Not many people in the United States, or the world for that matter, know who John Hathaway is; nevertheless, if he wins his upcoming fight against Ricky Story, he might be fast-tracked into a fight against a top-tier welterweight.
Hathaway definitely has the skills and tempo to raise Dana White and the UFC brass' eyebrows. Everyone knows that the UFC match makers take a special liking to fighters who push the action, never give up, and throw punches with seemingly reckless abandon. Hathaway is that type of fighter.
Fighting was not Hathaway’s first choice of sport. Originally, he was a rugby player in his hometown of Brighton, England. But MMA caught the young Brits eye and it wasn’t long before Hathaway realized full-contact fighting was the life. It's been a short road since Hathaway began his 10 fight, undefeated career -- he’s only 21 years old.
Wins Stats
- 5 TKO
- 3 Submissions
- 2 Decisions
Before Jan. 17, 2009 Hathaway was dwelling in relative anonymity, fighting in low-budget British competitions. Then UFC 93 took place in the Dublin, Ireland and Hathaway had his shot against Irishman Tom “Tank” Egan. Hathaway handily defeated Egan by TKO in the first round.
Hathaway’s last fight before he entered the UFC was against Jack Mason. It was a landslide victory, much the same as his victory against Egan. He slammed Mason to the mat, showed excellent stand-up skills, and eventually kneed Mason in the face which led to a tap out due to punches by Mason.
At UFC 99 Hathaway will get another chance to further solidify his reputation as a formidable 170 pound fighter. This time he will be fighting Ricky Story. Ricky Story, 7-2, is on a six fight win streak. As far as fighting in the UFC, this will be his first rodeo.
The ascension of Hathaway totally depends on the way he strikes Dana White. Keeping an undefeated record is also an important factor, as it would be hard for Dana White to find a reason to cut the kids contract if he always wins.
Hopefully, Hathaway will be able to grab enough attention at UFC 99 to warrant another fight in the future fight against a serious challenger; someone that can go three rounds him and see what he's really made of .
At UFC 99, Hathaway will present Story with relentless pressure and constantly attack without retreat. The fight should end before the third round, with Hathaway likely grounding and pounding his way to victory in the first round.
