Hot Scottish MMA prospect Mark Ewen (3-0) will make his ARES FC debut this Thursday night. He spoke with Combat Sports UK’s Lewis Glover ahead of the bout. He takes on Khayrulla Khayrullaev (4-1) at ARES FC 10 and will look to continue his fine form after his most recent win in August 2022 against Adrian Sanchez at EFC 95.
The preparations are nearly complete, and Ewen is in great shape, which is something he attributes to his dedication to the sport:
“The work has been put in. I work hard. I work year-round. This is what I do. This is my life – I train twice a day, nearly every day, for the full year. I want to be one of the greatest ever, a world champion, and you really have to commit yourself to it.”
Mark hopes that his hard work year-round will pay off. He understands the importance of this fight and the opportunities that may come from it:
“This is a really big opportunity, and I am eager to perform. If there is any fight I have to win, it’s this one… This is my hardest and my biggest fight to date. I always believe that when I fight the best guys, it brings out the best in me“.
When asked if this fight would be his coming out party as a professional, Ewen replied: “100%. I am taking this guy out. You get a ten grand bonus on this show as well, so if that’s not a big enough incentive, I don’t know what is!”
Mark hopes that a strong performance here will result in him signing for even bigger fights in 2023.
UFC Fight Pass
ARES FC is one of the fastest-growing shows in Europe and is leading the way following the legalisation of MMA in France. The magnitude of this opportunity, including fighting live on UFC Fight Pass is not lost on Mark:
“I love performing in front of people, and I love people talking about you after you’ve put on a good performance… I want my name to be ringing in their head for weeks, talking about Mark Ewen. Especially as it’s on Fight Pass, you never know. Sean Shelby, one of these guys, could be watching it, the UFC matchmakers could be watching this, tuning in… and I get my opportunity. I need to go out there and make sure I grasp it with both hands and take this guy out.“
Working as a Model
As well as being a professional fighter, Mark is also a model. To most people, these two careers are completely incompatible, but he makes it work. His hit and not get hit approach to fighting ensures he avoids taking unnecessary damage. He started this second career a few years back and was reluctant at first. But when he realised the money, he could make and the fun he had doing it, the gig stuck. He also quickly realised that it could also help his fighting career. As a result of this second career, he is getting comfortable being in front of the camera. Mark knows this is a crucial aspect in building his profile as a prizefighter:
“People forget, this is an entertainment business. My fighting style is going to sell myself, or I am going to sell myself speaking and doing media”.
Mark Ewen fights on December 8th live on UFC Fight Pass from 7 pm GMT! Be sure to check out the full interview on YouTube!
Featured image credits to Ares FC
