The bout opened slow, with both men looking to feel each other out. Akhmedov who looked no where near as aggressive as he did in his UFC debut again Thiago Perpetuo at UFC Fight Night 32 backpedaled as Nelson slowly advanced, throwing a few shots but nothing which trouble Nelson. With Nelson first attack he caught Akhmedov with straight left to send the Dagestani fighter to the mat, where Nelson quickly took the mount.

From mount Nelson opened up on Akhmedov cutting the fighter who hard elbows. As Akhmedov tried to work his way back up, he pushed Nelson which allowed Nelson the snapped on to a beautiful guillotine choke which left Akhmedov with little choice but to tap or go to sleep.

Speaking after the bout Nelson said;

"I took a few minutes to feel out his movements and then when I got him on the ground I tried to soften him up.  Eventually I was able to get a good choke on him and end things.  I knew I had to be accurate as he is a very powerful puncher.  I also really felt one of his kicks early on despite being able to check it.  Im not going to call out anyone in the division because I'll fight anyone.  I look forward to getting back out there soon though."

It was a third straight UFC win for Nelson (12-0-1 MMA, 3-0 UFC), who remains undefeated in 12 pro bouts. During the post fight press conference, Nelson expressed a desire to get back to work quick, stating he would be interested in fight in the UFC Dublin card in July.

UFC London Results: Cyrille Diabate Loses Retirement Bout to Ilir Latifi

UFC London Results: Cyrille Diabate Loses Retirement Bout to Ilir Latifi
by Chris Houten - @mrhouts

ufc.com

Ilir Latifi made relatively easy work of Cyrille Diatate, submitting the 6'6" light-heavyweight in the opening around to end the Frenchmans career.

Latifi who joined the UFC last year as a replacement for injured teammate Alexander Gustaffson to take on Gegard Mousasi on a weeks notice, faired much better this time out with a full camp under his belt.

The opening round started with a rangy Diabate kept his distance early however it wasn't long before Latifi shot in for a takedown where he quickly locked in a D’Arce choke which be released in exchange for a dominate position.

Latifi remained patient on the ground going back to a front choke shortly after, which this time he locked in to finish the fight at the 3:02 mark of the first round following several attempts to escape from Diabate.

“I prepared a lot for this fight, and it feels great to get a win that fast,” Latifi said. “Cyrille posed many challenges – he’s got dangerous striking and a huge reach, which can pose problems.

“It’s amazing to think 10 or 15 years ago I was watching the original UFC events, and now I’m fighting and winning in them. This is one of the best moments of my life.”

With the win, Latifi extends his record to 8-3 MMA, 1-1 UFC and will be hoping he can build on his first UFC victory next time he fights.

Diabate, who announced early this week he would be retiring win or lose said:

“I’m a striker and I didn’t pull the trigger,” Diabate said. “Obviously I’m disappointed, but now I walk away from the sport. I want to thank my fans and the guys who have helped me train over the years. I will focus on teaching now.”

UFC London Results: Luke Barnatt Defeats Mats Nilsson in Barn Burner

UFC London Results: Luke Barnatt Defeats Mats Nilsson in Barn Burner
by Chris Houten - @mrhouts 

UFC.com

Luke Barnatt made a statement on Saturday night defeating Swedish Middleweight Mats Nilsson by impressive TKO in a 1 round barn burner on the prelims on UFC Fight Night 37.

Barnatt started the bout with a crisp left jab which he connected with often to keep the the Swedish Grappler on the outside. The jab was money for Barnatt as he repeatedly caught Nilsson over and over with it. As the opening minutes wore on TUF 17 Barnatt caught Nilsson with an uppercut which left the Swede with visible damage.

Midway through the round, Nilsson charged and caught Barnatt with several heavy overhand punches, which to Barnatts credit looked like they may have hurt him but he took them well. As the Swedish contingency in attendance begin to flair up, Barnatt fired back with a sneaky superman punch and left head kick to leave Nilsson wobbled against the cage.

Barnatt unleashed a barrage of punches, before dropping Nilsson with a well placed knee forcing the referee to step and and stop the fight; the first stoppage loss of Nilssons career.

Speaking after the bout, Barnatt said if the stoppage:

“I felt a bit cold in the start but when he hit me with a right I woke up. It feels very good to be the first one to ever finish him.”

Barnatt who looks a promise prospect for British fight fans extends his UFC record to 3-0 and his overall record to 8-0.

UFC London Results: Araujo Defeats Danny Mitchell in 3 Round Chess Match

UFC London Results: Araujo Defeats Danny Mitchell in 3 Round Chess Match
by Chris Houten - @mrhouts 

Chants of 'Cheesecake' echoing all over a sold out O2 Arena weren't enough to encourage Danny Mitchell to victory, as Igor Araujo put his BJJ Blackbelt to good use to earn a unanimous decision victory over his British opponent.

Fighting on the preliminary card of UFC Fight Night 37, TUF 16s Araujo opened the bout with a headkick which was merely a distraction to shoot in for the takedown. 

From there the match played out like a game of chance with both man attempting various submissions, notably a hoe hold for Mitchell in the first, and a triangle for Araujo which looked pretty deep. In the end though Araujo had just that little extra to earn a unanimous decision victory 30-27.

Araujo who extends his win streak to 6 overall and 2 in the UFC expressed his  pleasure over defeating Mitchell:

"I am so happy I won.  Danny Mitchell is a tough, tough guy and I knew I had to be prepared.  In all honesty, I broke my leg 20 days ago, a small fracture, and I told know one.  All I did was continue to train and my heart showed tonight.  This was a big win for my career."

Araujo extends his record to 25-6 in MMA, while MItchell moves to 14-5 in his career.

