FightPost MMA Fighter of the Week: Stevie ‘Braveheart’ Ray

FightPost MMA Fighter of the Week: Stevie ‘Braveheart’ Ray

By Dan McConnell

This past weekend we seen plenty of action around the world of MMA. Fight fans were treated to Bellator action featuring welterweight champion Rory MacDonald v Douglas Lima, UFC Singapore with high-level grapplers Damian Maia and Ben Askren squaring off for the unofficial ‘Best Grappler in MMA’ title.

Not to forget about Cage Warriors lightweight champion Jai Herbert successfully defending his belt in his hometown of Birmingham, firmly putting his name on the UFC’s radar. This made my selection a little tricky as you can imagine.

I was considering picking Douglas Lima who got his hands back on the Bellator welterweight title. Since losing the belt to Rory MacDonald in 2018, he has beaten Andrei Koreshkov, Michael Venom Page and on Saturday he got his revenge over MacDonald in the rematch to become a Bellator 3-time world champion. I think ‘The Phenom’ at least deserves a mention.

However, a fighter from Fife in Scotland got my vote this week for his gritty and determined performance at UFC Singapore this past Saturday morning!

Stevie ‘Braveheart’ Ray certainly lived up to his name. The former BAMMA and Cage Warriors lightweight champion took on his toughest test to date in a co-main event slot against Michael Johnson, a man who has defeated the likes of Tony Ferguson, Edson Barbosa and Dustin Poirier throughout his career.

A loss to Paul Felder, who was on commentary for Ray’s fight this weekend in July 2017 at UFC Fight Night Glasgow, in-front of home fans was a huge blow to the 155-pounders career.

That fight was the last fight on his UFC contract. The UFC offered to re-sign Ray to a long-term contract before this fight, but his management advised against it and to test the free market. He was 5-1 in the UFC but was taking the biggest gamble of his career!

Virtually unemployed, Ray didn’t hear back from the UFC for quite some time and considered retirement at the age of 29. Both parties eventually came to an agreement with UFC London around the corner in March 2018.

Ray took on Kajan Johnson in London and was defeated via split decision. He got back in the win column in October of the same year but suffered defeated again in June 2019 to Leonardo Santos at UFC Fight Night Sweden.

In his recent fight camp, he completed in the grappling tournament Polaris beating former Cage Warriors champion Paddy Pimblett. With this momentum he was able to secure a majority decision victory over the tough Michael Johnson.

Living up to his ‘Braveheart’ name, Ray managed to grind out the first round, taking big shots but eventually getting a foot hold in the second. A dominant third round gaining control of Johnson on the ground decided the outcome on the judges’ scorecards. This was the biggest win of his career!

In his post-fight interview, the 155er noted that himself and his wife are expecting a baby, and that it was wife’s birthday on the Saturday dedicating this fight to her. A tough but rewarding fight camp has certainly paid off for the Scottish fighter, who is targeting a fight against former BAMMA champion Marc Diakiese next.

Stevie Ray, I’m proud to announce you are this weeks FightPost MMA Fighter of the Week!