'They could start the fight with him in full mount and I'd still win.'
It's fair to say Shaun Lomas has no fear of defeat when he welcomes red-hot MMA prospect Iain Martell back to the cage at Contenders Norwich 15 next weekend.
The respected veteran may be ten years older than Norwich's Martell, but he has had well over 250 fights - including some 85 in the cage - and believes that he possesses all the tools to upset the feared Norfolk slugger.
Their fight will be Martell's first in MMA since October 2013, with the Norwich man, who boasts a superb 11-1 record, seeing the bout as the first step towards him eventually capturing the UFC light-heavyweight belt.
But Lomas plans on upsetting the odds. And while Martell has previously said he expects to stop Lomas, the Stockport fighter sees things playing out differently at the Norfolk Showground on June 4.
'I'm feeling good,' he said. 'I know Martell is a good boxer, I've seen him knock a few people out.
'It will be a tough test for me, but I know I can beat him. Stood up I will be fine with him - he might be a good boxer but I'm a good Thai boxer.
'He can take me down but on the ground my jiu-jitsu is strong and I will be better. In fact, they could start the fight with him in full mount and I'd still win.'
Lomas certainly has a vast experience advantage in the fight, and he's shared the ring with some big names of British MMA, from the heavy-handed Paul Daley to number nine ranked UFC light-heavyweight Jimi Manuwa and current Bellator 205lbs champion Liam McGeary.
For that reason, he's not expecting Martell to pose him problems he's not faced before.
'It will be a very exciting fight,' he said. 'I hope he wants a stand-up war with me but, if he doesn't, I'm happy to go to the ground and tap him out.
'If he keeps it standing it will last longer, but I'll still win.'
- To buy tickets for Contenders Norwich 15, call Steve Newman on 07983 334603 or visit www.contendersea.com.
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