• UFC 131

Shotgun Young has everything riding on UFC 131 debut

British featherweight Jason Young will put everything on the line at UFC 131 this weekend, after he quit his job to launch an assault on the 145lb title.

Young's MMA career to date has been based on a part-time training programme, which has seen him snatching time at the gym before, during and after his five-days-a-week job.

However, when the call arrived from the UFC, offering him a five-fight contract, Young discarded fears over how he would pay for the arrival of a new baby and his mortgage, in order to train full-time for the first time in his career.

"It's pretty dangerous what I've done, because I've got a little baby on the way in three months' time," Shotgun told ESPN."I've got a mortgage and I was in the process of trying to get his bedroom set up. The money I was saving has now gone into my training.

"This is an opportunity that I have to grab with both hands and run with it. When I go in there to fight, it's not just that I'm fighting to be in the UFC, I've got a lot riding on it. There's a lot of heart involved.

"A Fight of the Night cheque would set up my little boy's future. I love to have exciting fights. The main thing is the crowd, I'm a crowd-pleaser, my fights are always exciting."

Young has never been knocked out, winning four of his last five fights, and he lacks no confidence going into a clash with top-ranked featherweight Dustin Poirier.

"They've thrown me at the top, but this isn't the first time I've been thrown in at the deep end. It's not like I've never fought guys with 18-6 records. I've been in with Abdul Mohamed, I've fought Paul Sass, I've beat Jorge Britto...

"I've never been knocked out, and my chin has been tested as well."

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