‘I’ll make it ugly’: Aussie Octagon debutant Steve Kennedy about UFC Berlin fight

PERTH’S Steve Kennedy promises to “make it ugly” when he makes his UFC debut on Sunday opposite Polish-German Peter Sobotta.

Kennedy takes to the ring on enemy territory (Photo by Chris Hopkins/Getty Images)

PERTH’S Steve Kennedy promises to ask questions of his Polish-German opponent Peter Sobotta when he makes his UFC debut on Sunday.

The man known as the ‘Steamroller’ works as a full-time courier and he was training at his gym, Kickass MMA, when he got the news that he would replace Sobotta’s original opponent, Sergio Moraes, in the welterweight (77kg) clash at UFC Berlin.

Kennedy takes to the ring on enemy territory (Photo by Chris Hopkins/Getty Images)

The thought of fighting the ‘local’ Sobotta, doesn’t phase Kennedy.

“I didn’t change (my training) specifically for Peter, I trained with a few of the good southpaws (left handed) around just to switch over my brain,” he told News.com.

“Your brain needs to work a little differently when you fight southpaws and I’ve done plenty of camps for southpaws. I am going to make it ugly and ask a real question of him ... how bad he wants to win and we’ll see if he can answer it.

“My dad’s mum and dad are German. I have a little Ivan Drago in me ... he’s German. or Russian? All the German words I know are potty words.”

Ivan Drago was indeed Russian and he was a character from the famous Rocky movies

Fighter Callan Potter receives treatment after being put in a submission hold by Kennedy who can be seen in the background

The fight is among the four main card bouts at the event, which is headlined by the women’s UFC strawweight title contest between champion Joanna JÄ™drzejczyk and Jessica Penne.

Kennedy has spent fight week dodging all the finer foods and is on a crusade to make the welterweight limit.

“We always struggle to make weight,” he said.

“It’s all good, we’re sitting in the hotel room with nothing else to do but make weight. I went to the buffet breakfast at the hotel this morning, they had all these cakes, doughnuts, breads as far as the eye can see and, my beautiful family ate it right in front of me ... I only had coffee so happy times.”

His nickname came from his first Brazilian jiu-jitsu coach, who said (in broken English) he got through his opponents on the matt like a steamroller.

With the UFC returning to Australia, with a Melbourne event, in November, Kennedy has his sights on trying to bring the promotion to his home town of Perth.

Mark Hunt is another fighter touted to be on the UFC card in Melbourne. Photo Sarah Reed.

Menai fighter Robert Whittaker has cracked the UFC middleweight division’s top 15 recently. Photo Calum Robertson

“The number one goal is to bring the UFC to Perth. I’m not much of a politician and I don’t have anyone to argue the case,” he said.

“If anyone out there wants to take up the case, especially if they have a legal background, let’s get the cage ban overturned in Western Australia. That’s the ultimate goal. Fighting in Melbourne would be super sweet though.”

VELASQUEZ A POSSIBILITY FOR MELBOURNE

The event is Live on Fox Sports on Sunday morning at 5am.