Former UFC fighter Stevie Ray will end his retirement next month when he makes his bare knuckle boxing debut in Glasgow. The 36-year-old is set to face BKFC veteran Danny Christie on November 7 at the Hydro, marking the promotion's first event in the city.
Retirement U-Turn and Return to Competition
Ray, an 11-fight UFC veteran, initially retired from MMA in 2020 due to ongoing knee injuries but made a comeback two years later. The Kirkcaldy native returned under the PFL banner, picking up back-to-back wins over former UFC champion Anthony Pettis. After three consecutive losses in the cage, he retired a second time, only to return two years ago, submitting Lewis Long in front of his home crowd.
Now, after calling it quits again, Ray is set to return to fighting once more, this time without the gloves. Speaking exclusively to Mirror Fighting, he revealed that the opportunity to compete at the Hydro was a key factor in his decision.
Why Ray Decided to Return
"I miss competing, and mostly because I've got bad knees, I struggle to still do MMA, but with the boxing or bare-knuckle in this case, I can still do that. So, kind of that, but also because they're coming to the Hydro," he said.
Ray, who runs the Braveheart MMA Gym in his home town, explained how the fight came about. "My coach messaged me telling me. And then I was like, 'Are you telling me that for me to fight on it or...' And yeah, and then he replied with, 'How's the knees?' So, yeah. That's pretty much how it came about."
His return is driven by a love for the fight game. "I think it happens a lot with competitors, athletes, fighters. Like, we miss the buzz. So I do miss the buzz a bit. I miss competing, I miss having discipline... It's been a while since I've had to diet. So even like having the discipline to get in shape, to keep going, and also, obviously, the money. You know, I get paid well for fighting as well, so that's obviously a big factor as well," he admitted.
A Historic Event in Glasgow
Despite signing up, Ray admits he hasn't watched much BKFC action. "I didn't really watch any BKFC bare-knuckle. I've never really watched it. It's the same with MMA, when I got into MMA, I hadn't watched that either. I just knew I liked it. I know I like fighting, I know I like any sort of combat-kind of sport," he revealed.
With his last fight also at the Hydro, Ray is excited about creating another memory with family and friends watching. "As my last fight was obviously at the Hydro and my kids, my family, my mum, my wife, her gran and grandad, they were all there," he said. "It was obviously a good ending and I would be happy just finishing on that, but to be honest, it's another chance at another good memory. I've always fancied doing something like boxing or bare-knuckle. I like to try stuff... you only live once. It's a good opportunity to be on BKFC Glasgow, the first time they've been to Glasgow. It'll be a historic event, I'd imagine."
