(This story first appeared in today’s USA TODAY.)
STOCKHOLM – Just seven days after Conor McGregor took the mixed martial arts world by storm, his welterweight teammate, Gunnar Nelson, has a chance to do the same – albeit with perhaps a bit less rambunctiousness.
“I don’t think you should ever try to be like somebody else,” Nelson told USA TODAY Sports. “Conor is doing his thing, and this is just the way he is. He’s not putting on an act. I am the way I am. I’m starting to get a little bit more familiar with the media, but I’m not really a very vocal person, in general.”
On the surface, the brash McGregor and the stoic Nelson would seem to be an odd pairing. But under the tutelage of Straight Blast Gym Ireland’s John Kavanagh, the two have spent nearly a decade refining their skills and now stand among the most dangerous competitors in their respective divisions.
“Something that Gunni and Conor have that sets them apart is the ability to be so relaxed in competition,” Kavanagh said. “Regardless if they’re on their own in the gym or they’re fighting in front of a couple million people watching at home, it doesn’t seem to bother them one way or the other.
“Technically, what we do is pretty simple. Conor has a lot of flashy techniques he can do, as well. If you break it down, it’s not that complicated, but they’re doing it exceptionally well. That’s what the guys are doing, and that’s what sets them apart.”
Nelson and McGregor share another similarity, as well: the support of a nation. While McGregor has captured the imagination of his native Ireland, Nelson is quickly becoming a household name in his home country of Iceland.
“He is huge,” Icelandic journalist Petur Marino Jonsson said. “Gunnar is probably one of the biggest sports stars in Iceland. There may be one or two soccer players that are bigger, but he’s huge in Iceland. Everybody knows him.
“When he’s fighting, the whole country basically shuts down and watches him fight.”
Ultimate Fighting Championship Chief Global Officer Garry Cook believes that as the promotion continues its efforts at aggressive global expansion, it’s the emergence of international stars like Nelson and McGregor that will truly fuel the growth of the sport.
“Ideally, fans want a national hero,” Cook said. “They want somebody to tell the world that, ‘This country means something.’ So when Conor McGregor carries that flag with him when he walks out to Sinead O’Connor in Las Vegas with 1,000 Irishmen there, it means much more than just watching Conor McGregor. It’s a national statement on a global stage: ‘Look at our nation; we’re taking on the world.’ Hairs on the back of your neck come up – and Gunnar represents a nation.”
On Saturday, Nelson (13-0-1 MMA, 4-0 UFC) fights for the fifth time under the UFC banner, earning his first main-event slot opposite Rick Story (17-8, 10-6) at “UFC Fight Night: Nelson vs. Story,” which takes place at Stockholm’s Ericsson Globe. The full 11-fight card streams on UFC Fight Pass (12:10 p.m. ET).
“It feels very special,” Nelson said. “Headlining a card here in Sweden is huge for me, and I’m very excited about it.”
A Brazilian jiu-jitsu black belt, Nelson has earned three of his first UFC wins by submission. Each victory has been more impressive than the one before, and his past two wins have seen Nelson secure $50,000 bonus checks for the evening’s “Performance of the Night.”
Until now, Nelson’s wins have largely flown under the radar of the U.S. audience, partly because they’ve taken place on European fight cards. Nelson’s seemingly placid outwardness has also presented an obstacle, but Kavanagh said the fighter is slowly getting more comfortable in the spotlight, a position perhaps boosted by the pair’s faux-sword fight at Wednesday’s media session.
[http://mmajunkie.com/2014/10/video-gunnar-nelsons-pre-fight-workout-with-insane-neck-exercises-sword-play]
“In Iceland, we are a little sarcastic and a bit calm, but he’s a little more on the calm side,” Jonsson said. “He’s calm, but in a small group of friends, he can be the loudest guy in the room.
“He doesn’t love it, but it doesn’t matter if it’s media or not. If he’s in a big group, he’s more quiet, but in a smaller group, he’s more relaxed.”
Now is certainly the time for Nelson to come out of his shell. McGregor’s brash boasts, coupled with his four UFC wins, already have fans clamoring for the “Notorious” one to be given a title shot. Of course, with a few more victories, Nelson might get similar treatment, regardless of how loud (or softly) he speaks.
“I think the way Gunni puts Rick away is going to make people say, ‘OK, I see where you guys are coming from now,'” Kavanagh said. “It’s not going to be scrappy. It’s not going to be a battle. It will be ‘Performance of the Night.'”
And for more on UFC Fight Night 53, stay tuned to the UFC Rumors section of the site.
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