Stevie Ray on grisly motorcycle accident before UFC Scotland: ‘I thought I was going to die’

Stevie Ray couldn’t have scripted a better homecoming. Ray was one of three Scottish fighters to pick up victories at UFC Fight Night 72, sandwiching a beatdown of Leonardo Mafra between Robert Whiteford’s fevered party starter and Joanne Calderwood’s electric comeback. Each hometown win whipped the Scottish crowd even further into a frenzy, and days later, Ray was still speechless when asked to describe the first UFC event ever held in his native country.

“It still feels surreal. I don’t even think it’s properly sunk in yet. It’s just crazy,” Ray said Monday on The MMA Hour.

“I just can’t believe the whole experience. Even when I woke up this morning, I was scared I was going to wake up and it’s just all been a dream.”

A promising 25-year-old lightweight prospect, Ray dispatched TUF Brazil’s Mafra with a volley of strikes in just under three minutes, pushing his UFC record to a perfect 2-0 and helping to complete Scotland’s flawless night.

The win was special in and of itself, but even more so considering the nightmarish lead-up he had to overcome.

Just four weeks out from fight night, Ray took a motorcycle training course and ended up involved in a nasty accident, nearly sinking his dream before it could even start.

“I slammed the brakes on, basically slid straight away, and, still going about 40 miles per hour, came flying right off the bike,” Ray said. “I just remember sliding down the road. My left knee took most of the impact, and yeah, I’m flying 40 miles per hour. There’s cars behind me. There’s cars coming towards me, because I’m sliding on the other side of the road. It’s one of those feelings, I thought I was going to die.”

Ray escaped from the accident swollen and beaten, but incredibly without any broken bones or torn ligaments. Still, it took him several weeks to return to a regular training schedule, and once he did, he suffered an additional injury to his lower back that severely hampered his abilities to wrestle, grapple, or even kick.

Through it all though, he never doubted that he’d make that walk for his countrymen.

“I’ve never, ever pulled out of a fight,” Ray said. “Knock on wood. I’ve had loads of [small injuries] before, where I’ve been a little bit sore. But I would never pull out of a fight unless I broke my leg or something. I just try and keep it quiet and do what I can. But I kept saying to myself throughout this whole camp, even with [the injuries], ‘I’ll just need to work around it,’ which I did. ‘I’ve done everything I could, and on fight night I’ll not feel it. The adrenaline will hide the pain.'”

Not only did Ray persevere to score the biggest win of his career, but his performance also netted him a post-fight bonus to the tune of $50,000.

For a fighter who speaks openly about having been on welfare off-and-on before his UFC career, and for a father who still juggles the responsibilities of providing for his fiancé and three children on an entry-level wage, Ray couldn’t help but be floored by the sum.

“I was just absolutely overwhelmed and couldn’t believe it,” Ray said. “Sometimes I think it’s still not even sunk in, the fact that I’ve won $50,000. I’ve probably never made that in my entire work career, if I had to add up every single piece of money I’ve ever made from when I started working, I’ve not made that. So it’s just unbelievable. I think I’m scared to spend it.”

Ray plans to use his performance bonus to help buy a house for his family. In the meantime, he already has his eyes set on his next foe.

He hopes to fight TUF Smashes winner and fellow U.K. resident Norman Parke at October’s show in Dublin, Ireland — and he wouldn’t be surprised if years down the line, an army of Scottish fighters emerge to take over the scene just as the Irish are doing now.

“I reckon after that show, there’s a lot of people saying ‘I’m going to start training MMA,'” Ray said. “Even me, JoJo, and Rob getting signed to the UFC, I think that’s given a lot of the other fighters encouragement because, I mean, we’ve got a lot of pro fighters in our gym. Some of them kick my ass and they’re not in the UFC, so I think over the next few years, you’re going to see a lot more Scottish fighters in the UFC, we’ve got a lot of prospects and stuff as well.

