Aberdeen MMA fighter Paull McBain dedicated his explosive return to the ring to his dad Norman, following his death from cancer.
“The Locomotive” made his comeback after two years to defeat Alberth Dias by technical knockout at a Cage Warriors event at Glasgow’s Braehead Arena – with his rival unable to come out for the third round of a bruising featherweight battle.
Having extended his professional fight record to 8-3, Paull said: “I had a bit of time out because my dad, Norman, passed away aged 61 from lung cancer.
“It was in his bones and that – it was quite sudden. It was an aggressive cancer which came on quick.
“It was the first time I’d fought without my dad being there, so it was a big one for me.”
‘I dropped him three times with head shots’
Paull knocked opponent Dias down several times in an action-packed contest, adding: “He was an experienced Thai boxer from Brazil, from a really good gym.
“It was a striking battle, back and forth. I hurt him with shots and he hurt me with shots.
“I think I dropped him about three times with head shots. Then at the end of the second round, I started dropping down and ripping into his body against the fence.
“And he wasn’t able to come out for the third round.”
Extended fight absence ends with show in front of 5,000 people
Europe’s heaviest-hitting MMA promotion, Cage Warriors is a feeder to the UFC.
Earlier in his career, Paull fought at a Cage Warriors show at Liverpool’s Echo Arena – on a card also featuring now-UFC superstar Paddy “The Baddy” Pimblett, with 10,000 people in attendance.
There were 5,000 people at the recent Glasgow event.
Having lost his last bout back in April 2022, Paull revealed, as well as his dad’s passing, his extended absence from the ring was also rooted in attempts to improve the fighters around him at Berryden’s Aberdeen Combat Centre – the gym he now runs alongside a business partner.
Paull said: “It was the full situation of it. As much as I’m a fighter, I was also the head coach for MMA team as well.
“After losing my previous fight (against Federico Pasquali in April 2022), I thought I’d take some time out and get the guys better, because the more I invest my time into the guys, the guys will be there to get me better – because there was no-one as good as me in the gym or the north-east.
“I had time for that, time for my dad, and a couple of injuries as well, including a broken cheekbone from sparring, which was about three months out.”
How many fights does McBain have left?
Aged 35, and back to winning ways, Portlethen-based Paull does not know how many more professional MMA fights he has left.
He says he still feels like the fittest and best fighter in the gym, but is balancing this confidence in his enduring abilities with his commitments as a dad – to Paull-J, 14, Parker, nine, and Pace, five – and the athletes he coaches.
One of Paull’s proteges, Damon Donald, has now also signed to Cage Warriors – with the 28-year-old denied a debut on the Braehead card because his opponent pulled out.
Paull says Donald, like him, is an “exciting, kill-or-be-killed striker”.
“I don’t know how many fights I’ve got left in me,” Paull added. “But when I do, I’m going to start handing the reins over to the younger guys and investing the time they need.”
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