LONDON – Now that Sam Patterson’s UFC career is about to begin, he’s looking to a recent champion for some inspiration.
Patterson (10-1-1 MMA, 0-0 UFC), who won his way into the promotion through Dana White’s Contender Series this past fall, takes on fellow UFC newcomer Yanal Ashmoz (6-0 MMA, 0-0 UFC) on the UFC 286 prelims Saturday at The O2 in London. The main card airs on pay-per-view following prelims on ESPNews and early prelims on ESPN+.
Patterson, from England, has found some motivation from Leon Edwards, who puts his welterweight title on the line for the first time in the main event in a rematch with former champion Kamaru Usman. Instead of departing England for bigger training opportunities in the U.S., Edwards stayed with who got him there and won the belt with a dramatic comeback head-kick knockout.