UFC London: Gustafsson vs Manuwa - UK Betting Odds

UFC London: Gustafsson vs Manuwa - UK Betting Odds

The UFC is back this weekend from the shores of Blighty, no only giving us British fans the opportunity to cheer on our local lads, but a chance to make some serious cash with the right bet. Kingdom MMA have teamed up with William Hill to bring those who fancy a little flutter the latest clear cut, betting odds - Good Luck, and don't miss out on your free £25 bet below!

Preliminary Card
6/4 Phil Harris v Louis Gaudinot 8/15 
4/7 Igor Araujo v Danny Mitchell 11/8
10/11 Davey Grant v Roland Delorme 10/11
8/15 Brad Scott v Claudio Henrique da Silva 6/4
4/11 Luke Barnatt v Mats Nilsson 21/10
10/11 Cyrille Diabate v Ilir Latifi 10/11

Main Card
1/3 Gunnar Nelson v Omari Akhmedov 9/4
1/6 Brad Pickett v Neil Seery 4/1
4/5 Michael Johnson v Melvin Guillard EVS
1/4 Alexander Gustafsson v Jimi Manuwa 3/1

Interview: Roland Delorme Talks Grant, Fight Pass, Sponsorship, and Fighting on Foreign Turf

Kingdom MMA Talks to Roland Delorme Ahead of UFC Fight Night 37
By Chris Houten - @mrhouts

Owner of one of the best ground games in the 135lb division, Roland Delorme is looking to make a statement this weekend when he meets the UK's Davey Grant at London's O2 Arena on the Fight Pass prelims of UFC Fight Night 37.

A contestant of TUF 14, Delorme started his career in the UFC 2-0 before losing by KO to Francisco Rivera however the result was later over turned due to Rivera testing positive for a banned substance.

Following the bout with Rivera, Delorme bounced back with a decision victory over Edwin Figueroa in his home town of Winnipeg, before losing a split decision to Alex Caceres in his most recent outing at UFC 165 in September.

With fight week in full swing we caught up with Delorme to discuss his fight with Davey Grant, fighting on Fight Pass, sponsorship, and fighting on Foreign Turf.

Houten: Your fight with Davey Grant will mark the first time fighting outside of North America, how excited are you to be fighting in London and how prepared are you for the boos from the 15,000 British fans in attendance?
Delorme: I'm extremely excited about fighting in London, it's a dream come true for me to fight abroad and I've always wanted to come to London so I'm killing two birds with one stone. I love when people hate me it just makes me wanna do better so I just brush it off and perform.

Have you put any thought in to cutting weigh in this Country? How do you think it will differ to cutting back home, and have / will you begin cutting earlier to prepare yourself?
Yeah cutting weight overseas is something I took into account and I'm lighter then usual to make it easier on my body considering travel and that I won't have the usual luxuries that I do at home.

Davey Grant is coming off a loss to Chris Holdsworth where he was outclassed on the ground, do you think Holdsworth has set the blueprint for you to beat Grant?
Obviously Grant's striking is his strong point but he's won 7 of 8 fights by submission so he's no fool on the ground but I definitely think that when I put him on his back he's gonna flop around like a fish to stand back up so I just gotta take him to deep water and drown him. As far as Holdsworth setting the blueprint I think that Grant has learned a lot from that and won't make the same mistakes so I gotta use a slightly different blueprint to get the same result.

How has you camp gone for this fight? Who have been working with in the build up to the fight?
My camps been great I have no issues and feel amazing. I have been at my home gym in Winnipeg getting prepared for this fight with the usual suspects of Curtis Brigham, Louis Fisette, Brad Katona and many other guys putting a hurt on me everyday.

Your fighting a dangerous striker in Grant, has to focus in this camp main been your stand up?
My focus is always my stand up, if I use it or not. If your not getting better your getting worse.

How willing are you to stand and trade with Grant in this fight? 
I've stood with better strikers when I was at my worst and unless we start on the ground then I don't really have much of a choice do I - Ha Ha Ha

This fight will mark you debut fighting on UFC Fight Pass, what do you think of the online network, and do you mind fighting on it?
I haven't seen Fight Pass yet and I'll fight anywhere the UFC pays me to. I don't care where and what I fight on, I get paid to lay a beating and business is good.

Has the fact your fighting on Fight Pass and outside of North America affected your ability to attracted sponsors for this fight?
Yes it has affected my sponsorship as in I'm not making as much as I usually do, but that just means I gotta fight better to make more money and I won't let myself down.
 
Who would you say competed on the tougher season of The Ultimate Fighter? 
My season was clearly tougher being the first bantamweight season ever and since my season everyone that has made it to the UFC has been doing great. Two guys are ranked in the top ten in the world and one fought for the title, Caraway is ranked just outside the top ten but I think he should be in it and all the other guys have winning records in the UFC so what do you think.

Finally how do you see yourself winning on Saturday?
I see myself just out working him pushing the pace and breaking him in the later rounds, he's never seen deep water and I'm a shark looking for a meal.

UFC London to Air Live on Channel 5

UFC London to Air Live on Channel 5

The Ultimate Fighting Championship^®  (UFC^®), the world’s premier mixed martial arts organisation, has announced an agreement to broadcast its inaugural EMEA FIGHT NIGHT, from the O2 Arena in London, on Channel 5. The agreement is in part due to the incredible demand for UFC programming in the UK and will be the first time a UFC event will be broadcast live to a terrestrial audience in the region.

Live broadcast of the UFC FIGHT NIGHT LONDON: GUSTAFSSON vs. MANUWA main card on 8^th March will begin at 9 p.m. and will be followed by highlights of the rest of the card until 11 p.m.

The popularity of the UFC is soaring throughout Europe, with the event at the O2 Arena selling out in a matter of hours. Last year three events were held throughout Europe, the Middle East and Africa (EMEA), with that number doubling to six in 2014, starting with London and then Abu Dhabi on 11^th April.

