Staines fights on Cage Warriors 207 in Manchester on Saturday night
George Staines is in action again this weekend
Hull fighter George Staines knows a strong showing in Cage Warriors this weekend could pave the way to the UFC.
Staines, who grew up in the Avenues and is a former pupil of Kelvin Hall and Wyke Sixth Form College, takes on Irishman Conor McCarthy on Saturday night at Cage Warriors 207 in Manchester.
The lightweight is 9-0 heading into the fight with three of those wins coming through either knock out or submission, and should he take that unbeaten run into double figures at the BEC Arena, he’ll be hoping to get that call from Dana White.
The 25-year-old fights out of Next Generation MMA in Liverpool, which is also home to UFC lightweight prospect Paddy Pimblett and Luke Riley, who is considered to be one of the up and coming stars of the featherweight weight class in the sport’s premier organisation.
As such, that connection could help Staines to become the first ever UFC fighter from Hull and a performance on Saturday would certainly strengthen his case.
“Getting this win on Saturday will definitely push me into that UFC picture or the Contender Series,” Staines told Hull Live.
“I believe it’s close. I believe it will be achieved this year and so do a lot of my team. My team and everyone around me knows I’m on that UFC level. I’ve sparred UFC level guys and I have beat them in the rounds.
“Ideally I’d like to be on UFC Paris in September and stay in Europe. That would be 11 weeks after this fight on Saturday and it’s two weeks before my birthday. A UFC debut and then celebrate my birthday afterwards.
“It could be realistic, it depends on how the fight this week goes. If it’s what the UFC want then it’s very realistic and I’m going to the UFC in Las Vegas with Paddy and Luke for two weeks and that’s the plan, to try and network and get myself on these cards.”
This weekend’s card is headlined by Cage Warriors lightweight champion Omiel Brown taking on Wrexham’s Ieuen Davies, but Staines, who will be well-supported on the night, opens up the main card.
It’s available to be streamed on UFC Fight Pass and Staines is hoping to have an early night with another stoppage bound to catch the eye of those from UFC.
“He’s good, explosive, a good striker but he’s just not on my level in my opinion,” Staines said addressing his opponent McCarthy. “I know how good I am and if you look at our records and the people who we’ve fought, our last three opponents, I’ve fought a much higher calibre of opponent than him.
“My last opponent Marcelo Marques was 12-0 and was supposed to be one of the best prospects outside of the UFC right now and I dismantled him. His last opponent was 6-5.
“I reckon I’ll submit him.”
Staines will be representing his beloved Hull City on Saturday too by sporting some specially designed black and amber shorts and it’s not lost on him just what it mean for the sport of MMA in the city if he could earn that coveted deal with the UFC.
“There’s one from Yorkshire in the UFC right now, Louis Lee Scott, he’s from Leeds, but he hasn’t made his debut yet,” he said. “I’d be the first fighter from Hull to be in the UFC and that would be such an honour.
“I feel like for MMA in Hull I’ve led the way in the last few years and just being one of the fighters from Hull in the UFC would be amazing, bring eyes to the city.”