“They’ve been to the basketball stadiums to watch me, they’ve been to the YMCAs, they’ve driven four hours into the middle of nowhere to watch me fight, and I think it’s only right that they get to come and watch my debut in the RAC Arena.”
In addition to a venue upgrade for his family and friends that will be filling the seats, debuting this weekend also means rolling deep with his teammates, as the tall and rangy “Battle Giraffe” is one of four members of Auckland’s CKB crew slated to compete Sunday morning in Perth.
Saturday’s Full Fight Card Preview
“This is perfect,” he said of fighting alongside teammates Carlos Ulberg, Navajo Stirling, and Brando Pericic. “Rolling through with a team like this — there’s four of us: a middleweight, two light heavyweights, and a heavyweight; we’re all the same weight or about the same weight. We all train together. Every workout we do, we do the workout together. We do all the workouts together and then we go fight together; it’s just perfect.
“This week has been fun,” continued Rowston, who carries a 12-3 professional record into his bout with Petroski. “It’s been relaxing and fun; hasn’t been too tense. Having the whole team here, the banter that goes on between the coaches and the fighters and all the bodies here, it makes everything so much more enjoyable rather than just sitting in the hotel room trying to drink down the water and watching whatever is on the TV.”
As much as his first UFC fight week experience has been enjoyable thus far, it’s the opportunity in front of him this weekend that has Rowston most excited.
