MMA combatant says beating Paterno can kick-start career

Inverness MMA fighter Ross Houston believes winning the Cage Warriors welterweight title against Stefano Paterno in Birmingham on Saturday can open the door to a career in UFC.

Houston is aiming to make it eight victories on the bounce without defeat when he takes on Italian champion Paterno, who is defending the belt for the first time since winning it in July.

Taking inspiration from the pathway taken by the likes of Irishman Conor McGregor, Houston believes he is well prepared for his first title fight.

He is determined to catch the eye by putting on a show against Paterno.

The 28-year-old said: “When you look at the roster of ex-champions in Cage Warriors – Conor McGregor, Michael Bisping and Dan Hardy – they have gone on to win multiple UFC titles.

“This is the direct route to the UFC, so winning this belt is going to be like my golden ticket to getting there.

“The stakes are high, but that’s when I perform best. That’s what’s going to happen. People are going to see the best performance from me on Saturday.”

Houston’s last triumph was a rear-naked choke victory over Nathan Jones in London, at the same event in which Paterno won the welterweight belt, and he is confident he has momentum on his side for this weekend’s contest.

He added: “It has been back-to-back camps. I got the win in London and then pretty much immediately they gave me the title shot, so I was straight back into camp.”

Saturday’s contest will be in familiar territory for Houston, who spent the first 21 years of his life in Birmingham before moving to Scotland, with his family from Muir of Ord.

He added: “I have a few friends down there but I represent Scotland. My blood is fully Scottish.

“I have been fighting for eight years now and winning the title would mean everything to me – I eat sleep and breathe this.”