UFC programming is broadcast in over 145 countries, to nearly 800 million TV households worldwide, in 28 different languages.

Garry Cook, Executive Vice President and Managing Director of UFC EMEA, said: “This gives the entire British public the opportunity to watch UFC programming live on free to air TV and we are very excited to be working with Channel 5 to provide this experience.

“The UFC are incredibly proud of the EMEA FIGHT NIGHTS that will we will be hosting throughout 2014, showcasing some of our incredible talent at Saturday primetime, across the regions to millions of existing and new fans.” 

Channel 5 Commissioning Editor Factual, Simon Raikes said: “UFC is the best of mixed martial arts, ideal to complement our existing fighting stable. We’re genuinely excited to welcome such a riveting sport to Channel 5.”

For more information about UFC, its events and programming, please visit http://uk.ufc.com

Brad Pickett Meets Cage Warrior Champion Neil Seery at UFC Fight Night 37

Brad Pickett Makes his Flyweight Debut Against Irishman Neil Seery at UFC Fight Night 37
by Tommy Strong - @strong_tea

(Dolly Clew | Cage Warriors)

With just over 3 weeks until UFC Fight Night 37,  UFC officials have announced a replacement fight for Brad Pickett after seeing Ian McCall having to pull out due to an injury.

Pickett (23-8) will now make his UFC flyweight debut against Irishman Neil Seery (13-9 MMA) in London. Current Cage Warrior flyweight champion Seery, will now vacate his belt and move over to the UFC to make his debut at the age of 34.

Since joining the UFC , Pickett put together a record of 3-3 in the Bantamweight division. With losses coming against former title contenders Michael McDonald, Eddie Wineland and current Bantamweight champion Renan Barao, Pickett finds himself out of the title picture at 135, and will try a hand at a new weight.

With all the hard work that has Pickett has gone through, he will be no doubt be pleased that a fight has been found so close to the scheduled date, however a source close to the fighter told Kingdom MMA, that finding an opponent on short notice proved to be difficult:

"The UFC couldn't find anyone to take the fight with Brad" 

Having picked up 4 fight of the night bonuses and 1 knockout of the night bonus in his 6 UFC fights and Seery having finished 5 finishes of his last 6 opponents last 6 fight, fans watching on BT Sports, and those in attendance at the O2 on March 8th can no doubt expect fireworks.

With the addition of Pickett vs Seery, UFC Fight Night 37 now includes:

Also confirmed for the Main Card:
Alexander Gustafsson vs Jimi Manuwa
Melvin Guillard vs. Michael Johnson
Brad Pickett vs. Neil Seery
Omari Akhmedov vs. Gunnar Nelson

Preliminary Card: 

Cyrille Diabate vs. IIir Latifi
Luke Barnatt vs. Mats Nilsson
Bradley Scott vs. Claudio Henrique da Silva
Roland Delorme vs. Davey Grant
Igor Araujo vs. Danny Mitchell
Louis Gaudinot vs. Phil Harris

Brad Scott talks to Kingdom MMA before his fight at UFC London

Kingdom MMA catch up with Bradley Scott during his fight camp in Arizona

by Ben Heather @benheather

Bradley "Bear" Scott returns to action in the Octagon on March 8th as the UFC returns to London, ahead of that fight Brad took some time out of his busy schedule to talk to Kingdom MMA from Arizona where he is preparing for his fight at The MMA Lab. Brad is set to face Brazilian fighter Claudio Henrique da Silva that night. Today we caught up with Brad to discuss what he has been doing since his last fight, the performances of his team mates from The Lab recently and many more subjects.

Ben: At UFC on Fox 10 two of your MMA Lab team mates, Benson Henderson and John Moraga were in action in close fights. How did you score the fights?
Brad: In both cases people have been disputing the outcome but I think Benson won personally. Look at the fightmetric stats as well, I know that doesn't always show clearly the fight but personally I think Benson won 3 of the 5 rounds. People whinge that he only wins split decisions but I don't give a shit. He is fighting the best guys in the world, its going to be a close fight. Benson is a beast, I spar with him at The MMA Lab and he goes harder there than he does in his fights as well.

As for John Moraga, it makes me mad. John did a lot more damage, John even dropped the guy. Personally I believe that in a fight you're trying to do damage if you think about it. I know we all train MMA as a sport but at the end of the day you're trying to do damage and I don't like the idea that John was doing all the damage and all that guy did was simply hold him down. He didn't do anything, he didn't go for any submissions, no ground and pound, all he did was lay on him and cuddle him and that is not how you do damage. John left without a scratch on him, the other guy got dropped and John clearly won the fight in my eyes. John Moraga is a scary dude.

Ben: At UFC 169 we also saw another fighter from The MMA Lab Andy Enz, who has been one of your sparring partners during this camp. What did you make to his performance?
Brad: He is tough as fuck, and he doesn't give a fuck who you are either, He just stood toe to toe with a dangerous striker and he just kept going. He improved so much in his time at The Lab and was a lovely guy as well. I genuinely wanted him to win, I really like him and its savage that he lost.

I thought he won the last round as well, plus if you look at the way he landed when he got dropped he put his hands down so he must have regained consciousness as he went down.

I was not impressed with Clint, I would break his soul if he didn't knock me out in the first 2 minutes. I nearly called him out after the fight too.

Ben: Sticking with the recent UFC 169 event another English middleweight, Tom Watson was in action. How did you rate his performance and what do you think is next for Kong?
Brad: The fight was crap, it was like he was fighting not to lose. I personally think both me and Luke Barnatt would beat him and he is ranked above us both. Look at his UFC career, first of all he was given way to tough of an opponent in his debut in Brad Tavares. From Jack Marshman to Brad Tavares it was like welcome to the UFC that wasn't great match making in my opinion. Then his next fight against Stanislav Nedkov he went out and was trying to finish the fight and did. He rightfully got the Fight of the Night and Knockout of the Night bonuses for that fight.

