IN PREPARATION for his first step into the Octagon for nine months, Melksham UFC star Brad Scott went back to the man who inflicted the most punishing defeat of his career.

The 26-year-old, who was last in action when he beat Dylan Andrews in Adelaide in May last year – Scott broke a knuckle in his left hand in that fight – is set to make a long-awaited return to action against Poland’s Krzysztof Jotko (16-1) at UFC Fight Night 84 at London’s O2 Arena on February 27.

Long before he was fighting on the world’s biggest MMA promotion, Scott (10-3), who is currently Stateside training at the MMA Lab gym in Arizona, was stopped by Staffordshire’s Eugene Fadiora at a Spartan Fight Challenge event in Nailsea in 2009 and ahead of his showdown with Jotko, 26, ‘the Bear’ has been rigorous in his bid to learn from previous mistakes.

“I went to spar with the only guy that’s ever finished me – I went to spar with Eugene Fadiora,” Scott told the Wiltshire Times, speaking from his training base in America this week.

“It is hard being in the west of the country. I have to travel to London all the time or Birmingham to get some good training.

“In America, I travel three miles to the gym and I’m there but it’s not horrendous.

“When I go to London, I go to Dean Emerson at Roger Gracie’s.

“Roger Gracie is the greatest jiu-jitsu practitioner of all time, so it’s good to go and train with them and he’s an original Gracie – they’re the guys who won the first three UFCs.

“Over here, I train with seasoned MMA pros and I’ve got John Crouch, who’s a black belt under the Gracies, as well.

“I’m back at the Lab. I’ve been here for about three weeks now. It’s pretty good and it’s not too hot either this time.”

Scott admits that he will be forced to combat his nerves when he makes his comeback from injury in front of UK fight fans next month.

The Melksham fighter said: “I’m a bit more nervous than anything else really, having had so much time off, but I’ll be alright. There’s extra pressure too, fighting in front of 23,000 people.

“Fighting’s a horrible thought most of the time but you’ve just got to swallow it, take it as it comes, forget that you were out so long, and hope that there’s no such thing as ring rust – or cage rust.

“I’d like a knockout this time. It’s the money-maker as well. It gives you the biggest chance of getting a decent wad of cash and the fans like it as well, so I’m always happy to chuck in and try to get the KO, especially a brutal one.”

Watch Bradley Scott in action at UFC Fight Night: Silva vs. Bisping on Saturday Feb 27, live on UFC Fight Pass