The UFC returns to Glasgow this Sunday evening and with fight week well and truly in motion, fighters spent time answering questions from the media on Thursday afternoon.
Light heavyweights got things underway in Glasgow with local hero Paul Craig and Ultimate Fighter Season 23 runner-up, Khalil Rountree taking to the microphone.
Paul Craig:
“I honestly believe I know I how to beat this guy. He thinks he’s going to knock me out but I can’t see that happening. I’ve never been knocked out. I’ve been knocked down, that was my mistake, but I’ve never been knocked out, so he’s not going to knock me out. As soon as he gets into my world, I’m going to pick him apart, drag him to the mat and choke him out.”
Khalil Rountree:
“It’s pretty cool to know that I’m the favourite but I don’t know what all that stuff means. At the end of the day, the thing that matters the most is Paul and I in the Octagon, and me getting my hand raised.”
The pair came close to blows when faced off, in a staredown that had most the room trembling. Craig will be looking to impress on Sunday evening in front of his home crowd.
Another Scottish prospect in Stevie Ray also appeared ahead of his clash with Paul Felder.
Stevie Ray:
“I wanted to get back in there because it was the Scotland card. If I had been here just as a fan, watching it, it wouldn’t have been the same. I would have been gutted not to be fighting. If the UFC comes to Scotland, I just have to be a part of it.”
Paul Felder:
“When you're the bad guy, you kind of feed off that and that's what I plan on doing on Sunday night. At the end of the day, it's two martial artists and they're going to fight; the crowd can't get in there with you.”
The co-main event at the SSE Hydro sees the highest Scot on the card in strawweight Joanne Calderwood, taking on unbeaten submission specialist Cynthia Calvillo.
Joanne Calderwood:
“I hope they give her a welcome because she's come here, she's put in the hard work so it will be good for them to respect her. But at the same time, I know they're going to be cheering for me and that all that's going to matter to me. I'm going to give her all that I've got. I see striking, a striking battle - I just see myself stopping her.”
Cynthia Calvillo:
“I expect the best Joanne Calderwood possible, I expect the best from her. I know she's hungry, she's not going to want to let her home town down and I'm here to give her the hardest fight of her life.”
The main event sees popular Icelandic welterweight Gunnar Nelson, take on Argentina’s Santiago Ponzinibbio.
Gunnar Nelson:
“He isn't a brawler but he can throw his hands. He knows how to throw strikes so I expect that from him. In the first round, I would like to get the read of him. If I see an opening, I'll definitely take it. That's the way I train. He's dangerous, you have to be careful but if I see an opening, I'll take it. I'll go in there and try to finish the fight in any way I can, whether that's by submission or knockout.”
Santiago Ponzinibbio:
“He's a tough fighter, top ranked and it's a huge opportunity for me to main event a card. But I didn't get this for free; I wanted this, I worked hard for this. I'm ready for the toughest fighters in the world. I'm ready for everything that Gunnar brings and I'm ready for everyone in this division.”
Gunnar Nelson and Santiago Ponzinibbio face off. #UFCGlasgow
