Mike Wilkinson left rugby league for 'catch-wrestling' lifestyle in UFC How did the conversion come from rugby league to MMA? Up to the age of 21, I played rugby league. As I was playing rugby we got introduced to freestyle wrestling. I was falling out of love with rugby and I started to enjoy the wrestling side of it, so eventually I ended up jacking in rugby and doing a bit of wrestling at a local freestyle wrestling club. I did that for a couple of months, went into a competition, and got a silver medal. I felt like I was destined to do something significant in sport, so I found a local MMA gym, did that on and off and then obviously I quit work and went at it full time. I'm glad that I did because here I am today, unbeaten [8-0], and in the UFC. Is there any easy cross-training route for most sports with MMA skills? Yeah definitely, I think there is for all contact sports, including American Football. In rugby union, you could use wrestling and MMA skills. Defensive coaches definitely like what MMA can do for its players. Are there perception changes still to conquer with MMA? A lot of people who aren't fans of it won't watch it because they just think its cagefighting. I don't like the words cage fighter. It doesn't project how professional we are. Our sport is mixed martial arts. I think if it's brought into the mainstream on television with BT Sport over the next three years, I think it'll attract a lot more people and it'll build up the sport in the UK. Who stands out for you in the UFC right now? I'm a big fan of the American Frankie Edgar. He's a small guy like myself and nearly all of his fights are at lightweight. He's got a big heart like myself and I'd like to follow his footsteps because he's a good ambassador for the sport and he's a true warrior. You've switched from lightweight to featherweight. My first fight I think it was at lightweight and then I went down to featherweight. When the opportunity of The Ultimate Fighter with The Smashes came up, I wasn't going to miss that opportunity so I went up a weight again. It's all gone to plan up to now and I've dropped back down, so I'm happy with everything. Tell us a little about your "catch-wrestling" style which originated in Lancashire. No one else in the UK has this style. Catch Wrestling is very aggressive but it's technical at the same time. A lot of people come down to our gym and they don't last long because they don't like the wrestling side of it. It originated in Wigan, in the Snakepit. I'm coached by Jack Mountford who's in his seventies now and he's still training and still teaching classes. The guy's a legend and I don't think he gets the credit for what he does. My other coach is Darren Morris, they're in the gym every day teaching lads like me to get to where I am today. Not many people know about it and not many people train it. Catch wrestling is basically making people uncomfortable in positions, by putting your forearm across the nose, across the jaw, being very tough, being very rough and making them make mistakes so you can catch them, you're catching their mistake, their arm, catching their neck, catching their leg. Its basically making them uncomfortable so they'll want to move out of the position they're in to your advantage. I just want to make a name for myself. I am going to be a world champion. I'm just an average lad from a normal town, there's not many people who do things out of my area. I would like to put Leigh, as in where I'm from, and Atherton on the map, and just prove that any normal lad from a normal background can make their dreams come true. If you dig deep and if you want something badly you can get it. I started watching UFC and thought I could do it. No matter where you're from or what you do, you can change your ways and you can become something that you want to be. Mike Wilkinson joins Gareth A Davies on this week's ESPN UFC Podcast. Listen: es.pn/ufcpod_itunes