“One life, one chance”: Adam Darby opens up on becoming first Irish fighter to earn UFC contract through Dana White’s Contender Series

Adam Darby has reached the UFC after more than a decade of hard work and several major setbacks. The Dublin fighter earned his contract through Dana White’s Contender Series after defeating American Patrick Rivera by third-round doctor stoppage in Las Vegas on September 1. Darby controlled the welterweight contest before the referee ended the fight because of the damage Rivera had taken. The victory made Darby the first Irish fighter to earn a UFC contract through the Contender Series. He now has his sights set on making his UFC debut before the end of 2026.The 8-1 fighter has come a long way to reach the UFC. His journey included a 20-second professional defeat by Mush Aslani and a serious hand injury that kept him out for 17 months. Darby returned from the setback and continued his rise. He is now riding a seven-fight winning streak. After finally achieving his UFC dream, the Team Ryano fighter wants to inspire more young Irish fighters to follow the same path.Adam Darby reflects on his long road to UFCAdam Darby knew he had achieved something special when his fight against Patrick Rivera was stopped.“I was just sitting there thinking to myself, well, that’s 10-plus years of work all coming to fruition,” Darby told BBC Sport NI.The Dubliner had been in control of the contest. However, he wanted the fight to continue so he could produce a more emphatic finish.He said, “I was saying to the referee, ‘Don’t stop it, he’s good, he’s good’, I knew he was done, but I wanted a highlight-reel finish. The ref recognised the damage he was taking and pulled the plug on it. I went in there to put on a show, and I think I delivered.”Darby’s MMA journey began after his father enrolled him in kickboxing. He later discovered mixed martial arts and quickly became committed to the sport.His belief in reaching the UFC was also clear years earlier. In 2018, Darby wrote a message that he later shared after earning his contract, “One life, one chance, UFC or nothing.”Darby stressed that having a dream was not enough.“Visualisation is very important, but you can’t sit in your bedroom looking in the mirror saying, ‘I’m the best of the best,’ and not training and backing it up. For a lot of people that might finish their career. But for me, that loss made me reflect, ‘where am I going to go from here?’ You can’t let something like that set you back. Life’s going to hit you hard, but you have to be able to come back from it”, he said.A serious hand injury later created another major challenge. Darby broke his hand and finger and required multiple surgeries. He spent 17 months away from competition.Darby hopes his UFC success can motivate young fighters in Ireland.The Team Ryano fighter is now waiting for the UFC to decide when he will make his debut.Get the latest Sports News and Live updates. Download the TOI app.