As the UFC returns to the UK, Jonathan Witty examines the aspirations of two British fighters on the main card of UFC 138.
British duo hoping for fireworks in Birmingham
When Brad Pickett finally enters the Octagon at UFC 138 he will breathe a sigh of relief after suffering a tough year through injury problems.
The former WEC fighter was originally slated to make his UFC bow against Miguel Torres at UFC 130, but injury prevented him from making his debut in the May event.
The 33-year-old has been tipped to become the first British UFC champion and MMA ranking site
Sherdog rates him as a top 10 bantamweight in the world, despite his lack of activity.
The hype surrounding the Londoner threatens to overshadow the job in hand - a co-main event against highly-regarded Brazilian star Renan Barao.
The Brazilian star is currently on a 26-fight winning streak in his MMA career, although only one of those victories has come in the UFC.
Ring rust could be a worry for Pickett, who last fought in December 2010, but his excellent conditioning and all-round talents should see him through.
He is
evens with
Sky Bet to secure his first UFC win, with Barao 8/11 to extend his winning run and move a step closer to a potential title shot against Dominick Cruz.
Despite his 'One Punch' nickname, Pickett is dangerous on the mat and has a number of submission victories to his name.
Three of his last five wins have come via submission and he is 7/1 to win by this method against Barao.
Return
Another rising British star returning to the Octagon after a lengthy spell on the sidelines is Terry Etim.
The Liverpool-born fighter faces Eddie Faalato at the LG Arena and is another English name touted for superstardom in the footsteps of established names such as Michael Bisping and Dan Hardy.
Etim suffered a number of injuries after losing to Rafael Dos Anjos at UFC 112 which have kept him out of the Octagon since April 2010, but he is heavily fancied to return with a win (1/6).
Before the Dos Anjos setback, the 25-year-old was on a four-fight winning streak and was looking to push for a title shot.
Faalato is 7/2 to seal victory, but he has lost the last two matches of a professional MMA career that only extends to four bouts, and he could be the latest name on Etim's impressive CV.
