If you're a fan of the UFC and want to see some of the top English fighters in action, this weekend's London show is a must-see. England has always produced many top stars in the UFC, but there has been one champion from England, Michael Bisping, who beat Luke Rockhold last January. Despite this, UFC England has many promising prospects this weekend.
Darren Till
Darren Till is a 24-year old Liverpudlian from England who is currently training in Phuket, Thailand for his upcoming UFC 282 fight against Dricus de Plessis. The fight is scheduled to take place in Las Vegas on 12/12. Till is a 5-1 UFC fighter, but Till's path to the UFC was not conventional. He was first called up for a promotion in the United Kingdom and then he relocated to Brazil on the advice of his coach.
Darren Hardy
UFC boasts a number of British-based fighters. Darren Hardy is just one. He won the middleweight title in 2011 and has won four straight fights. The Englishman is no stranger to MMA, having trained in the U.S. before joining the UFC.
Count
Many British fighters have made it to the UFC stage. Michael Bisping was born in Manchester and rose to prominence during the UFC's TUF 3 broadcast. He went on to win the title three more times and became a star in his native country. He won the UFC's middleweight title in his final fight and established himself as one the most respected fighters in the world.
McCann
McCann, a friend and mentor to MMA fighters, has overcome poverty and drug addiction in the family to become an English woman who won a UFC bout. She also trains at the Next Generation MMA gym in Liverpool, England. Both fighters see themselves as ambassadors for the city. After winning the Cage Warriors championship in her final fight, McCann joined the UFC in 2018.
One-Punch
Brad Pickett is one of the most prominent English MMA fighters. The former British Featherweight Champion 'Cage Rage 'is known for his speed and unpredictable takedowns. He started his career in boxing before joining the UFC. This gave him upper body strength and the ability to land quick strikes. He was a member of Wellingborough ABC, and won his UFC debut with a TKO in round one.
Leon Edwards
Leon Edwards is one of the top ranked UFC fighters in the world. Born in Jamaica, he moved to England with his family when he was young. His father was in the organised crime world, a gangster. His father was killed when he was only 13 years old. Leon was born to a single mother. This meant that Leon was constantly getting into trouble, fighting and becoming violent.
Craig
Craig, an English mixed martial artist, has enjoyed success in England. He is currently undefeated with four fights. He has won the Performance of the Night Bonus on six occasions. He is set to fight Nikita Karylov at Fight Night on Saturday.
Tom Aspinall
English MMA fighter Tom Aspinall has signed with the UFC. The 27-year-old is coming off of a perfect start to his career, winning his first four fights. He has also received a hat trick of performance bonuses and climbed up the heavyweight ranks. In his next fight, he will take on Alexander Volkov. He would be within one win of the title shot if he wins.