More than a year since he last stepped foot in the octagon, St. Albert’s Mitch Clarke is ready to redeem himself and get back into the win column.
The 30-year-old will fight “Irish” Joe Duffy at UFC Fight Night 90 in Las Vegas on July 7.
“I fight who I’m told to fight and he’s a tough fight, but there’s no glory in fighting chumps.”
Duffy is certainly no chump, having defeated Conor McGregor nearly six years ago.
Clarke says a lot has changed in that time. While McGregor has become one of the biggest draws in the UFC, Duffy is coming off a loss to Dustin Poirier at UFC 195.
This fight will be a big test for Clarke, who suffered a serious arm injury after a freak accident during acupuncture treatment. The handle broke off and the needle got sucked an inch-and-a-half into his muscle. He says he lost feeling in his hand and feared the worse.
“It’s scary because this is what I do, this is what I love to do and I think you have that moment where you wonder if everything that you’ve worked for is now gone.”
The injury changed his perspective on fighting. He admits that he’s become more selfish, tweaking his training regimen in an effort to bring himself up to another level.
Ultimately, he’s confident that he’s done enough to secure a win in Vegas.
“I just realize how lucky I am and I have to make this opportunity count because it’s my time.”