Then I don't know whats happened, I like Tom a lot. I used to look up to him a lot. I just don't know whats gone on, just throwing leg kicks is asking to be taken down. I hope he gets another shot and he just comes out and tears it up.

Ben: Now lets look back at your fight in Manchester and the events after, do you feel that after your fight in Manchester you got the credit you deserved for the win? It seemed to me that other guys seemed to get a lot more air time and publicity after the fight.
Brad: It doesn't bother me if I am honest with you. In all fairness Luke (Barnatt) got the Fight of the Night bonus which was quite impressive. It was quite cool when he landed the upper cut on Craig, put his hand in the air and walked away and Andrew Craig was still on his leg trying to take him down. That was pretty funny.

I believe a lot of it is because my fight wasn't televised. From what I have heard I had one of the biggest cheers of the night. I couldn't believe the reception I got, I was chuffed to bits and wasn't expecting that. Plus, in all fairness my fight wasn't the most exciting fight though was it. It was a couple of exchanges which I feel I got the better off. I landed a good upper cut put him against the fence and choked him out. Once I knew I had the choke I cranked on it so hard I hurt my back.

I was happy with the credit I got. When I beat the next guy then I will be more satisfied.

Ben: Did it annoy you that when your fight was announced for UFC London the fans were commenting negatively and wanting bigger names and better fights on the card?
Brad: No I'm on the undercard anyway so that doesn't bother me. I think they were more interested in the main card but they should be happy with what they get on the prelims. I could understand if I was on the main card, but not with me on the prelims. I think everyone on the whole card is awesome.

I do know what the fans mean though, they want big big names. They want guys that they have seen on a regular basis on the bigger shows but on the prelims its the guys working there way up the ladder that's why they are called the prelims. Due to the time zones you're not going to get Jon Jones and the fans should be happy that the show is being headlined by Gustafsson. As fans if you want to see the best unfortunately for us Brit's you've got to travel.
England does not have a big enough fan base yet which is why the UFC are trying to promote it in England by putting English fighters on the card. Beyond The Octagon is a fantastic show they are trying to promote a big show, trying to build the sport and promote English fighters and the fans moan, come on give em a chance.

I would be happy to be on the prelims for the next 5 fights and I would not care. I genuinely mean that, I think the pressure goes up as you go up the card and people expect more but people will be impressed by my next fight. I'm going to light Claudio up.... touch wood.

Ben: The win last time proved you were justified to go up in weight, what was your reasoning behind moving up a weight class?
Brad: Food. My whole life depended on dieting but now I can eat what ever I want as long as my performance is good I can eat what I want. My only worry was being dwarfed by people but I was a bigger build than Andy Enz, I move faster than a lot of middleweights and its a reason why John Crouch and everyone at the MMA Lab has been trying to get me to move back down to 170. When I go in there and get absolutely man handled that's when I will consider going back down in weight but until then I'm staying at 185.

Ben: For this fight did you ask for a specific fight?
Brad: All I did was ask to be on the London card then they gave me Claudio da Silva and as soon as that name come through I knew exactly who it was and took it. It could have been anyone mind I would have taken it but I said yeah 100% I know who he is, I know what he is good at, I've seen him fight he's a jui jitsu master.

Ben: Your back at the Lab for this fight, is that something you intend to do for every camp now?
Brad: The Lab is awesome, I know its predominantly a lightweight gym but there is a lot of heavier guys there as well and they are all good. We are all learning the same, we are all drilling the same, we're all getting our hard sparring in. It doesn't matter what size you are you can still share the same gym. I do a lot of sparring with Benson, hard sparring because Benson is the same height as my next opponent but he is fucking stronger than my next opponent. Benson is a freak of strength, he lifts me clean up and slams me but he hasn't managed to keep me down or submit me yet.

Ben: Being at The MMA Lab seems to have a family atmosphere do you agree?
Brad: Yeah its the same as Dragonslair, I think that's why I get on so well. Everyone helps each other, great sparring, two of my sparring partners are all American wrestlers. One of them is good at jui jitsu as well, he won the worlds at blue belt and I know people may say its only blue belt but its the world championships so its legit.

Ben: Last time out you promised me a win by knock out, whats the plan for this fight?
Brad: Yeah I fucked up didn't I. I really doubt I am going to submit this guy, I want a knockout... not a TKO, I would love something horrific where his teeth hit the back row in the binocular seats. We will see what happens, I have to keep it tight stop him from locking anything on if he gets me down and then let him have it when we are stood up.

Ben: Did you find going back to The MMA Lab easier as you knew everyone?
Brad: I knew everyone and sparred the first day I got back, I felt personally I went back a better fighter. I had been drilling all the things I had been told to while I was away and I returned 10x the fighter I was the first time I went to The MMA Lab. I have added another boxing coach back in the UK, both of them are completely different styles and I am blending them up so I will be devastating people.

Ben: What was it like to walk out in the UFC in UK?
Brad: What compared to Australia, fucking awesome. I got spat on in Australia. I couldn't believe the cheer I was getting. It gave me goosebumps.

Thank you for your time, we really appreciate it and hope you have a safe trip back to the UK and we will see you in action as the UFC returns to London on March 8th.

Poll: Who Would You Like to See Step in to Face Brad Pickett

Poll: Who Would You Like to See Step in to Face Brad Pickett

Dana White announced earlier today that number 3 flyweight Ian McCall is injured and the promotion are currently seeking a new opponent for Brad Pickett.

So, with McCall out, who do you wanna see set in to face Pickett next month in London?

** Any Votes of OTHER let us know who in the comment section below **

surveys

UFC London tickets now on sale

Tickets for UFC Fight Night London: Gustafsson vs Manuwa now on sale

Tickets for UFC Fight Night London: Gustafsson vs Manuwa now on sale and they are selling fast. This is in part due to the biggest ever pre sale to date for a March event.

