Cody Haddon reckons he would be in jail if it wasn't for his late grandmother and the sport he loves, and now he has the chance to become Australia's next UFC star.
Haddon (7-1) won a UFC contract last month after posting an impressive first-round submission win over Billy Brand in the Dana White Contender Series.
The 26-year-old West Australian will make his UFC debut on October 12 (October 13 AEST) when he takes on Dan Argueta (9-2) in a bantamweight battle in Nevada.
Haddon was just six years old when he fell in love with fighting after attending his first taekwondo class.
It instantly became his passion, as well as his saviour.
"I had a bit of an unconventional upbringing, and I probably would have ended up on the streets or doing something dodgy if it wasn't for fighting," Haddon said.
"I can't go into details, but I grew up in the neighbourhood. A lot of my family were not necessarily law-abiding citizens, put it that way.
"That was my childhood, that was my upbringing. Street life was kind of like the norm.
"For me, I've seen a lot of that stuff first-hand, and I decided at a young age I didn't want that for my future and took up fighting instead.
"Without it, I'd probably be in jail to be honest. It's kept me straight."
Haddon's grandmother Anne, who passed away before he had his first professional fight in 2020, was also his saving grace.
"She took me away from a lot of that (bad stuff) and showed me a lot of hope and raised me in a way a kid should be raised," Haddon said.
"Without her looking after me from a young age and guiding me in the right direction, I wouldn't be able to do this today.
"Martial arts helped me control my emotions and whatever was going on at home martial arts helped me stay cool under pressure situations.
"I was a very angry kid growing up. I was always a small kid as well, so I used to get picked on a bit.
"I always had a temper on me. Martial arts helped me say no to a lot of fights and keep myself straight."
Haddon was so determined to make a fist of a career in fighting he dropped out of school after completing year nine.
"I just didn't go back when year 10 started," Haddon said.
"When they asked me what I was doing, I said I was doing an apprenticeship. I wasn't, I was just training."
Perth has produced a remarkable amount of UFC stars in recent years with flyweight Steve Erceg and Jack Della Maddalena making a big splash on the international stage.
Haddon's sole professional loss came against Erceg in 2021, with the pair now good friends and often training together.
