UFC's Mike Grundy would love to compete on 'Fight Island'

Mike Grundy is hoping he can fight within the next two months as the UFC presses ahead with its plans of a ‘Fight Island’.
Wigan's Mike Grundy at his gymWigan's Mike Grundy at his gym
Wigan's Mike Grundy at his gym

The Wiganer was due to face top-20 opponent Makwan Amirkhani at London’s O2 in March but the coronavirus pandemic wiped out sports events.

UFC has since made a return with behind-closed-doors events in Florida.

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But travel restrictions in America prevent many international fighters from entering the country to compete – leading to UFC president Dana White setting up a ‘Fight Island’ where fights can be staged.

Grundy said he would have no reservations about taking part, even though his training has been impacted by the lockdown.

And as the London show was the UFC’s first victim of the Covid-19 crisis, he is keeping his fingers crossed he is involved.

He said: “Dana is hoping to get fights back in July.

“If I’m asked, I would be straight there, I’d be there in a heartbeat. I want to fight.”

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The location still remains a mystery but White has given a few extra details about it.

People are very intrigued by ‘Fight Island,’ and I’m excited for it,” White told ESPN.

“Right now we’re looking at June, and we’re literally gonna knock out three or four (events) there in a month.

“And I’m gonna stay on the island for a month. I’ll probably be there the whole month of July.”

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Grundy, who made a winning UFC debut in March 2019, has watched the recent UFC events which were staged without any fans on TV – but doesn’t think the

experience will be too unusual.

He explained: “When I fought in Japan before I was in the UFC, there might have been 2,000 fans but over there the fans don’t make a sound.

“You can hear every shot, I could hear what the other coach was saying, the referee... it’d just be like that.”

The featherweight fights out of Team Kaobon in Liverpool, where his training partners include Darren Till, one of the sport’s biggest stars.

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But the lockdown has forced him into a new routine involving fitness sessions, as well as wrestling and pad work, with his 15-year-old son, Jack.

He can use the facilities at his own gym, Elite Fitness Factory at Eckersley Mill, and is waiting for the day they are allowed to open their doors again.

“As soon as the government gives us the green light we could open tomorrow,” added the 33-year-old, who was an international wrestler before switching to mixed martial arts.

“We have screens between the treadmills, we can keep two metres apart, there are wipes on every corner of every piece of equipment, signs reminding people to wash their hands, we can limit the number of people who go in.

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“We’ll be led by the government but I’m confident it could be done safely with us, and I think it’d be good for people’s mental health, too.”

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