(Whiteford vs. Carl Fawcett, Supremacy Fight Challenge 6.)
Given their proclivity for turning soccer games into full scale, fight-for-your-life riots, you’d think the UFC’s roster would be packed to the brim with Scottish fighters by now. But you being you, would be wrong. While there’s a certain Irish phenom that’s been making a name for himself in the promotion lately, it turns out that the UFC has *never* signed a Scottish fighter. Ever.
(*movie trailer voice*) That is…until now.
BloodyElbow passes along the news that 10-1 Scottish up-and-comer Robert Whiteford has recently signed with the UFC, marking the most monumental occasion for the Scottish people since the release of Braveheart. That’s the good news. The bad news is that Whiteford will be debuting against submission savant Jimy Hettes. Oh, and he’ll also be stepping in as a last-second replacement for the injured Mike Wilkinson at this weekend’s “Fight Night 30″ event. Oh, and he’ll also be fighting on the Facebook prelims. In other words…
Although the majority of Whiteford’s wins have come over journeymen at best and tomato cans at worst, at 5’10, he should hold a reach and size advantage over most if not all of the featherweight division. Having not lost a fight since his professional debut in 2009, Whiteford’s confidence, as well as the “nothing to lose” mentality a last minute fight can breed, should hopefully work to his advantage against a certified beast Like Hettes. Of course, Whiteford also has the luck of facing a Jimy Hettes who has been battling injuries ever since suffering the first defeat of his career to Marcus Brimage back in September of 2012. So maybe, just maybe this fight won’t be the one-sided slaughter that the bookies are predicting it will be.
We’ve thrown a video of Whiteford’s fight against Carl Fawcett from May of 2012 above. Let us know if it does anything to convince you that this man is Scotland’s answer to Conor McGregor, or at least someone who could walk away with his hand raised on Saturday.