“So I think it’s going to explode. It just feels unbelievable and amazing to be part of it.”

Stevie Ray couldn’t have scripted a better homecoming. Ray was one of three Scottish fighters to pick up victories at UFC Fight Night 72, sandwiching a beatdown of Leonardo Mafra between Robert Whiteford’s fevered party starter and Joanne Calderwood’s electric comeback. Each hometown win whipped the Scottish crowd even further into a frenzy, and days later, Ray was still speechless when asked to describe the first UFC event ever held in his native country.

“It still feels surreal. I don’t even think it’s properly sunk in yet. It’s just crazy,” Ray said Monday on The MMA Hour.

“I just can’t believe the whole experience. Even when I woke up this morning, I was scared I was going to wake up and it’s just all been a dream.”

A promising 25-year-old lightweight prospect, Ray dispatched TUF Brazil’s Mafra with a volley of strikes in just under three minutes, pushing his UFC record to a perfect 2-0 and helping to complete Scotland’s flawless night.

The win was special in and of itself, but even more so considering the nightmarish lead-up he had to overcome.

Just four weeks out from fight night, Ray took a motorcycle training course and ended up involved in a nasty accident, nearly sinking his dream before it could even start.

“I slammed the brakes on, basically slid straight away, and, still going about 40 miles per hour, came flying right off the bike,” Ray said. “I just remember sliding down the road. My left knee took most of the impact, and yeah, I’m flying 40 miles per hour. There’s cars behind me. There’s cars coming towards me, because I’m sliding on the other side of the road. It’s one of those feelings, I thought I was going to die.”

Ray escaped from the accident swollen and beaten, but incredibly without any broken bones or torn ligaments. Still, it took him several weeks to return to a regular training schedule, and once he did, he suffered an additional injury to his lower back that severely hampered his abilities to wrestle, grapple, or even kick.

Through it all though, he never doubted that he’d make that walk for his countrymen.

“I’ve never, ever pulled out of a fight,” Ray said. “Knock on wood. I’ve had loads of [small injuries] before, where I’ve been a little bit sore. But I would never pull out of a fight unless I broke my leg or something. I just try and keep it quiet and do what I can. But I kept saying to myself throughout this whole camp, even with [the injuries], ‘I’ll just need to work around it,’ which I did. ‘I’ve done everything I could, and on fight night I’ll not feel it. The adrenaline will hide the pain.'”

Not only did Ray persevere to score the biggest win of his career, but his performance also netted him a post-fight bonus to the tune of $50,000.

For a fighter who speaks openly about having been on welfare off-and-on before his UFC career, and for a father who still juggles the responsibilities of providing for his fiancé and three children on an entry-level wage, Ray couldn’t help but be floored by the sum.

“I was just absolutely overwhelmed and couldn’t believe it,” Ray said. “Sometimes I think it’s still not even sunk in, the fact that I’ve won $50,000. I’ve probably never made that in my entire work career, if I had to add up every single piece of money I’ve ever made from when I started working, I’ve not made that. So it’s just unbelievable. I think I’m scared to spend it.”

Ray plans to use his performance bonus to help buy a house for his family. In the meantime, he already has his eyes set on his next foe.

He hopes to fight TUF Smashes winner and fellow U.K. resident Norman Parke at October’s show in Dublin, Ireland — and he wouldn’t be surprised if years down the line, an army of Scottish fighters emerge to take over the scene just as the Irish are doing now.

“I reckon after that show, there’s a lot of people saying ‘I’m going to start training MMA,'” Ray said. “Even me, JoJo, and Rob getting signed to the UFC, I think that’s given a lot of the other fighters encouragement because, I mean, we’ve got a lot of pro fighters in our gym. Some of them kick my ass and they’re not in the UFC, so I think over the next few years, you’re going to see a lot more Scottish fighters in the UFC, we’ve got a lot of prospects and stuff as well.

“So I think it’s going to explode. It just feels unbelievable and amazing to be part of it.”