Updated at 19.00
CATHAL PENDRED WILL be looking to return to winning ways when the UFC comes back to Dublin in October.
After a 4-0 start to his career with the organisation, Pendred was handed his first taste of defeat in the octagon earlier this month when he dropped a split decision to John Howard at UFC 189 in Las Vegas.
The Straight Blast Gym welterweight has hinted at a potential hiatus from MMA in order to focus on his boxing at some point in the near future, but first he wants to compete for the UFC when they return to his hometown in the autumn.
And if one Englishman gets his way, he’ll be facing Pendred in just over 12 weeks’ time at UFC Fight Night 77, which will be headlined by a lightweight bout between Dustin Poirier and Ireland’s Joseph Duffy.
Tom Breese is one of Duffy’s regular training partners at Tristar Gym in Montreal. Breese told Simon Head of The Sun that he wants to join his team-mate on the bill by taking on Pendred in his second bout as a UFC fighter.
Like Pendred (17-3), Breese — who has an unblemished career record of 8-0 — joined the UFC from Cage Warriors and looked impressive in his octagon debut back in May when he defeated Luiz Jorge Dutra by first-round TKO.
Pendred is renowned for being teak tough, durable and almost impossible to finish inside the distance, but Breese believes he can change that.
He said: “I’d be more than happy to fight someone like Pendred in his backyard. He’s a very tough fighter. It would be a tough challenge to finish him but I believe I can do that. I believe I can finish him in his backyard. That’s something I’d definitely be interested in.
“I believe I’m better everywhere. I’m a better striker, better wrestler, better jiu-jitsu… He’s a very tough guy, big heart, great athlete, but I train hard and I believe I’m dominant everywhere.”
Pendred revealed on Twitter earlier this week that he has already been matched for UFC Dublin but no details of his opponent have been revealed as of yet.
With the main event having been announced yesterday, however, we shouldn’t have to wait too long before finding out if it’ll be Tom Breese or someone else opposing Pendred on 24 October.
