Chris Duncan shrugs off ‘underdog’ label as he targets fifth UFC win

Chris Duncan “couldn’t care less” about being labelled the underdog as he prepares for what has been described as the biggest UFC bout of his career.

The 32-year-old Scot is looking to continue to push into the top 15 of the lightweight division when he takes on Poland’s Mateusz Rebecki in the co-main event of Saturday’s Fight Night in Las Vegas.

Duncan defeated England’s Jordan Vucenic with a second-round submission by guillotine choke in his last outing to take his professional mixed martial arts record to 13 wins and two defeats.

“I’ve been called the underdog for the last five fights,” he told BBC Scotland.

“Just because the guy sitting behind the desk at the betting agency says I’m going to lose the fight, doesn’t mean I’m going to lose.

“Maybe I have been the underdog, but I’ve still been winning so it doesn’t matter.”

His next opponent, Rebecki, boasts a record of 20 wins and two defeats from his 22 professional fights.

“Winning this fight instead of targeting that top 15 is where I’m going next,” Duncan said. “Saturday’s my next goal and I going to go in there and put it all on the table, I’ve done everything in my power to win.

“It would mean everything to win, I wouldn’t be in this if it didn’t mean anything to me. This is my life and I do nothing else. I have no hobbies, only my family. It’s all for them.

“My fiancee knows how good I am and she’s supported me from day one, so it’s great to represent them and knowing that it’s for them, it gives me strength.”

The win over Vucenic in London took Duncan’s UFC record to four wins from his five outings so far in the promotion.

Victory in Las Vegas would elevate the Scot to new heights as he looks to claw his way up the rankings.

“Everybody would love a belt wrapped around their waist but that’s so far in advance right now and I’m not thinking about that,” the lightweight said.

“Just because I don’t think the title is there right now, doesn’t mean I’ll never be able to win it.

“I know people at home are behind me, but I would love for them to be more vocal and put Scotland on the map.

“Paul Craig has led the way for the last two or three years and he’s done well, but I want to surpass him and be recognised as the best Scottish player in the UFC.”