Houston: We have a champion

World champion Ross Houston is ready to defend his Cage Warriors welterweight title in early 2019 – in a possible re-match with dethroned rival Stefano Paterno.

But the Inverness mixed martial arts fighter admits he would happily let the hard-earned title fall if he is first invited to join the elite ranks of the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC).

Houston, who triumphed in an epic five-round battle in Birmingham on Saturday evening, described the moment as the happiest of his life. Birmingham’s Genting Arena saw the 28-year-old survive a fourth round blow to the face from the Italian before battling back to win by split decision.

Houston, unbeaten in eight fights, also defied a nasty knee ligament injury kept secret in the build-up to the biggest fight of his three-year professional career.

Read more in today's Highland News.

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