The UFC returns to London on Saturday 8th March, where it will take over the O2 Arena, headlined by an explosive fight between Londoner Jimi “Posterboy” Manuwa and the world no.2 light heavyweight Alexander “The Mauler” Gustafsson.

A victory for the powerful Manuwa, who is undefeated in his professional career (14-0), could see him handed a title shot later this year.  Alexander Gustafsson will prove the toughest test of the Croydon-based fighter’s career, after the Swede’s narrow defeat to champion Jon Jones in what many MMA fans called the best fight of 2013.  Manuwa called for the fight and believes that by knocking the No.1 ranked challenger out, he can get right in the title hunt.

The event, which is the first of six UFC events across Europe and the Middle East this year, are priced at £40, £50, £75, £100, £125, £150, £450 and £850 for the VVIP experience, and are available from www.ticketmaster.co.uk and www.theo2.co.uk. That being said, I would order any tickets quickly if you plan on going to see the live event as a lot of the pricing categories were selling out quickly on the first day of going on sale.

UFC is reporting it’s biggest ever pre-sale for a UK event, which is the fifth to be held at the iconic O2 Arena. 

Michael “The Menace” Johnson, ranked no. 13 in the lightweight division, will meet Melvin “The Young Assasin” Guillard in the co-main event.  Johnson has racked up two impressive wins in the second half of 2013 to see him climb the rankings.  Guillard holds the record for most TKO / KO victories in the lightweight division and will be looking to finish the fight in blistering style.

London’s Brad “One Punch” Pickett, who is one of the UFC’s most exciting fighters, will fight in his hometown under the UFC banner for the first time in his career.  Brad, who has a remarkable four Fight of the Night titles to his name, will make his flyweight debut against no.3 ranked Ian McCall, in one of the most intriguing battles on the card.

UK fans will also get a chance to see The Ultimate Fighter (TUF) runner-up Davey “Dangerous” Grant in the Octagon for the first time, as he takes on Canadian Roland Delorme.  

Jimi Manuwa, said: “The fight’s only five weeks away now and I can’t wait to get into the Octagon, in my home town, and put on a show for the fans.

“This is definitely my biggest fight yet but I’m not afraid of Alex.  I’ve beaten every single fighter I’ve faced within two rounds and I don’t plan for this fight to be any different.  I want to be World Champion, remembered as unbeaten and a knockout specialist.

“I’ve never trained as hard as I’m training for this fight and I promise a fans a fight they won’t forget – lions eat first!”

Alexander Gustafsson, who was recently chosen in a global fan vote to be on the cover of a the new EA Sport UFC game, said: “I am really looking forward to this fight, I think it’s a great match up.  Jimi is a tough guy but I’m ready for him.

“I am preparing for five rounds, but it won’t last that long!

“I’ve fought in London before and it always has big, loud crowds.  But I know a lot of fans are travelling over from Sweden to get behind me on the night.”

Other British talent on the card includes Luke “The Bigslow” Barnatt who will be looking to hold on to his undefeated record against Mats Nilsson who will be making his UFC debut in London.

UFC FIGHT NIGHT LONDON: GUSTAFSSON VS MANUWA full card is:   
MAIN CARD
Alexander Gustafsson #1 vs Jimi Manuwa #11                (light heavyweight)
Michael Johnson #13 vs Melvin Guillard                          (lightweight)
Brad Pickett vs Ian McCall #3                                        (flyweight)
Gunnar Nelson vs Omari Akhmedov                               (welterweight)

PRELIMS
Cyrille Diabate vs Ilir Latifi                                              (light heavyweight)
Luke Barnatt vs Mats Nilsson                                         (middleweight)
Bradley Scott vs Claudio Henrique da Silva                    (middleweight)
David Grant vs Roland Delorme                                     (bantamweight)
Igor Araujo vs Danny Mitchell                                        (welterweight)
Phil Harris vs Louis Gaudinot #11                                   (flyweight)
 
All bouts are live and subject to change.

UFC Fight Night 37 fight card Official - Main Card

UFC announce the finalised line up for UFC Fight Night 37 - Kingdom MMA review the Main Card

by Ben Heather @benheather

With the tickets for UFC Fight Night 37 now on sale to fight club members and those who have signed up to the UFC Newsletter it has been announced that the line up for the event has been finalised.

UFC Fight Night 37 marks the return to the UK of the UFC and its first show in Europe of 2014. The fight card has been set at 10 fights and will consist of a 4 fight main card and 6 prelim fights.

Currently the event is not due to be scheduled on BT Sports in the UK as this event is a UFC Fight Pass Event and so not on TV in the US. So today Kingdom MMA spoke to Simon Head (@simonhead), Digital Producer of UFC for BT sports to see what the latest news was regarding the event being shown on tv and he had the following to say.

"At the moment all we can confirm are the events on our schedule page here. If and when other events are added, they'll be added to this page. If UFC London is one of them, obviously we'll make an announcement."

In my opinion BT Sports have already proved to be a great success for the UFC in the UK and I believe they will do anything they possibly can to show this event live on BT Sports on March 8th. If you think back the first event which was shown exclusively on Fight Pass was UFC Singapore and BT Sport were able to find a resolution and show the event on tape delay in the UK. In all honesty it was never going to be shown live at the time due to the content at 11am so this was a great result for the UK fans.

Kingdom MMA will now take a look at the main card and discuss what is on the line in each match up.

Omari Akhmedov vs Gunnar Nelson

Akhmedov (12-1 MMA 1-0 UFC) debuted for the UFC last year in Brazil putting on a real show for the fans and won by knocking out Thiago Perpetuo in the first round to pick up the bonus for the fight of the night. Not a bad way to start your career in the UFC but now he will be facing the toughest opponent of his career in Icelandic fighter Gunnar Nelson (11-0-1 MMA 2-0 UFC).

