Shannon Ross fighting for his future after back-to-back losses

After two losses, it’s now or never for Queensland’s Shannon Ross as he prepares for his third – and possibly last – fight in the UFC.

After back-to-back losses it’s the last chance saloon for Shannon Ross (R) this weekend. Picture: Chris Unger/Zuffa LLC via Getty Images

Shannon Ross is fighting for his survival in the UFC this weekend. It’s as simple as that.

After two first round knockout defeats in his first two fights, anything less than a victory against Park Hyun-Sung in Las Vegas will likely see the Queensland flyweight cut from the UFC.

“I’ve got one left on my contract, but we know how the industry rolls,” Ross tells this masthead from Vegas. “You don’t see too many guys around here with three straight losses.

“It’s a cutthroat industry and a cutthroat sport.

Ross was on the wrong end of a first round knockout in his last fight. Picture: Chris Unger/Zuffa LLC via Getty Images

“Even a boring a fight could be the see ya later move. I don’t fight like that though, so that’s not really a worry.”

Ross burst onto the scene with a heroic performance on Dana White’s Contender Series last year when he fought through a burst appendix.

White was so impressed that he awarded the former Palm Beach Currimbin footy player a four-fight contract.

The losses aren’t the worst thing for Ross. It’s the fact that he hasn’t been able to showcase the talent that got him to the UFC in the first place.

Ross is desperate to showcase what he can do in the Octagon. Picture: Cooper Neill/Zuffa LLC via Getty Images

“The biggest frustration is that I haven’t got to show any of my skills and who I am as a fighter,” he says. “That’s the hardest part.

“The loss, the knockout, it is what it is – I’ve knocked a lot of people out – so I can live with that. It’s part of the sport.

“But the only pressure is the pressure I put on myself. Outside the sport, I know I’m a great man and a great husband and a great father.

“Wherever this road leads, I’m very grateful and happy with what I’ve done, but this is not the end.”

Ross can look to fellow Aussie Jamie Mullarkey, who also fights on this weekend’s card, for some inspiration.

The Central Coast scrapper began his own UFC career with back-to-back losses but has since become one of Australia’s favourite and most entertaining fighters.

Jamie Mullarkey (R) is hardly ever in a boring fight. Picture: Mark Evans/Getty Images

A shock loss to Muhammad Naimov in June is the only blemish in his last three fights, and he bounced back in Sydney in September with a victory over veteran John Makdessi.

He takes on another UFC veteran in Nasrat Haqparast, and hopes a win will propel him up the lightweight rankings.

“Nasrat’s a good fighter, and we’re in similar spots in our careers – we’ve both fought some good guys,” Mullarkey tells this masthead. “I get this win and it puts me right in the spot to fight a good opponent to catapult me into the rankings, if not get a ranked opponent after this.

“I want to get to the top 10, then the top five and one day fight for a world title.”

Watch UFC Fight Night: Song vs. Gutierrez live on ESPN from 10:30am (AEDT) on Sunday, December 10

Originally published as Shannon Ross fighting for his future after back-to-back losses