The fight game is fickle. One day your a champion, the next your just another fighter. Few know that more than Ballymena man Rhys Mckee.
McKee fought Russian fighter Khamzat Chimaev in his first UFC debut before fighting veteran Alex Morono. He lost on both occasions. As a result, he moved back down a grade to Cage Fighters where he went on a three fight win streak to win the Cage Warriors Welterweight World Title.
He was given another opportunity at UFC Paris in September however, he succumbed to another defeat at the hands to Congolese fighter Ange Loosa. However, the 28-year-old is unperturbed by those results and knows how to come back stronger from defeats.
Just part of the game. It's the fight game at the end of the day. To come out of a loss and feel angry and frustrated is normal."
"Winning and losing's always an option. But for me it was very much go back to the drawing board develop y'know see what went wrong fix those errors and come back a better fighter."
'Skeletor' as McKee is commonly known as, has taken a different perspective from the loss. After being exposed to such a high level early on his career he feels it will benefit him in the long run.
I've only picked up losses to guys who are in a very good position. So, of course it's gonna stand by me over the test of time.
Although I didn't pick up the results in those fights, they were very winnable fights for me and on a different night with a better version of myself I would've won those fights.
So they'll absolutely stand by me and some of those fights I wanna run back.
For his latest crack at the UFC, McKee is fighting in Atlantic City tonight on the undercard of the Erin Blanchfield v Mano Fiorot fight. The welterweight will take on Nigerian-American fighter Chidi Njokuani and McKee is wary of his opponent although confident in his own ability.
We've watched a lot of his fights I'm probably sick of watching him to be honest. But yeah we know what he's good at, we know his game".
He's one of those guys he's on a three fight skid he could be very easy to overlook. So I'm in a position when I'm coming off one loss and haven't really shown what I'm capable of in the UFC.
So I know people shouldn't believe my narrative and I'm not gonna believe that narrative of he's got three losses in a row. He's very dangerous, he's very experienced, he's here to win. So let's see.
Also on the undercard of the fight is Tyrone bantamweight Caolan Loughran. The two Ulstermen know each other well having both fought in Paris. Loughran, making his UFC debut also lost his match up and McKee is delighted to get another opportunity to share another night of fighting with Loughran. Having a fellow northerner there is due to be a raft of support on show for the two Irish fighter
Yeah I believe there's a few hundred coming. You know what they say about the noisy Irish."
Although, McKee is firmly focused on this weekend's fight. He is hoping to move onto bigger and better things provided he gets the win and sees this Saturday night as a gateway to some enticing fights.
One hundred percent y'know for me really the next fight after this I'd like someone just outside the top 15 and then pushing on in.
But like the guys just outside that top 15 absolutely. I actually think that some of the guys in that position are an easier fight than this one if I'm being totally honest. But all I have to focus on is getting through Saturday night because if I don't get through Saturday night I won't have the stake to claim what I want.
Since he fought last McKee has welcomed the birth of his first child and well as getting married. These events have given him perspective on life and with his personal life thriving he hopes that the sacrifices he's made in preparation for this fight will pay off.
Me and Paul Hughes had this conversation we've already won y'know. We've already won in life. Me and my wife Rebecca and our little daughter Ruby, how much better could it get?"
Yeah so it puts everything into perspective the reason, the drive, what your doing it for. Y'know I'm not leaving them two in the house to go training for nothing. So it's heavily in my mind here that I'm going out to get the result I deserve."
Y'know you're sacrificing some of those first memories with your wife and child so you best believe that the performance at the end has to be like a payback of that. Yeah so, that's very much in my mind and I'm extremely eager and motivated to bring it back.
Rhys McKee takes on Chidi Njokuani on March 30th live on UFC Fight Pass and TNT Sports 1 at UFC FIGHT NIGHT: BLANCHFIELD vs FIOROT.
