Daniel Kelly has fought on interstate and overseas cards in his UFC career, but never thought the day would come when a ban on fighting inside an octagon would be lifted in his home city.
Kelly, who holds an impressive 9-1-0 record after 10 fights, finally gets the chance to fight on the big stage in his home town on Sunday, when he takes on young American Steve Montgomery in a middleweight undercard to the much-anticipated UFC 193 event at Etihad Stadium.
The 38-year-old will step into the octagon for a UFC-sanctioned event only 10 minutes drive from his training base at Resiliance Training Centre in Footscray.
The four-time Australian summer Olympian in judo is proud to be able to put on a show for his friends, family and fighters in the west.
“It’s awesome,” the Westmeadows resident told
Star Weekly. “I didn’t expect it at the start, in terms of the ban being lifted on the cage in Melbourne. There were rumblings and, when we got the change of government, it flew through after that.
“To be on the card and be fighting in that stadium is all I could’ve asked for.”
Kelly’s first foray into mixed martial arts was part of the Australian Fighting Championship. These events were held in Melbourne, but inside a boxing ring because of the ‘cage ban’.
Kelly argues that it is safer for the fighters inside an enclosed octagon.
The lifting of the ban has paved the way for the UFC road show to come to Melbourne, almost completing the jigsaw puzzle for sport-mad Melburnians.
Fight fans, who have shelled out plenty of their hard-earned dollars on television pay-per-view events over the years, will get the chance to see the UFC fighters in the flesh.
Kelly is thrilled to be part of Melbourne sporting history and plans to lap up every minute of the day.
“You’d be silly not to enjoy the moment,” he said. “This is a massive event for Australia, and for the UFC and Melbourne, and I’m going to enjoy it for sure.
“I’m on third fight and, hopefully, I’ll be celebrating, kicking back and watching the rest of the card.”
Kelly has been part of three UFC Fight Night events. He’s had a bout in Colorado in the US, wedged between fights in Sydney and Adelaide.
Naturally, he enjoys performing in front of the Aussies, who really get into the spirit of the day.
But expect the volume to go up a notch when Kelly walks into that octagon in his home town.
“It’s always better to fight at home,” he said.
“In America, they aren’t as happy a crowd as the Australians are.Here, the undercards are full of Australians, so they really get behind the Aussies.”
Kelly’s clash with Montgomery, nicknamed ‘The Creepy Weasel’, will be a contrast in styles.
Kelly, with his judo background, will be looking to take down the overseas invader at every opportunity, while Montgomery, with a height and reach advantage, will be gunning for the knock-out.
“We’ve done a lot of study on him,” Kelly said.
“I’ve got a plan and, hopefully, it will go our way,” Kelly said.
“He’s a southpaw from a very strong team, quite a good striker, a tall rangy type of guy.
“There will be no secret as to what we’re going to try to do to each other … I’ll be trying to put him on his back, and he’s going to try to knock me out.”
A world record UFC crowd is expected at the Docklands on Sunday.
Kelly estimates that 60 per cent of those in attendance will be diehard, knowledgeable UFC fans, while the other 40 per cent will be curious observers.
He believes the first-timers will be impressed by the professionalism of the fighters and the entertainment value of the show, on the whole.
“You’d be surprised how many people follow the UFC in this country – there’s heaps,” Kelly said.
“When they [the first-timers] see how professional the UFC fighters are, they’ll enjoy it. There’s a reason why they’re [UFC events] as successful as they are; they know what they’re doing and how to put on a show.”
Two of the best known female fighters on the planet, Ronda Rousey (12-0-0) and Holly Holm (9-0-0), will contest the main event.
Kelly is looking forward to the tussle, but reckons Rousey will be too good.
“I’m glad they brought Ronda down – she’s amazing,” Kelly said.
“Holly’s a very good athlete too, and there’s a reason why she’s a six or seven-time boxing world champion. It will be an interesting clash of styles.”
