How his mother's murder steeled Duncan for UFC's toughest fights

Performances like Chris Duncan's gutsy win over Mateusz Rebecki four months ago can define a fighter.

In a brutal back-and-forth battle, which left both fighters bloodied and battered, it was Scotland's Duncan who got his hand raised in a fight-of-the-year contender.

Fans and pundits praised Duncan for the grit and determination he showed, while Duncan says even his coaching team were surprised by the level of his performance.

"My training partner Robert Whiteford - I don't think he knew I was capable of that and he sung my praises after," Duncan told BBC Sport.

Duncan, however, was not surprised by his showing.

He knew what he was capable of because the trauma he experienced as an amateur fighter built the resilience he would need to overcome life's toughest challenges.

On 18 April 2014, a day before Duncan's amateur debut, his mother Elaine was murdered by her boyfriend James Morley, who was jailed for life for the crime.

"I still went ahead with the fight the following day. A lot of people would have pulled out in that moment," said Duncan.

"I won the fight, and I remember standing in the club after with a couple of bottles of beer. I was a shepherd at the time, and I was like 'this life isn't for me any more'.

"I'm working hard and my life can be ripped away from me at any instant."

Duncan says the consistency of MMA training - a two-hour morning session followed by two hours in the evening - allowed him to come to peace with what had happened.

Now he is able to use the grief he experienced to his advantage in overcoming adversity in the octagon.

"My past has not been the greatest and that's built the resilience I needed for that fight," said Duncan.

"Not a lot of people went through what I went through as a youngster - and that's what's built me into the person and character I am today."

On Saturday at UFC 323 at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Duncan faces his next challenge when he takes on American lightweight Terrance McKinney.

Despite proving his durability in the bruising encounter with Rebecki, Duncan is not hoping for a similar fight against McKinney.

"I would like to go in there and in two seconds the bell rings, and I hit him with a right hand and he falls over. That would be fantastic," said Duncan.

"It's not often I say this but I'm proud of what I've done this camp. I said that to my girlfriend two days ago.

"I'm ready to put on a performance and show the world how capable I am."

Following Paul Craig's retirement in September, Duncan is arguably Scotland's most accomplished fighter in the UFC.

He has won five of his six fights since debuting in 2023, and is targeting a spot in the top 15 of the promotion's lightweight rankings, should he beat McKinney convincingly.

The fight comes weeks after the men's football team qualified for the World Cup in dramatic style against Denmark last month.

In the first half, midfielder Scott McTominay put Scotland ahead with a spectacular overhead kick.

The result sparked elation among football fans in the country - something which Duncan hopes he can replicate in the future from a sporting perspective.

"I don't watch football but I saw Scotland won. If I could do an overhead kick and knock someone out that would be fantastic," he joked.

"MMA is such a young sport right now, we haven't got the eyes on it in Scotland - not everyone knows about it, but it's coming. And I'm going to be the guy leading the way.

"When Scotland do come together, like in a World Cup game, we do come arm in arm. If I could get the whole of Scotland behind me it would be absolutely amazing."