UFC veteran Rory MacDonald will be making his Bellator MMA debut at Bellator 179, where he will be facing England’s own Paul Daley.
As he prepares for his promotional debut, MacDonald wants to embrace his violent side.
“Who wouldn’t want a dominant performance?” MacDonald said on The MMA Hour. “That’s what I’m shooting for. I’m fighting the best guys in the world. … I would be a fool to think I wouldn't leave with a little blood and a few scrapes here and there. You’ve gotta learn how to like that stuff. I’m a rough guy and I like it when fights get tough. I’m gonna step back from that and focus on my strengths and apply them in my fights. And not give a sh*t what everybody else’s strength is. I’m just gonna go in there and wreck people with what I know.”
During his time in the UFC, MacDonald did challenge for the UFC Welterweight Title, losing to then champion Robbie Lawler. MacDonald thought he would get an immediate title shot in his Bellator MMA debut, but he’s happy with the fight he got.
“That’s what I was pushing for,” MacDonald said. “It was looking like that. But it’s all about timing. This just happened to fit properly. This is a No. 1 contender fight. It’s possible that my very next fight will be for the title.”
Bellator 179 takes place on Friday, May 19 from the SSE Arena in London, England with Paul Daley and Rory MacDonald headlining.