Nelson will come in to the fight as the crowd favourite having fought 10 out of the 12 fights in his career in either the UK or Ireland. I predict Nelson will attempt to get the fight to ground as soon as possible and showcase his BJJ skills en route to a submission victory. My only concern with Nelson is the fact it will be over a year since his last fight when he walks in to the Octagon in March so we will have to see if he can pick up where he left off and keep his undefeated record.

Ian McCall vs Brad Pickett

Pickett (23-8 MMA 3-3 UFC) has to be one of the best MMA fighters to watch. He comes in to fights, stands his ground and is happy to put it all on the line and trade blows in the centre of the Octagon. Yes his UFC record isn't the best but look at who he has fought. His losses have come against the now champion of the bantamweight division Renan Barao and former title contenders Eddie Wineland and Michael McDonald. It's not like he has lost to chumps, these guys are the best of the elite fighters at bantamweight which led Pickett to drop down to flyweight where he will meet Ian McCall (12-4-1 MMA 1-2-1 UFC) in London for his flyweight debut.

Ian McCall has always been a flyweight contender ever since the UFC introduced the division in March 2012. He took Demetrious Johnson to a draw when they first fought in the division and in the final round of that fight looked like he might be able to stop Johnson however couldn't and lost the rematch. Now he is looking forard to welcoming Pickett to the division. It will be an explosive fight and a real test to see where Pickett ranks in the division. After all Brad Pickett is one of only two men to have a win over the champ Demetrious Johnson so a win against McCall could push him all the way to finally getting that UFC title shot he craves so bad.

It will certainly be a great fight for the fans so don't blink because as always I expect Brad Pickett to try and finish this fight as early as possible.

Melvin Guillard vs #13 Michael Johnson

This fight was originally meant to be the rematch between Melvin Guillard (31-12-2-2 MMA 12-8-1 UFC) and Ross Pearson following the no contest ruling to there fight back in October. However last week Ross Pearson had to be pulled out of this fight due to a knee injury. This came as a big disappointment to the fans. However, I for one am very happy about the match up we will now see as the co main event of UFC Fight Night 37.

Michael Johnson (14-8 MMA 6-4 UFC) has stepped in to replace the injured Pearson and I can't think of a better replacement (that realistically) could have taken this fight. Johnson has been on a tear of late defeating Joe Lauzon in his hometown and then following that up at UFC 168 by knocking out Gleison Tibau. Johnson is similar to Pearson is some respect in that he loves to keep the fight on its feet and will happily stand and bang with Guillard who is also known for this in his fights.

I expect this fight to be up there in the fight of the night category once all is said and done. It will be either this fight or the previous McCall vs Pickett fight that takes home the bonus money but these fighters will certainly put on a show for the fans.

Main Event: #1 Alexander Gustafsson vs #11 Jimi Manuwa

This has all the attributes of a great fight, both guys have proven knock out power and will be coming to make a statement. This is without doubt the biggest fight in Jimi's life. Lets face it though, I can't think of a better way to do it. Manuwa (14-0 MMA 3-0 UFC) will be headlining his first UFC event in his hometown of London in front of a packed crowd, trying to keep his undefeated record intact against the guy who many say deserves to be the champ now. If dreams come true, this has to be up there with the best dream Manuwa could have predicted. It will certainly be a step up in competition for him but a win will propell him to the very elite level of the division and not far from a title shot.

For Gustafsson (15-2 MMA 7-2 UFC), he will be coming in to this fight with everything to lose against a very strong opponent but the prize for risking it is that rematch he desires so badly with Jon Jones. Although he is a european fan favourite he will be walking in to the Manuwa's home town and will not have the fans on his side for this fight.

If the fight stays standing then I predict somebody will be getting knocked out, however Alexander Gustafsson just became the first man to take down Jon Jones and I see him having a lot easier job of getting Manuwa down. If he does, he will certainly have the advantage in the fight. However, it was rumoured that Manuwa may be training with Daniel Cormier for part of this fight camp so we will have to wait and see what happens on fight night.

The full card is as follows

Main Card
Alexander Gustafsson vs Jimi Manuwa
Melvin Guillard vs Michael Johnson
Ian McCall vs Brad Pickett
Omari Akhmedov vs Gunnar Nelson

Prelims
Cyrille Diabate vs Ilir Latifi
Luke Barnatt vs Mats Nilsson
Brad Scott vs Claudio Henrique da Silva
Roland Delorme vs Davey Grant
Igor Araujo vs Danny Mitchell
Louis Gaudinot vs Phil Harris

That marks the end of my preview of the main card for UFC Fight Night 37. Do you agree with my comments? Please comment below with your thoughts.

Tickets are on sale now for this event at www.ticketmaster.co.uk

UFC Fight Night 37 fight card Official - The Prelims

UFC announce the finalised line up for UFC Fight Night 37 - Kingdom MMA review the Prelims

by Ben Heather @benheather

With the tickets for UFC Fight Night 37 now on sale to fight club members and those who have signed up to the UFC Newsletter it has been announced that the line up for the event has been finalised.

UFC Fight Night 37 marks the return to the UK of the UFC and its first show in Europe of 2014. The fight card has been set at 10 fights and will consist of a 4 fight main card and 6 prelim fights.

Kingdom MMA will now take a look at the prelims and discuss what is on the line in each match up.

Phil Harris vs Louis Gaudinot

The show will be kicked off with a flyweight battle between England's Phil Harris (22-11-1 MMA 1-2 UFC) and #11 ranked Louis Gaudinot (6-3 MMA 1-2 UFC) as both men look to get back to winning ways following losses to John Lineker and Tim Elliott respectively. This fight will also mark the first time that Gaudinot has fought outside of the USA, while Harris will have the crowd on his side with the home field advantage. A loss for either fighter could result in them getting cut from the UFC, although with the flyweight division not exactly overflowing with fighters they may be safe for one more fight.

