The journey to this point has been anything but smooth for Antrim's Rhys McKee. They Ballymena man has had more ups and downs than a rollercoaster in his 26 years on this planet.
All these bumps along the way make this weekend's headlining of the SSE Arena in Belfast all the more impressive. Seven years after making is professional MMA debut and less than two after being released from the UFC with an 0-2 record, McKee (11-4-1) headlines Cage Warriors 140 and will fight for the Welterweight title in the main event this Saturday.
And with the pressure well and truly on, McKee sure is confident that he won't crack.
He said: "I love it when the stakes are really, really high and there's a lot of people there expecting you to win. I thrive on that.
"Everything has been geared towards Belfast and it has just been an absolute dream to be able to train for such a massive fight. It's been perfect. The body is good, training has been fantastic and I'm truly firing everywhere."
For many, Madison Square Garden is considered to be 'The Mecca of fighting.' But for a young kid from Ballymena, the promised land is much closer to home. Having grown up 30 miles away from Belfast, McKee understands the significance of fighting in the city.
He added: "It's a dream come true for a kid from Northern Ireland. I get to fight for a world title in our most prestigious arena. It does not get bigger than this.
"If I had the option of fighting in Las Vegas on the same night, I'm picking the chance to headline at the SSE Arena – that's a fact. For me, this is a monumental night.
"Everything so far in the 26 years of my life has been leading to this night and I just cannot wait. It's going to be unbelievable."
McKee has had to do things the hard way. He kicked off his career with a loss in the amateur realm and had to scrap and claw his way to the professional ranks.
After five years as a professional, he finally got his big break when the UFC came calling. Unfortunately for McKee, Khamzat Chimaev (11-0-0) handed him a TKO defeat in his debut.
A second consecutive loss followed to Alex Moreno and McKee found himself booted out of the promotion. While his departure from the UFC was obviously crushing, in years to come, it may be seen as a turning point in his career.
He explained: "In the first couple of weeks after being cut from the UFC, you have a lot of questions of yourself to answer. But once you sign a contract and there's a guy swinging four-ounce gloves at your head, you're going to have to get ready or you'll be found out.
"I showed a good performance [against Mäntykivi], but I'm just so much better now. If I could fight the Rhys who fought Mäntykivi now, I'd smash him easily. I'm excited to show that because it's all well and good to just say it."
Unsurprisingly, McKee is confident that he will get the better of his opponent this Saturday. The Ballymena man simply feels he has too much for Justin Burlinson (7-1-0).
He said: "Justin is really good everywhere, but I don't think he beats me anywhere in skill level. He's tough and very well-rounded, but I just believe I'm at a higher level.
"With Justin, you can't make mistakes because he's very good at getting a position and keeping it. While he's a good fighter across the board, I just think I'm better."
While McKee will have the support of thousands in the arena, one man who won't be there in person but will be there in spirit is his late father, who died shortly before Rhys's victory over current UFC Lightweight Jai Herbert back in 2016.
He added: "That man is always on my shoulder. He's always got my back and I always take him with me in spirit. This night will be no different. There would be no one prouder than him.
"It'll be a special night in his memory and it definitely adds something nice to it."
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Rhys McKee takes on Justin Burlinson at the SSE Arena this Saturday.
The pair will fight for the vacant welterweight title in the headline bout at Cage Warriors 140 at the venue on Saturday 25th June.
Tickets are available via Ticketmaster and Eventim.
