EXCLUSIVE Scouse scrapper has come a long way since going on the run as he makes his first walk to the Octagon at UFC Qatar
Ahead of his UFC debut in Qatar Shem Rock is already planning a big homecoming fight, but that is hardly a surprise when you skipped town for seven years.
The Liverpool lightweight finally gets his shot in the Octagon against Nurullo Aliev tonight, with the 32-year-old planning to make a big first impression on UFC president Dana White and Co.
Rock found jiu-jitsu and then MMA in Malaysia while on the run from an aggravated burglary he was ultimately found innocent of, making his name in Cage Warriors and Oktagon before finally getting his chance in the big time with the UFC.
He said: “This is the dream. This is what I have been working towards my entire fighting career.
“I never wanted to be anywhere else and I have made that clear from day one. I have been delusional from day one. I have always said that I would be here, verbalised it, dreamed it. Now that I am here, it already feels familiar.
“Right now, I am not looking past my opponent – I have to do a job on him.
“However, ultimately, my dream is to bring Dana and the UFC back to Liverpool. It would be such a big shame if I ended my career without once fighting in Liverpool, my hometown.
“(When I win my UFC debut) I am gonna jump on that mic afterwards and go mad. Dana is going to go, ‘This guy ain’t normal. What’s up with him?’”
Fighting out of the Next Generation gym in Liverpool and working alongside Paddy Pimblett has given Rock a valuable insight, with fellow gym-mate Luke Riley also making his UFC debut tonight against Bogdan Grad.
And with ‘The Baddy’ closing in on a shot at Ilia Topuria’s lightweight title, Rock added: “Paddy is now one of the poster boys for the UFC, so to get to train with him every day, the super high-level athlete that he is, it pushes everyone on at the gym, not just myself.
“And it is not just Paddy, there are so many people at our gym, there are so many skilled fighters.”
When asked if Pimblett had given him any last-minute advice, Rock said: “Punch Nurullo in the face.” And that should leave the right first impression.
You can watch Shem Rock in action tonight against Nurullo Aliev in Qatar on UFC Fight Pass from 3pm.
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