Danny Mitchell vs Igor Araujo

The next fight is in the Welterweight division and will see "The Cheesecake Assassin" Danny Mitchell (14-4-1 MMA) make his UFC debut against Brazilian Igor Araujo (24-6-1 MMA 1-0 UFC), who trains at Jackson's MMA. Between both men 75% of there victories have come via submission so we could be in for a real treat in this fight if it ends up on the floor.

Davey Grant vs Roland Delorme

TUF 18's Davey Grant (8-2 MMA 0-1 UFC) gets his wish in the next fight, although he didn't win The Ultimate Fighter in 2013 he did enough for the UFC to give him a contract. Now he gets at least one more shot in the octagon at UFC Fight Night 37, back on home soil as he squares off against five times UFC veteran Roland Delorme (9-2-1 MMA 3-1-1 UFC). This will be a tough test for Grant however, a win in this fight will certainly see him settle in the division and prove that he deserves to be in the UFC and he will certainly get the full backing of the English crowd.

Delorme will also be fighting outside of North America for the first time in his career so unlike Grant will have to deal with trying to cut weight while travelling and getting used to fighting at a different time zone. All of these factors could have an impact on the outcome of this fight and will be to Grant's advantage.

Then its the turn of the middleweights as two former TUF contestants Brad Scott (9-2 MMA 1-1 UFC) and Luke Barnatt (7-0 MMA 2-0 UFC) are set to defend British pride as they take on Claudio Henrique da Silva (9-1 MMA) and Mats Nilsson (11-2-1 MMA) respectively, who will both be making their UFC debuts.

Brad Scott vs Claudio Henrique da Silva

Brad Scott will be making his third appearance in the UFC after losing in the final of TUF The Smashes to Robert Whittaker but then submitting Michael Kuiper in the first round with a front choke in Manchester back in October. As with his last fight Scott has been out in American training at The MMA Lab in Arizona training with guys such as former champ Benson Henderson and Joe Riggs, which can only be a good thing for his preperation for this fight. Claudio Henrique da Silva who trains at London Shootfighters will be coming in to this fight looking to make a name for himself and prove to the world that he deserves to be in the UFC. By the time the fight takes place it will be nearly 18 months since his last fight though so UFC debut nerves and ring rust may play a factor in the fight.

Luke Barnatt vs Mats Nilsson

At 7-0 Luke Barnatt will be putting his undefeated record on the line again as he looks to work his way up the rankings with another win in London and this time he is fighting Swedish fighter Mats Nilsson. When this fight was announced many fans were shocked that Barnatt had not been given a bigger name fight but for Luke, as always he will not be leaving anything to chance as he prepares both physically and mentally for his fight. Nilsson, who fought and won twice last year for Cage Warriors is certainly taking a step up in competition as he makes his UFC debut.

I just hope we don't see anymore showboating from Luke in this fight and he sticks to business and focuses purely on finishing his opponent instead of celebrating before the job is complete.

Cyrille Diabate vs Ilir Latifi

The final bout on the prelims sees Ilir Latifi (7-3 MMA 0-1 UFC) make his return to the UFC after headlining UFC Sweden last year as a last minute injury replacement for Alex Gustafsson. The fact that Latifi headlined a UFC event in 2013 had to be one of the strangest stories of 2013 but he certainly didn't embarrass himself, if anything his stock rose in the fight. Yes he clearly lost the fight against Mousasi who was the better fighter and cruised for most of the fight but Latifi didn't look like he didn't belong in the Octagon with him. For this fight he gets a full camp to prepare for Cyrille Diabate (19-9-1 MMA 4-3 UFC) and we will certainly the best Ilir Latifi in March.

I didn't expect to see Diabate on this card due to the fact that his UFC record when fighting in the UK is 0-3 and his overall MMA record when fighting in the UK is 3-6 which is crazy for a guy with a very good record. That being said, two of those loses have come against Alex Gustafsson and Jimi Manuwa who will be fighting each other in the main event of this event so it shows the opposition he has been facing.

I think both men need to win this fight as a loss could have severe implications on their employment status with the UFC.


That marks my preview of the prelims for UFC Fight Night 37, make sure to keep checking Kingdom MMA for the breakdown of the main card.

Tickets are on sale now for this event at www.ticketmaster.co.uk

Davey Grant vs Roland Delorme set to face off at UFC Fight Night 37

TUF 18 Finalist Davey Grant returns home to fight at UFC Fight Night 37 in London

by Ben Heather @benheather

On Monday evening it was announced that Davey Grant's wishes had come true.

Ever since Davey Grant (8-2 MMA 0-1 UFC) missed out on being crowned The Ultimate Fighter back in December he had called to be a part of the UFC's return to England. On Monday it was announced by the UFC UK twitter account that this would happen.

By the time this fight takes place it will be close to 18 months since Davey Grant last fought in England. His last fight in England was back in October 2012 when he defeated Danny Welsh at M4TC 7 and I can tell you one thing, he will be supported by a lot more fans this time out as he walks out to the Octagon at The O2 Arena in March.

Davey Grant will face off against Roland Delorme (9-2-1 MMA 3-1-1 UFC) and like Grant the UK fans should be familiar with Delorme after his stint on The Ultimate Fighter: Bisping vs Miller. A member of Team Miller on the show, Delorme lost his place on the show when he was defeated by TJ Dillashaw. After the show has won 3 and lost two, although his KO loss to Francisco Rivera was later ruled a no contest when Rivera failed a post fight drugs test. His last fight was against Alex Caceres at UFC 165 and he will be looking to get back to winning ways as he fights outside of North America for the first time in his career.

