Rhys McKee's road back to the UFC runs through Belfast

Rhys McKee is one of the first names that springs to mind for European MMA fans when considering tough tenures with the UFC.

When Conor McGregor became the first simultaneous double champion in the history of the promotion back in 2016, McKee was considered a shoe-in for a future contract as his signature stopping power knocked a host of hot prospects out cold.

The Ballymena man established himself as one of the best lightweights in Europe over a number of years, so it puzzled many when UFC chose to extend the offer for him to join their ranks after one fight at welterweight - a stunning jab knockout of established Swedish campaigner Hakon Foss in Cork.

In the midst of the pandemic, McKee had to grasp the opportunity with both hands, even though it was a short notice bout with one of the greatest prospects the sport has ever seen, Khamzat Chimaev - a man who has since proven too much for the elite title challengers at 170 pounds.

After a first round defeat to the Chechen poster boy, "Skeletor" was rewarded with a bout against a ten-fight UFC veteran, Alex Morono. Despite a thrilling encounter, McKee's decade-long dream came to an end in a matter of months when he was handed his second UFC loss in as many outings.

"It’s hard to deal with when you’re watching guys fight in the UFC on Saturday nights," McKee revealed.

"You’re seeing other guys getting way handier matchups, and for me to get cut after facing two tough opponents, it doesn’t really make sense. People still understand how good I am though, everyone facing me looks at me like I’m their golden ticket [to the UFC]. A lot of fighters in the UFC are fighting way easier opponents than I did, and that’s lost on a lot of fans. But I know I’ll be back one day, I have