In San Diego, when Kelly takes on the NCAA Division I wrestler, he is anticipating a ground war. He insisted that Volkmann would be ‘deluded’ if he stayed on his feet. Kelly has a choked-out Matt Veach as an illustration of his own ground threat, although he has promised his opponent that, if it hits the mat, the fight will only just be getting started.

In the build-up to the fight, Volkmann has had plenty to say on Kelly. After going six fights without a UFC knockout, Volkmann questioned the Brit’s punching power. He warned the 29-year-old to prepare for a painful evening, knowing there is more than one way to crack an egg.

Kelly said, “Some people look for the knockout using ground-and-pound, but mine is all about hurting them and breaking their will. Thiago Silva’s ground-and-pound is for the knockout. I just try to break and break and break them, and before long there’s a load of red stuff coming from his head and the guy’s thinking ‘****, how bad is this cut?”

He added, “If you fight a jiu-jitsu guy, you know they’re gonna hold you until they find a limb. But I’m different. That’s why it was so hard to match me up with English welterweights before I entered the UFC. I wasn’t in the top 10 Brits, but I was destroying people. I left them needing stitches. How many did Troy Mandaloniz need? How many did Matt Veach need? So Volkmann can take it to the mat. How long have I spent on my back in my UFC career? About two minutes. Roli Delgado tried it, tried to make it a boring fight, so if Volkmann wants to do that let’s go. Let’s have it. I’ll end up in your guard and I’ll hurt you.”

Building a 10-2 record ahead of the clash with the gritty Jacob Volkmann at UFC on Versus on August 1, Kelly is currently climbing the 155lb ladder. Building on the recent impressive submission stoppage of Matt Veach, victory would be the Liverpudlian’s fourth in five fights.

For the lightweight title at UFC 118, Penn set to rematch Frankie Edgar, Kelly fully anticipates that “The Prodigy” will soon by a three-time UFC lightweight champion. In the way of Kelly’s own championship dreams, the Hawaiian is once again a hurdle.

In addition, to view Penn as an enemy, the combative Brit admits that it would be a difficult task for him.

Kelly said, “I’d find it really hard to fight BJ. He’s the one guy I’d find really difficult to fight from a respect level. I’m still pretty young and I’m learning my lessons and getting better, and hopefully one day I can get a title shot. But if it’s against BJ, I’d find that really difficult. I need my opponents to be my enemies. I don’t touch gloves with any of my opponents, and if I fought BJ that would have to stay the same, but it wouldn’t be out of disrespect.”

He added, “He and Anderson Silva are so technically gifted, but the difference is that BJ would never do what Anderson did against Demian Maia.”

Of Volkmann, Kelly has remained respectful in the build-up to their lightweight clash at the UFC on Versus event, previously telling, “You can’t underestimate Volkmann… he’s one of those guys that when you see him in the gym, you think you’ll batter him. But then in the ring you’re shocked by how strong he is.”

However, in return Volkmann has stoked the fires, the Brit’s emphatic stoppage of Matt Veach at UFC 112, despite questioning whether Kelly belongs in the same ring as him. with the Team Kaobon man still searching for the first UFC KO, Volkmann has also queried Kelly’s knockout power.

In a TKO after Dennis Siver broke his ribs and via submission to Marcus Davis, two career losses have come for Kelly. in San Diego, the Liverpudlian is ready to serve some humble pie to Volkmann.

Kelly said, “The game plan is to smash him clean out. He’s been talking about me hasn’t he? Questioning my punching power and my credibility. So on August 1 I’m gonna knock him out, and then how’s he going to look? I don’t disrespect my opponents. I say what I think I’m going to do, and he can do the same, but he shouldn’t be questioning my ability.”

He added, “ I’ve never done it to him. He said he thinks he’s going to beat me, which is fair enough. But who is he to question my background when I’ve only lost to Marcus Davies and Dennis Siver, when a spinning back kick broke my ribs? We’ll see on August 1.”

This is Kelly’s third time fighting in the Lightweight division.  Before dropping to lightweight, Kelly was a welterweight and before that he was a middleweight.  He was impressive in his lightweight debut, beating black belt Rolando Delgado at UFC 99.  This past November, he suffered a setback against Dennis Siver at UFC 105.  Siver beat Kelly in a TKO with a spinning back kick.

Veach was submitted by Frank Edgar at his last UFC outing in December.  It was his first loss as an MMA professional.  He was impressive in his UFC debut, beating Matt Grice by TKO in the first round.  The win extended his win streak to 11.

In order for Veach to win, he will need to avoid Kelly in the stand-up as Veach’s biggest advantage is wrestling.  Despite losing in the second round in his last match, he had many impressive takedowns of Edgar and will look to do the same against Kelly.

Kelly is confident he will win Saturday.  He pointed out that Veach was submitted by Frank Edgar, a fighter not known for his submission skills.  He has predicted that he will knock him out in the second or third round.