UFC exclusive interview: John Hathaway on his debut against Thomas ‘The Tank’ Egan at UFC 93

Originally posted on mirror.co.uk

Ten wins and no losses.

Eight stoppages and two unanimous decisions.

John Hathaway is a hard-hitting all-rounder who in just three years has stormed up the ranks to earn himself a four fight contract with the UFC.

Not bad for a middle-class boy from Brighton who hadn’t even featured on a Cage Rage main show just one year ago.

It’s a bitterly cold Sunday afternoon down on England’s south coast and I’ve just woken up after being stuck on the train for almost three hours.

Yet despite the inclement distractions and sleep-disturbed grumpiness, it is hard not to notice that this seems a surprisingly salubrious part of the country to be visiting one of Britain’s most up-and-coming fighters.

Meeting at ZT Fight Skool, just behind Hove station, the first impression of Hathaway is how intelligent and articulate beyond his years this 21-year-old fighter is.

Composed about this Saturday’s fight at UFC 93 in Dublin, Hathaway does not seem intimidated about being thrust so suddenly onto the global MMA stage.

“Obviously it feels great to fight on such a big card, being in the UFC,” said Hathaway.

“It’s every fighter’s dream to get there. It’s the top of the sport, the biggest show in the world.”

But surely there must be some butterflies for your UFC debut?

“Well, I mean it’s the same sport as I’ve been doing for the last three years really, so I won’t know if the nerves affect me until I actually get there.

“As soon as we get in the Octagon it’ll be the same thing I’ve done plenty of times before in sparring and in competitions, so I’m looking forward to it.”

Hathaway’s confidence does not at come over as the arrogance of youth but as a firm belief in his own disciplined abilities that have yet to let him down.

It must also help that he’s coming up against a fellow unbeaten rookie in Thomas ‘The Tank’ Egan.

Even though the Dubliner will have the backing of a partisan crowd, Hathaway enters the event with more direct fight experience.

“I’ve been competing slightly longer than Tom has,” he says.

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