“If in doubt, flat. These words may have been pronounced by the late Colin McRae, but it is a motto that Duncan, a UFC fighting, lives.
A little more than a month after his last victory in the octagon over Jordan Vacenic, the former 31 -year -old shepherd had stopped since then, immediately calling Terrance McKinney in the aftermath of his second round stop victory at the UFC Fight Night 255 in London on March 14 and seeks to get the next fight as soon as possible.
“If the UFC says Jump, I will ask what height,” reveals Duncan. “I was flat and I will go until the wheels stand out.
“It will be so until my next fight is sorted. McKinney, anyone. We will get there.
“I had to fight Terrance some time ago, but my visa fell, so we couldn’t get this in time. We had to cancel this fight and reserve it. I want this fight because I think I can beat him in all the facets of the MMA. It’s just one of those things, I want it not only to come back for me but for him too. I want him to know that I am ready to fight at any time.
Now, with successive victories to his credit in the promotion, the Scottish has been 4-1 since he joined the UFC and has an impressive global record of 13-2 in the professional MMA.
Duncan took a hit in his last victory over the English rival Jordan Vacenic
The problem poses for photos after the March victory in London
In the accumulation of his fight with Vacenic, the American team fighter may have the impression that he had a lot of skeptics, in particular after his defeat against Manuel Torres in February 2024, although now on the path winning again, he is delighted to have been able to prove a lot of people.
“Each fight is really important,” he says. “I was an outsider +400, the media strongly pushed Jordan Vacenic throughout the week of the process and the fight. Basically, I was a little aggravated by it, but it was motivation, it was never personal. But it was good to throw a tart in the face!
“I have always known my potential. It is a 50/50 sport, there is always a winner and a loser. Your stars have to line up on the night so that it happens.
“ Unfortunately, without finding too many apologies, but entering this fight in Mexico and losing, there were a lot in progress – I could continue for days on this subject. It’s a loss, I want to take it to my credit, use it as motivation to improve. The stars must line up, you are under the deep lights of the UFC, so no matter what you feel at night and what is happening thereafter; Just keep moving forward.
“I look forward to each fight I have. Win, lose or draw, I’m going to improve each time.
“It’s a lifestyle, it’s not a game. It’s not football. Unfortunately, due to the nature of the MMA, you cannot practice your sport every week. You must simulate it by training because the fight itself is so traumatic on the body, so we must make sure that we get as much time on the carpets and in the cage as possible without injuring ourselves. This is where I feel that I grow, play and learn. This is the most exciting part, it keeps you disciplined.
Thanks to discipline and hard work, improvement is clear to see in Duncan. The former shepherd has traveled a long way since his days in less known promotions, including the victories in his last two fights inside the first two laps by submission.
Now 13-2 in total, Duncan is already watching his next fight against Terrance McKinney
The former shepherd is one of the Scottish stars of the UFC
The light weight has been fighting with professionals for seven years now, a little more than two of them have passed within the UFC, and although there is no shortage of confidence in its own capacities, Duncan is quite advised to admit that it still has a long way to go before it is recognized as one of the best in the world by the broader public.
“In terms of TOP 10/15, I am miles away,” he admits. “The way the UFC works, with the way they manage their ranking, is favored for their most exciting fighters and I think I have that. These can be three fights, two fights, but your fights are generally four to six months apart.
“I am at the bottom of the scale, I am happy to climb it because I improve myself with each fight. It’s the long game, we don’t play short game here.
His eyes can be immediately focused on his neighbor, to be determined, opponent, but it is clear that Duncan thinks of several stages.
The same cannot be said of his cage tactics, although training with some of the best fighters in the world certainly rewards awards.
“I am very good with my guillotines and my headaches before, so it is a spur of the moment (whether or not submissions),” he said. “All my training partners who train with me on a regular basis, know this.
“It’s just a little facet of my game but I improve each time. I learn new techniques, I am an open book and ready to learn anything.
“It’s good that I receive consecutive finishes because people do not see much of my game.”