A Mother’s Legacy Lives On: Chris Duncan’s Emotional UFC Journey “She was taken from me at a very young age”

UFC lightweight Chris Duncan recently spoke emotionally about his journey in mixed martial arts, and the impact of his mother’s passing. Following his victory over Jordan Vucenic at UFC Fight Night 255 in London, Duncan became visibly choked up during a post-fight interview.

Chris Duncan Discusses The Passing of His Mother

Speaking to LowKickMMA’s Patrick McCorry, Scotland’s Chris Duncan shared that his mother’s tragic death occurred on the day of the weigh-ins for his first amateur fight, yet he still chose to compete the following day. Duncan explained that his decision to pursue MMA was deeply influenced by his mother’s memory.

Before becoming a professional fighter, he worked as a shepherd in the Scottish Highlands but stopped after her passing. He expressed feelings of jealousy when seeing others celebrate milestones with their mothers, as he cannot share his achievements with his own. Despite this emotional burden, Duncan has found strength in his dedication to fighting, crediting his mother as the driving force behind his journey. Chris Duncan said:

“I lost my mom in a very tragic way. I don’t get to share milestones like the birth of my children or my wins with her, and that’s why I started this journey. Before becoming a fighter, I was a shepherd, but I stopped after she was taken from me at a very young age. I get jealous seeing other mothers celebrating time with their children, as I don’t get to experience that.

“I started this journey with my mom in mind. What many people don’t know is that my first amateur fight was on the day after my mom passed away—she died during the weigh-ins, but I still fought the next day. I’m built for this; nothing will stop me. People often pull out for lesser reasons, but my mom’s passing on the day of my first MMA fight weigh-ins didn’t deter me.”