Jimmie Rivera opened up about the battle to legalise MMA in New York before his UFC Glasgow showdown with Marcus Brimage.
The New Jersey man is an influential trainer around the area and says the state’s enthusiasm for the sport is already a strong sign.
“A lot of people in the area are very successful,” said Rivera. “I teach around 300 people in New York and they’ve seen how MMA can help them learn to defend themselves and discover how to keep in shape.”
“We need to get more conventions and fighters out there and let people know about it. People sometimes have an idea that MMA is a vicious sport, a caveman sport for people who aren’t educated.
“Chris Weidman would be a great person to lead a campaign for legalisation and a UFC event at Madison Square Garden would be awesome.”
In the meantime Rivera, a stocky bantamweight with a solid engine, makes his UFC debut after stints with Bellator and World Series Of Fighting.
American Top Team’s Brimage will be a formidable opponent bringing tactical nous and a 7-4 record including scalps over Jim Hettes and Maximo Blanco.
“It’s ironic that Brimage was on The Ultimate Fighter: Season 14 which I tried out for. I lost to Dennis Bermudez in the preliminary rounds but everything happens for a reason and I’m glad I gave it my best shot. I learned a lot about myself, things I need to do, and it really made me better myself as a fighter and an individual.
“I don’t want Brimage trying to take me down, laying on top of me and dominating me. That’s not what I’m looking for and I want to give the fans something special, an entertaining fight. I’m excited to make my UFC debut on their first visit to Scotland, plus there’s no nerves as I’ve been around the UFC before through cornering my team-mates.”
By Alistair Hendrie
