'Imagine the UFC called and you weren't ready' - McKee out to seize his moment
Up until now, Rhys McKee has purposely avoided UFC events.
The Northern Irishman made a deal with himself that his first experience of MMA's biggest promotion would be as a fighter, not a fan.
Even when team-mates were in action, McKee was not in attendance. He wanted the experience to be uniquely his.
He asked for unique. They don't come much more unique than Fight Island.
Even in his wildest dreams McKee admits that he never pictured his UFC debut to unfold in the manner that it has.
Last weekend the Ballymena native believed his next fight would be a Cage Warriors title shot in September.
This weekend he will make his debut on the main card of a UFC event in Abu Dhabi, in an empty arena with no fans aside from those in his corner.
In many ways it seems imperfect. Although McKee has been expecting imperfection for quite some time.
"Imagine the UFC called and you weren't ready," McKee laughed before setting off for Abu Dhabi from Belfast, via London.
"I've always said fighters should fight and if the UFC call and you say no, how much did you really want it?"
"I have been making sure I'm always ticking over, I've got a good gas tank and Saturday night is where I prove that."
By the time McKee sets foot inside the Octagon it will be nearing Sunday morning back in the UK, with the main card set to start from 23:00 BST.
There he will meet Sweden's Khamzat Chimaev, a rising UFC star who preserved his 100% record with an impressive second round stoppage over Welshman John Phillips on Fight Island a little over a week ago.
'Years of work defined in two minutes'
Last Saturday, McKee got into his car to return home from the shops.
Before starting the engine he received a video call from Cage Warriors President Graham Boylan, and it didn't take him long to figure out that something was up.
The video, later shared and viewed thousands of times on social media, shows Boylan telling McKee to pack his bags, as the UFC had come calling.
McKee's immediate response was filled with the emotion befitting of someone who had just been presented with their dream opportunity.
"It's years of work defined into a two-minute video," reflected McKee.
"I'm not embarrassed of my eyes watering, maybe there were onions in the car, but it's a proud moment so I'm very happy that we've had it captured.
Like most debutants, McKee enters the bout as the underdog and the unknown entity. At six days' notice, it is the same situation that he faced in his first professional bout.
On that occasion, five years ago, McKee announced himself with a first-round victory at a BAMMA event Dublin.
McKee was set to fight for the Cage Warriors welterweight title before the bout was cancelled due to the pandemic
While the experiences are similar in timeframe, the 24-year-old is under no illusion that the stakes are stratospherically higher this weekend.
"I think it's unheard of, a UFC debut to be on the main card," he said.
"Some of the names on the prelims alone, you could walk into a room and a lot of people would turn their heads.
"I'm a main card fighter now, and I'll be letting everybody know on Saturday that I'll only be doing main cards now.
"It puts me out there to more names and more homes."
"I've stepped in on six days notice, I'm ready to go and ready to cause an upset.
"I'm not here to make up this card, I'm here to spoil the party. I've used that line before and I'll use it again on Saturday night."
Having signed a four-fight deal, Saturday's contest will not be McKee's only chance to shine in the UFC, but in a sport where everyone is vying for their chance to shine the Ballymena fighter knows there's no guarantee he will ever experience this kind of spotlight again.
For years he has held UFC fight nights at arm's length, not wanting to become accustomed with what to expect from the perspective of a spectator.
The tactic has paid off.
Rhys McKee will be front and centre of his first UFC experience, amid circumstances that very few MMA fans or fighters have ever seen before.
