Northamptonshire MMA fighter, Jordan "The Epidemic" Vucenic, ready for "dream" world title shot

A professional mixed martial artist (MMA) from Northamptonshire is set to fight for a featherweight world title this weekend in the country's capital - and if he wins he could step up to the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC).

Jordan "The Epidemic" Vucenic, from Corby, will go head-to-head in the octagon against Frenchman and featherweight champion Morgan Charriere at Cage Warriors 122 in London's York Hall on Saturday (March 20) - with the main card starting at 8pm.

The 25-year-old said: "This is probably my toughest fight to date. He [Charriere] is a superstar. People are saying he's number one. He has a good following and I'm looking forward to testing myself against him.

"When I win this fight, I'll be champion of the world in Cage Warriors. I could either defend my title or go straight to the UFC.

"It's crazy to think of it [stepping up to the UFC] but skill level wise it's not that big of a difference. Both are big dreams of mine, being a Cage Warrior champion and fighting in the UFC."

The fighter said he has had the "perfect" training camp ahead of his bout.

He said: "I have had the perfect camp. Everything I wanted to correct has been corrected. I'm feeling fluid. Everything we wanted to improve is now second nature. I feel fitter, stronger, faster. Everything is better. The gym I train at now, BST Academy, is right up there as one of the best in the world.

"The hardest bit of training was the strength and conditioning. Pushing myself for five rounds through hill sprints when I didn't want to do them. Just pushing through when I didn't want to do something."

For those who are new to the sport, Jordan explained what they can expect.

He said: "It's very brutal but it's full of the most humble people you will ever meet. You are going to watch someone whose passion is this sport and someone chasing after their dreams. Tune in and watch it."

The former Lodge Park Tech College student, which is in Corby, explained how he got into MMA.

He said: "I was always getting into trouble and fighting when I was younger at school. When I was about 17 or 18 I saw there was an MMA gym near me, so as soon as I found a place to train I was hooked from day one."

When asked what he would say to anyone in a similar position to his 18-year-old self, Jordan said: "I would say try and get into any sport, anything that will keep you motivated. As soon as you have something you are passionate about, chase it with everything you've got. You will become a better person for it."

If all goes to plan on Saturday, the fighter said he will be celebrating with chocolate and cereal.

He added: "I'm going to celebrate with some food. I don't drink, don't smoke, so food is how I celebrate. I've got about 50,000 calories worth of chocolate at home and I'll be eating a whole box of cereal too.

"I'd also like to say a massive thanks to all of my sponsors, without them none of this would be possible."

Jordan's sponsors include Baileys Skip Hire, TR Scaffold, Skin City, The Food Station Corby, Charlbeck Jewellers, Carvin Security, Stand 'n' Tan, Booster, Wayne Kirk, Immortal 365 and Be Fit Food Box. And he also trained with Adam Hale Training.

The behind-closed-doors event will be broadcast from London’s York Hall, live on UFC FightPass, which can be accessed on BT Sport. For more information, click here.

Jordan's pro MMA record: 7-1-0 (Win-Loss-Draw).

Charriere's pro MMA record: 16-7-1 (Win-Loss-Draw).

To follow Jordan on Instagram, click here.