Callum Connor Secures UFC Contract After ‘License To Thrill’ Performance

Manchester, England’s Callum Connor entered the UFC Apex at Dana White's Contender Series in Las Vegas, Nevada, USA, fresh off the back of an undefeated and undeterred run through the professional ranks in the United Kingdom.

What brought ‘007’ to the dance was his string of knockouts along the way, amassing six of them inside his eight outings. His sharp style of striking that relies on him baiting foes past his jab only to meet his crisp Muay Thai style elbows made him a dynamic figure on the UK MMA scene. It’s one thing to light up opponents domestically, though. It’s another thing to do it on the big stage with a UFC contract hanging in the balance.

After his fellow Brit Liam McCracken fell short at the start of September inside the same cage and the same venue, discussions piped up as to whether many of these Brits coming through had beaten enough guys and fought enough battle-tested opponents. Purely, the question was: are these guys ready? Have they been tested enough? Piero Guaylupo was posing that question.

In the age of social media, it’s very easy to garner momentum through highlight reels while ignoring the class of competition they’ve gone up against. But then the bell rang in Vegas and all the questions began to be answered.

Connor had steamed through his competition back home because he was levels above. That seemed to be the common knowledge entering the fray. Guaylupo, a deadly striker of his own right, began to assist the Mancunian in showing another version of himself.

For every hit that Guaylupo threw Connor’s way, he took it on the chin most profoundly and hit back with all his might. Despite being dropped by the Peruvian puncher, Connor arose to his feet and stuck to his thumping style of fighting inside the pocket. Elbows inside the pocket and short hooks worked in his favour.

Bloodied and bruised, Connor gave it all he had and saw it through to the final bell. After an 8-0 run that was all primarily one-way traffic in his favour, he tasted defeat. It was reminiscent of the iconic 2005 scrap when Forrest Griffin and Stephan Bonnar in The Ultimate Fighter finale as they one another with everything they had, with the happiest of endings coming true.

As the dust settled, Dana White revealed both men had been rewarded with UFC contracts. Guaylupo rightly deserving his, but Connor getting the nod on the basis that he’s the kind of fighter the President wants in the company.

For fans and for Connor, it showed that it’s all well and good when it goes your way. But when the chips are down, what you’re truly made of is always brought to the forefront.

“At this level it’s the intelligent man and the skillful man that will implement their skills from a tactical standpoint,” he told Dylan Napaleone post-fight. “But what it comes down to sometimes is who wants it more. Who’s a fighter, and I’m a fighter and that’s what matters most. I’m a true fighter at heart and I’m built for this.”

They may call him ‘007’ for his tall, dark and handsome demeanor, but his ability to endure and overcome undoubtedly serve him with a license to thrill.