Kiefer Crosbie eager to get UFC back to Dublin
The Welterweight star is looking to put in a performance on Saturday night that forces the UFC to return to Dublin.
Kiefer Crosbie is eager to turn in a performance on Saturday night that forces the UFC to make its long awaited return to Dublin.
The 34-year-old takes on Sam Patterson in an Ireland v England battle of the welterweights at UFC 304 in Manchester on Saturday evening in what will be the Dubliner’s second bout under the UFC banner.
He made his debut for Dana White’s organisation last September when he stepped in on two week’s notice to take on Kevin Jousset in Australia. The French star finished Crosbie with a choke in the first round of their contest in Sydney at UFC 293, but with a full training camp behind him, the SBG striker is eager to show the world what the real Kiefer Crosbie is all about.
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“It was ridiculous to be honest. Very short notice and it caught me at a bad time in my life when I wasn’t really training that much and had a lot of shit going on. Caught me at a really bad time when I was probably at my worst. I stepped in and fought hard as I always do. It was a good fight and I just got caught and it is what it is.
“This is the real debut, that’s the way my mindset is. The first one let me get my foot in the door, but this is my real first walk in my opinion. To be able to go out and represent myself better this time and show people who I actually am. Hopefully fight better, harder and smarter. Even the physical condition of me, if you look at photos and compare it to the last time , it’s like a different person because I actually really had time this time to knuckle down and prepare.”
By Crosbie’s side throughout his eight-year professional career has been ‘The Notorious’ Conor McGregor. The former two weight UFC champion has been a great friend to Crosbie down through the years and even shelled out a whopping €20,000 to fly Crosbie first class to Australia for his UFC debut. This generosity isn’t taken for granted and ‘BDK’ has nothing but praise for the first ever simultaneous two-weight UFC champion.
“He (McGregor) has had an influence on MMA in general. He’s changed the whole game. He’s the GOAT. Realistically, he is the GOAT. If your idea of a prize-fighter is to make money, I think he has a gold medal at that, he’s the best in the world at it. He’s a special person and someone you can learn a lot from. I’ve learnt a lot from him, both personally and from just watching his career. It’s amazing what he has achieved, it’s crazy. He’s just a young fella from around the way that blew up and took over the world. I’m proud to call him a friend and a teammate and long may it last.”
While companies like Bellator routinely host multiple events every year in Ireland, the UFC hasn’t returned to these shores since Louis Smolka choked out Paddy Holohan at the 3Arena in 2015. Since then, MMA has exploded in Ireland off the back of Conor McGregor’s popularity, and with the plethora of Irish fighters on this weekend’s UFC 304 card in Manchester, Crosbie thinks the time is right for the UFC to end its prolonged absence in Ireland.
“We have some amazing fighters on our small island. I’m so grateful and thankful and proud of myself to be able to go out there and represent the flag and my country. I see this as a sport of representing the nation, and I get to carry my blood soaked flag with pride and represent the country.
“After this, my goal is to get the UFC back to Dublin. I want a UFC fight night at the 3Arena and I want to be on the main card. I’ve fought in the 3Arena 8 times and I want my ninth time to be a UFC fight. That’s my dream and vision. That will be the first thing out of my mouth on Saturday night is that the UFC has to come back to Dublin.”
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