British lightweight star Saul Rogers set to take centre stage at The Hydro at ACB 47
Popular British lightweight looking to bounce back from UFC heartbreak with a big win at ACB 47 at The Hydro Arena in Glasgow this weekend
SAUL Rogers could fairly be described as the nearly man of UK mixed martial arts.
The 26-year-old from Farnworth was the class of the field in the 22nd season of The Ultimate Fighter and was the only man to go unbeaten through the competition as he progressed to the final of the lightweight tournament.
But issues with his visa application saw his participation in last December's TUF Finale in Las Vegas scrapped, and his UFC career was put on ice as a result.
Without a UFC contract and with his golden opportunity to fight on the sport's biggest stage now a distant memory, Rogers has dusted himself off and is back in action on domestic soil.
"That's part of my career that I can't do anything about now," he told SunSport.
"Obviously I would love to fight in the UFC one day. I was the best fighter on The Ultimate Fighter, but I had issues that stopped me from finishing the job. But what happened happened.
"I can't worry about what I can't control, so I'm focusing on what I do next."
With the UFC door currently closed, Rogers has knuckled down and is working on building his reputation on European soil.
He defeated fellow former TUF competitor Andre Winner at the inaugural Tanko FC event in Manchester in August, then signed for the growing Russian MMA promotion Absolute Championship Berkut (ACB), which is set to host its first event on UK soil on October 1 in Glasgow.
Rogers will be one of the featured bouts on the card as he takes on Dutch-based Caribbean fighter Michell 'Alligator' Adelina.
That victory over Winner, a first-round submission, took Rogers' winning streak to five fights as his reputation as one of Britain's top MMA prospects continues to grow.
"I had a good performance against Andre Winner at Tanko FC 1 the other week, and now I'm signed to ACB and am really happy with where I am right now," he said.
"I'm with a promotion that puts on big shows and can't wait to fight in front of the Scottish fans at The Hydro on October 1."
And as well as maintaining his momentum inside the cage, he has been grateful for the continued support from the British MMA fans outside it as he looks to continue his career away from the UFC.
"It means loads to know I've got the fans in my corner. I've had people come up to me and tell me: 'You should be in the UFC'," he said.
"People that know me know I'm not a troublemaker. I'm actually a nice guy!
"I've been blown away by the support I've had from the fans since I was on TUF, and I'll just keep putting on a show for them every time I fight.
"I believe I'm one of the best lightweight fighters outside the UFC and I'll prove that in my next fight."
The event is headlined by former UFC featherweight and Scottish MMA hero Robert Whiteford, who had the Hydro rocking last year when he defeated Ireland's Paul Redmond by knockout.
He's promising another rip-roaring performance in front of his home fans on his fighting return to Glasgow when he takes on Frenchman Kevin 'Machine Gun' Petshi.
Also on the card is Northern Ireland's former UFC star 'Stormin' Norman Parke, while the all-British middleweight clash between Danny Mitchell and Jake Bostwick stands out as a potential fight of the night candidate.
The action kicks off this Saturday night and you'll be able to follow the action live right here on SunSport.
ACB 47 takes place at The SSE Hydro Arena in Glasgow on Saturday night, October 1. Tickets for the event are available via Ticketmaster, priced from £30-£65.
