Exclusive Q&A: Danny Roberts 'has nothing to lose' in fight with Patrick Habirora

Danny Roberts will face Patrick Habirora in a welterweight bout in the main event of the PFL Europe in Brussels on July 5.

Roberts (18-8) is preparing to make his PFL debut after almost two years of inactivity, and he willtake on the young unbeaten Habirora (6-0).

Having fought in the UFC and for the Cage Warriors, the 37-year-old Briton is about to discover a new challenge. 

DAZN News spoke to the new PFL fighter. He talked about his rising opponent and the new challenge he is preparing to take on next month.

DAZN News: Undefeated in the Cage Warriors, long experience in UFC, now you're headlining directly in PFL. What motivated you in this particular opportunity?

Danny Roberts: The thing that's motivated me in this particular opportunity is the way that the opportunity has presented itself. I have had a lot of ups and downs, trials and tribulations in my life. I've had a lot of setbacks. Now, coming from the UFC and travelling around the world, fighting some of the best, and just the setbacks I've had most recently - waiting for a fight, still training, still staying true to my cause. I believe that great things happen for a reason. I believe that micro-tests have been what I've been going through time and time again to see whether I'm worthy. Now this opportunity has presented itself. I believe it's there for me to take with both hands.

DN: When you were 6-2, you fought against Jack Mason, who was 20-10. Now it's the other way around. You have Patrick, who is 6-0. You're 18-8. Now you are the experienced guy. He's the young lion. How do you think experience against the confidence of a young prospect plays out?

DR: The experience versus the confidence of a young prospect, I think that's big. I always think about this in the sense that this is just how styles make fights. For me, this is a big key factor with me fighting Patrick on July fifth. Now, I think the styles are a perfect match-up. It plays into my hands for me to be able to do the things that I need to, and I believe that the experience will be something that will show what I'm like. Now, that doesn't take anything away from the fact that Patrick is a young, up-and-coming talent, and he's going to be moving forward on the front foot fast. I believe he's going to bring it. But I also believe that the fans are going to get everything they deserve, and I'm going to be able to play it with my hands.

DN: In the UFC, you fought current champion Jack Della Maddalena. What did you learn from that experience?

DR: I learned from the experience of fighting Jack Maddalena. Quite funny. I was actually at the PFL in Belfast. I had a friend that was fighting a match on that card. And then I went back to the hotel room, sat down, watched the UFC, and Jack was on it against Belal [Muhammad]. And I watched him beat Belal, and I knew he was going to beat Belal. I'd been in there and I'd spent that time in the cage with him. And one thing I knew as much as I sat there was that I couldn't move on to the next chapter of my life because I would live the rest of my life in regret if I didn't answer the questions that I spent 22 years of my life investing into these moments. So again, understanding, knowing that I've been in there with people like that fills me with confidence. Of course it does. But it doesn't take away the fact that I know that there's work there to be done. That's all - that's all it's really done is relight a fire. It's let me know that I’m where I need to be and who I am.

DN: You did your due diligence before accepting the fight. What do you respect the most about Patrick’s game?

DR: It's confidence. Confidence is a big thing to not understand. You have the mental and the physiological side of who you are as an athlete and a person and the individual. Now, that's definitely something that I can see that he's got in control of. I also believe that from the likes of his social presence, social media and stuff like that, would have been something which has encouraged and made that thrive for him because he's in a new generation. But all of that existed. When I was young and I was coming up, they didn't have that. We had to reinforce our confidence from going out there and being battle-hardened and tested time and time again. We've got two completely different ends of the spectrum coming head to head in the main event, July fifth. I think it makes for nothing but an exciting fight.

DN: What do you think he respects the most about your game?

DR: What do I think he respects the most about my game? It will probably be my toughness. Also the fact that I will bring the fight. If I at least think how much I know of Patrick and the way his confidence is, he's going to want to get tested. He's going to want to have those battles which are going to really let him know who he is as an athlete and an individual. I think I'm going to come. One thing I think I'm going to bring, and I know it will be there on the night - it will be that test for him.

DN: How do you feel this ends? What's your prediction?

DR: I don't think the fight is going the distance. I can't see it going the distance. I know who I am. I know what I bring to the table. I know the way Patrick works. The fact that he is the hometown fighter, everyone in that arena is probably going to be blue with me. It gives me nothing to worry about because I don't have anything to stress over, nothing to lose. Somebody who has nothing to lose is a dangerous guy. For him, there's a lot of pressure. Like I said, I think that element is going to be something which is going to really, really make it entertaining.

DN: Now you're 37 years old, you just talked about motivation, getting the fire for you. In case of a victory on July 5, what's next?

DR: Just want to get myself set up. Again, I've had mishaps, setbacks since leaving the UFC and being in a position where I wanted to fight, but just unfortunately due to outside pressures or reasons that I can't explain, it hasn't happened. I'm in a position now where it's pulled back and it's relit that fire in my belly that just lets me know that I'm going down the right path. PFL presented this opportunity for me, and I know for a fact that I will go out there and do what I need to do, Saturday, July 5th. And then it just sets up the rest of my future with the PFL