Chris Duncan: Is Scotland’s MMA Scene Missing the Bigger Picture?
If you catch UFC lightweight Chris Duncan eyeballing the state of Scottish MMA these days, don’t expect patriotic fireworks – expect candor, maybe an eye roll. Duncan’s “black sheep” vibe is hardly for show.
Why Is Scottish MMA So Divided? Chris Duncan Breaks It Down
In his own words: “It’s a bit weird in Scotland right now. There’s a couple good gyms. They kind of battle against each other, but myself and Robert Whiteford, we’re the black sheep of Scotland. We train by ourselves… we’ve just been hard at it… putting the head down, working hard, making sure we’re doing everything we possibly can to be a better fighter.” For Duncan, the air in Scottish MMA gyms is a tad competitive – sometimes less ‘iron sharpens iron’, more ‘highlanders in a huff’.
Let’s get one thing straight: Scotland has its MMA bright spots. The Griphouse in Glasgow is known for producing tough, technical fighters, and Higher Level MMA in Bathgate stands tall with a reputation for a conveyor belt of skilled talent, Keir Harvie, for example. Then there are up-and-comers from places such as HMAC in Inverness and Edinburgh’s growing scene of gyms and clubs. Still, while gyms like those are proud battlegrounds for local talent, they haven’t banded together to push Scotland into a new MMA era – at least, not yet. Instead, the scene is lively, competitive, and a little fragmented, according to Duncan.
So, how does Duncan fit into all this? You’ll more likely spot him in Florida than Falkirk, clocking hours at American Top Team. A gym that is, by Duncan’s own admission, “the best gym in the world; cannot compare any other gym to that.” Rubbing shoulders with the likes of Dustin Poirier and Jorge Masvidal, he’s picking up more than just a tan. Duncan’s U.S.-based camps mean he’s cross-pollinating Scottish grit with the kind of professional polish you get stateside.
As for this weekend, Duncan squares off with Mateusz Rębecki at UFC Vegas 108, a lightweight showdown set for Saturday night in Las Vegas. The twist, of course, is that Rebecki is a former teammate at ATT. Odds-makers have Duncan as the underdog, but he’s been relishing exactly these kinds of fights, coming off a streak where he upset Jordan Vucenic with a guillotine choke.
For Scotland, Duncan’s success is a double-edged broadsword. On one hand, there’s pride: he joins the likes of Stevie Ray, Paul Craig, Keir Harvie, Joanne “Jojo” Calderwood, and Chris Bungard among the “best of” Scottish MMA alumni.
