MMA: JOE EMMONS admits the thought of being knocked-out in front of a big home crowd in Southend will spur him on when he enters the octagon again after a six-month break from Mixed Martial Arts (MMA), writes James Colasanti.

The 40-year-old Mauy Thai expert will face Scott Rogan, a heavy-handed 33-year-old from Newcastle, for the Heat Light-Heavyweight K1 (stand-up) title at the second edition of the MMA show at Garon Park on Saturday, December 7.

Emmons has fought twice and won twice before in Southend, and on his last outing he had nearly 200 local fans at ringside to cheer him on.

He has already sold 100 tickets this time around and is expecting some more raucous home support this time around.

He said: “I love having that sort of crowd behind me because it inspires me to do well.

“It can intimidate some fighters, but for me it helps.

“It does bring its own pressure, though, because you don’t want to get knocked out in front of 1,500 people, and that can always happen in this sport where it can all be over with one punch.

“Scott Rogan is very experienced and he has a lot of power and I’ll have to be at my best to beat him.”

Emmons, who has won a title in Thailand and fights out of the Southend Muay Thai Club at the Spit & Sawdust gym in Sutton Road, has taken a short break from the sport while he recovers from what he describes as “a few niggling injuries”.

But he says he’s fully recovered now and in great shape for his showdown with Rogan, who fought at Heat MMA 1, and lost to Tommy Gunn by rear naked-choke submission in the first round of their pro MMA bout.

Emmons said: “Scott Rogan is quick with his hands and a very dangerous puncher, he is predominantly a boxer.

“I am stronger with my kicks and knees and will try to do some good work in the clinches, so our styles should make for an interesting fight.

“It’s the sort of fight that could go either way in the first round.

“He is big and powerful.

“But I’ve seen him run out of steam though, so the longer it goes the more confident I will feel,” he added.