Joseph Duffy. Photo courtesy of: Dolly Clew/Cage Warriors
BY CHRIS MCNULTY
DONEGAL Mixed Martial Arts star Joseph Duffy will make his UFC debut on March 14 when he takes on veteran Brazilian Vagner Rocha in Dallas.
26-year-old Duffy, who hails from Meenbanad, Burtonport, signed with the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) earlier this month and in the days leading up to St Patrick’s Day, ‘Irish Joe’ will make his debut in the UFC octagon.
Duffy will take on 32-year-old Rocha (with an 11-4 record) at the American Airlines Center, Dallas, Texas at UFC 185.
Conor McGregor is now on a 13-fight winning streak following his win over Dennis Siver in Boston in the early hours of this morning. McGregor is now tipped to become World champion and you have to go back to November 2010 for his last defeat.
The man who submitted ‘The Notorious’ after just 38 seconds was none other than Duffy.
Duffy beat McGregor in a 155-pound bout at Cage Warriors 39 and has a 12-1 record and has won five of his last six, however they are now in different divisions with McGregor at featherweight and Duffy at lightweight.
Duffy was also the last man to beat Norman Parke before Parke was beaten by Glelson Tibau on the undercard of McGregor’s bout in Boston.Duffy left the MMA world in 2012 and fought seven times as a professional boxer, winning each of his contests, the last of which was a 59-56 points win over Attila Tobor Nagy in Camden in November 2013.
Duffy’s stock has risen again since his return to MMA and is now set to make his UFC bow. Managed by Intensiti Fighter Management, the Donegal man has signed a multi-fight deal with the UFC.
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