Kiwi to make most of big UFC break
HE is the sole Kiwi on the card at UFC Fight Night in Sydney, and that was only after being called up on eight days’ notice.
But Shane Young says he is more than ready to fly the flag for New Zealand when he steps into the octagon for the first time against highly rated Australian Alexander Volkanovski today.
‘‘No pressure, I just thrive off that,’’ Young said as he geared up for big break in the UFC.
‘‘It feels like people are trying to put pressure on me but I just feel blessed to be here because I know I’ve put in nine, 10 years of hard training.
‘‘I don’t feel the pressure, I want people to be watching and [I want] to carry my nation on my shoulders over here.’’
New Zealand is usually well represented at UFC events across the Tasman.
But with Auckland lightweight Dan Hooker competing at UFC 219 in Las Vegas next month, it was shaping up to be a Kiwifree card when heavyweight great Mark Hunt was sensationally pulled from the main event due to medical concerns by officials. Hunt has disputed those claims by the UFC.
That changed late last week when Volkanovski lost his opponent for the second time and Young received a surprise phone call to pack his bags for Sydney.
It’s a huge ask for the 24-year-old featherweight to enter such a big occasion on such short notice, and Young has gone through the full gamut of emotions, nerves included, since receiving the news.
But he now sees the limited preparation as a ‘‘blessing in disguise’’ as he looks to make his mark in the world’s premier MMA organisation. room and stuff. But once I got off the phone I was like ‘damn, I’m going to be fighting in the UFC in eight days’,’’ he recalled. ‘‘It’s like a roller coaster, but I’m nervously excited.’’
Born in Napier, Young moved to Auckland aged 11 where he discovered wrestling at school.
Three years later he signed up to his first MMA gym and there was no looking back.
Young had his first professional bout in 2012 and has built an 11-3 record while capturing the XFC Australia featherweight belt in the process. Kickboxing gym, he credits trainer Eugene Bareman for opening his eyes up to the more analytical side of the sport.
Young is coming up against one of Australia’s most promising fighters in Volkanovski (15-1), who won his first two UFC bouts to extend his overall winning streak to 12. The Kiwi remains unfazed, though. The pair, who meet at a catchweight of 68kg, had been circling each other for a couple of years before Volkanovski cracked the big time.
And Young feels the fight was meant to be.
‘‘Before Alex was in the UFC he basically ran through the whole division bar me,’’ Young said. ‘‘There’s no animosity towards him but at the end of the day it’s Australia versus New Zealand. I’m willing to die for my country and I’m sure he feels the same