Rory MacDonald isn’t interested in being the most adored mixed martial arts (MMA) fighter in the world.
“Red King” is set to make his Bellator debut on May 19 inside the SSE Arena, Wembley in London, England. He’ll take on a fighter who was also on the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) roster in Paul Daley. The welterweight clash will serve as the main event of Bellator 179.
After falling short to Stephen Thompson back in June 2016, MacDonald decided not to re-sign with the UFC and instead hopped over to Bellator. Despite the loss, “Red King” was still considered one of the top 170-pounders in the world.
To many, the signing was a big deal for Bellator, but MacDonald told Fight Network (via Flo Combat) that he isn’t concerned with his level of popularity:
“I’m happy that I’ve had success, and hopefully I can continue to have even more success in the near future. I’m just trying to get better. I’m not worried about if I’m more popular than the next guy. I’m just trying to get in there, prepare myself for my fights. I’m looking at the fight. I want to smash peoples’ faces in. That’s it. I’m having fun doing that. I’m not here for a popularity contest or anything.”
