Elliott 'more dangerous' on return after first UFC loss

Welsh combatant Oban Elliott says he is retired for revenge arsenic he prepares to measurement backmost into nan octagon pursuing his first Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) defeat.

The 27-year-old intends to return to winning ways erstwhile he faces Australian welterweight Jonathan Micallef (8-1) connected Saturday, 27 September successful Perth.

Elliott, known arsenic nan 'Welsh Gangster', was beaten by South Korea's Seokhyeon Ko successful Azerbaijan successful June, a consequence that ended his cleanable UFC start.

"My past conflict didn't spell my way, but I'm backmost [after] licking my wounds. I'm stronger and wiser," he said.

"That makes me, successful my opinion, a batch much vulnerable this clip around.

"I americium retired for revenge. I am... ideate someone's conscionable stolen everything retired of my house. I will move nan world upside down to hit Micallef successful Perth."

In nan build-up to nan bout, Elliott has been training pinch Ireland's Ian Machado Garry, who is presently classed sixth successful nan UFC welterweight division.

The brace came done nan Cage Warriors ranks together and person reunited connected nan sport's biggest stage.

"It's for illustration being astatine schoolhouse together and past you extremity up successful nan aforesaid university," said nan Merthyr Tydfil native.

"We were successful Cage Warriors together - nan aforesaid age. We were friends past and we kept successful touch nan full clip and now we yet sewage to train together this year."

Micallef earned his spot successful nan UFC via Dana White's Contender Series and made an contiguous effect pinch an awesome triumph complete Kevin Jousset (10-4).

Elliott, who has won 3 and mislaid 1 of his 4 UFC bouts, besides graduated from nan Contender Series and understands nan level of threat specified fighters present.

"I cognize really scary that Contender Series is, truthful anyone who comes done that I cognize is simply a formidable threat," he added.

Despite nan pressures of fighting distant from home, Elliott is relishing nan imaginable of taking connected Micallef successful his homeland.

"I'm flying each nan measurement to Perth. I'm not going location to lose," he said.