Brad Pickett Talks to Kingdom MMA About His Upcoming Fight with Ian McCall

Kingdom MMA caught up with Brad "One Punch" Pickett to discuss dropping to 125lbs and his next fight

by Ben Heather @benheather and Tommy Strong @Strong_tea

On Friday we caught up with the one and only Brad "One Punch" Pickett (23-8 MMA 3-3 UFC) to discuss the news which was recently announced on UFC Beyond The Octagon where he announced he was going to be dropping to flyweight and will fight Ian "Uncle Creepy" McCall (12-4-1 MMA 1-2-1 UFC) in his flyweight debut at the O2 Arena in his home town of London on 8th March 2014.

That fight certainly has already got a lot of buzz surrounding it and people are excited to see just how Brad gets on at flyweight. So we asked him:

Ben: Firstly, thank you for taking the time to speak to us today. What made you decide that it was the right time now to drop down in weight?
Pickett: I made the decision originally to drop down in weight when i was on my honeymoon. I had a lot of time to myself as it was really quiet in the Maldives and you start thinking about a lot of things.

For me being a fighter, I needed challenges. At the moment I am ranked number 5 in the bantamweight division. There are four people above me, I have fought three of them and lost to all of them so there wasn't really anywhere for me to go. The only people I had left to fight were people who were ranked lower than myself and for me that was something to not really be motivated for and I wanted motivating and I wanted to have a challenge.

With me not being the biggest bantamweight I thought it would be possible to go down a weight class, to reinvent myself and to have a new challenge so that's what I did. Also, the other factor in it is I have a win over the champion so that was another little factor but it wasn't the main factor. The main factor was to get a new challenge.

Ben: Had you thought about it at all before the McDonald fight?
Pickett: No, It was when I was on my honeymoon. I had the McDonald fight and if I had beat him I would have been in line for a title shot. You don't look to change things when you are winning its when you lose that you look to change things so I didn't even think about it until after I got married and was on my honeymoon.

Ben: Was it completely your idea to drop down in weight or had it been suggested to you beforehand which led you to consider it?
Pickett: It has always been loosely suggested because obviously I have beaten Demetrious Johnson so everyone would suggest it but I have never really looked at it as a possibility, as I wasn't doing too bad as a bantamweight. I was up there in the mix and with a win or two I was in line for a title shot so that's why I didn't want to lose another 10lbs and go down a weight class. As soon as there was no more challenges left for me at that weight class I wanted to make a new challenge for myself.

Ben: Have you done a trial cut or do you have plans to do a practise cut before your fight?
Pickett: I don't do test weight cuts, I don't believe in them personally. Its a really mentally tough thing to do weight cutting if you're cutting a lot of weight and I think unless you have something at the end of it, like a fight you're not really gonna mentally do it.

I will make the weight but I will do it when it comes to fight I've got everything in order. Obviously I walk around a lot lighter now, I walk around 10lbs lighter now because I've got to cut that extra 10lbs and now I am stabilised at this weight as well I don't have to diet to stay here.

Ben: Will Christmas have any impact on the weight and drop to flyweight? After all its a time when people tend to eat more unhealthy foods.
Pickett: Not too bad, my weight is quite good at the moment. I will eat over Christmas and I still got a lot of time next year to do it and I am going away in January to America and that's when I will concentrate a lot more on the weight cut.

Ben: Will you be going back to American Top Team for this camp?
Pickett: Yes I will be going back to Florida, that's always where I do my training camps so I am looking forward to going back there. I will be there for 8 weeks and come back a week before the fight

Ben: What do you think you gain by going to America and ATT that you cant get in the UK?
Pickett: one, there is a lot more full time training partners so I have a lot more full time people who are my size to train with.

The other factors and the reason I go to America is because I go away to train so I can get away from my day to day distractions. The lifestyle you are used to eating, diet, your friends and your social life. Its hard to concentrate on a training camp when you are still around everything. That's why I go to America because its so easy to switch on and focus on my diet, my training, everything and its all about me just training for this fight.

Ben: When you knew that you was going to be dropping down to flyweight did you ask to fight McCall or was this fight given to you?
Pickett: I like to look at fights that make sense and to me the McCall fight made sense. He was available as he was supposed to fight Scott Jorgensen and he got injured so timing wise he will be back in the right time and I wanted to fight a tough opponent within the weight class so Ian made sense.

Ben: What do you think McCall's main strengths are and how do you match up to them?
Pickett: His main strengths.... well he is very well rounded and I am very well rounded but I do believe I am a little bit better than him in every area.

Ben: How does it feel knowing you will be fighting in your home town for the UFC?
Pickett: Yeah I am excited, I have fought in London before and I have fought for the UFC before but I have never fought in London for the UFC and for me to do that at the O2 which in my eyes is the best arena in Europe let alone England. I can't wait I am so excited

Ben: What are your opinions of the other contenders to the flyweight belt. Guys such as Lineker, Benevidez and Dodson to name just a couple.
Pickett: They are all exciting fights and fighters to watch but to me at the minute I am just focusing on McCall. Hopefully I will be able to beat McCall and then I can look at other people after the fight. They are all exciting and well rounded and the division is getting more stacked all the time so its an exciting division to be involved in.

Ben: Do you believe a win over McCall and the fact you have beaten Demetrious Johnson before will be enough to get you a title fight off the back of this fight?
Pickett: I believe so. I think he has cleaned out most of the weightclass at the moment and there is no real contenders for him that he hasn't thought so I believe a win over McCall could potentially put me in line for a title shot.

Ben: Would you like to thank anyone?
Pickett: Yeah I would like to thank all my supporters and all my fans.
My two teams American Top Team and Team Titan and all of my sponsors who have supported me.

Thank you so much for your time to do the interview with us and we wish you a safe trip to America for the camp and can't wait to see you fight in your home town on March 8th. Also we would like to take this opportunity to wish a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year to you and all of your family.