Home UFC ‘She’ll be in the cage talking s**t’: Aussie’s shock call to have wife corner him at UFC Las Vegas

‘She’ll be in the cage talking s**t’: Aussie’s shock call to have wife corner him at UFC Las Vegas

0
‘She’ll be in the cage talking s**t’: Aussie’s shock call to have wife corner him at UFC Las Vegas

AUSTRALIAN flyweight Shannon Ross has devised a unique solution to overcoming consecutive KO losses in the UFC – bringing wife Rebecca into his corner for Sunday’s Las Vegas showdown.

In what shapes as a wonderful first for Australian UFC history, 34-year-old Ross is set to have wife Bec “in the cage, talking s… to me” when he squares off against undefeated South Korean Hyun Sung Park in the second last UFC card of the year.

Speaking with Fox Sports Australia this week, Ross confirmed the Gold Coast couple, who have four children together, would be joined by his head coach Miles Muecke and another surprise cornerman – Australia’s rising female flyweight star, Casey O’Neill.

“So the four of us can go cause some chaos together,” he cackled.

UFC 296: Edwards vs Covington | SUN 17th DEC 2PM AEDT | Order Now with Main Event on Kayo Sports. Starting January 2024, Main Event on Kayo Sports and Foxtel will be the exclusive home of UFC Pay-Per-View events in Australia.

Aspinall in tears after KO to claim gold | 00:41

Once a promising fullback with Tugun Seahawks – and more recently an MMA fighter who mixed training with long hours as a motor mechanic – Ross entered the UFC this year after earning his contract in the most bizarre of ways.

Despite losing to Brazilian Vinicius Salvador on Dana White’s Contender Series last August, the Queenslander would eventually be awarded a deal after it was discovered he had not only fought with acute appendicitis but, then after the bout, was rushed for surgery when his appendix then ruptured.

As a result, UFC boss White signed the Aussie as he was undergoing emergency surgery.

Since then however, it has continued to be a tough run for the fighter dubbed ‘Turkish Delight’ – whose two UFC appearances have been first round KO losses against Jesus Aguilar (17 seconds) and Kleydson Rodrigues (59 seconds).

MORE NEWS

‘I want him unconscious’: Meet the ‘straight killer’ who quit his NRL dream for hyped UFC debut

‘Someone could die of s*** like that’: UFC fighters fume after ‘utterly disgusting’ drama

Yet despite this, Ross remains confident of turning things around this weekend, especially with Bec not only in his corner, but attending a UFC card for the first time with her husband fighting.

“Through the years Bec has always been at my fights,” the fighter explained of his time on the national circuit. “Always there, sitting front row.

“And now this time she’s going to be in my corner.

“Which is so special.

“And better, she never gets nervous.

“Bec actually gets more nervous when my teammates fight because she sees the hard work I put in, and knows how meticulously I train and treat my body.

“So having her around giving me those positive vibes, that good energy, it will really help.”

Pereira wins LHW belt with KO | 00:51

And as for her role on fight night?

“Man, I dunno,” Ross continued, grinning.

“She can come into the cage and talk s… to me, tell me I’m an idiot, whatever she wants to do.

“Bec definitely understands the fight game, too.

“I watch it a s…load at home, which means she has been trapped into watching it too.

“And because she has supported me for so long — given up so much of her time with the house, the kids, everything else that goes on with our life — she deserves to be here in Las Vegas this week, enjoying this part of the journey with me.

“Our kids are at home with (an aunt) and their cousins, so it’ll be a crazy week for them too.”

Before signing with the UFC, it had actually been Bec who urged her husband to stick with MMA when he was juggling training with so many hours of work that he would at times go two, even three days without seeing their children.

“Bec has pushed me for so much of my career,” the fighter continued, explaining how after Sunday’s bout they will then stay in Las Vegas for an extra 48 hours to celebrate “our first getaway together in 10 years”.

“I don’t know if you’ve seen it, but there’s a little Instagram post going around at the moment which says ‘all you need is one person to believe in you. If you have that you can do anything’.

“Which is why after the losses I’ve had, I know I can get back in there.

“Know I’m way better than these results.

“Yes, I hate losing.

“And the results have been tough.

“But it hasn’t broken me.”

Shannon Ross is ready to get back into the UFC octagon.
Shannon Ross is ready to get back into the UFC octagon.Source: Getty Images

Of course, to earn that elusive UFC ‘w’, Ross must defeat Park, who is undefeated in all eight professional appearances.

“And that motivates me,” he said.

“Gets me out of bed.

“To be that guy who changes that record to eight-and-one, and with the one loss being Shannon Ross, that pumps me up.

“When I take that zero, it will catapult me back to where I should’ve been a few fights ago.

“I’m ready to get the win, climb those rankings and put myself on the map”.

Asked if he had watched the KOs back, the Aussie said: “Yeah, I’ve watched the fights a few times.

“For me, it’s been about looking at the mistakes and removing them.

“And I have.”

Feeling pressure?

“Only the pressure I put on myself,” he insisted. “There’s nothing external.

“Because there is nothing in life that can put me down.

“Same as anyone trying to talk rubbish or whatever, they aren’t here this week.

“You haven’t done the work I’ve done.

“Coming off two losses, people quickly forget all the good you’ve done.

“All the fights you’ve won.

“The spectacular performances.

“They forget about that real quick.

“So when I have one of the performances I know I’m capable of … I’m ready to shock some people.”

Source link

LEAVE A REPLY

Please enter your comment!
Please enter your name here