“I’ve Completely Levelled Up” – Paul Elliott Believes The Fruits Of His Labour Will Show At ONE Fight Night 14

Fortune hasn’t favoured Paul Elliott in his ONE Championship tenure so far, but he’s hoping to change his trajectory when he steps into action this weekend.

“King of the North” returns to the Circle inside the Singapore Indoor Stadium at ONE Fight Night 14: Stamp vs. Ham on Saturday, 30th September, where he’ll meet a seasoned competitor in Mauro Cerilli. 

After an underwhelming promotional debut defeat to Kang Ji Won in March 2022, Elliott was close to bouncing back against Martin Batur at ONE 160 bout five months later.

The Middlesbrough talent rocked his Batur. But in hunting for the finish, Elliott’s adrenaline got the better of him, and his gas tank quickly emptied. Less than a minute later, the roles reversed, and his hulking foe came back to force an early stoppage. 

Analyzing the bout, Elliott said:

“I don’t know how he got back up from that. Not only did he hit his head off the floor, but I hit him again, and I think it woke him back up. Instantly, I was wondering how he managed to get up after that shot. It was so hard.

“I knew I was close to finishing him because he was making some horrendous noises. And, normally, that’s a sign of someone withering. But fair play, he stuck in there.”

The clash with Batur would later be ruled a no-contest as the Croatian failed a post-fight drug test. So, as Elliott headed back to the UK and the drawing board, he was given another chance to make things right in the heavyweight realm.

Facing his upcoming battle at ONE Fight Night 14, “King of the North” hopes three will be the lucky number for him. He has showcased small glimpses of his talent in his previous two promotional outings, but he knows his chips are down, so he’s ready to go all in against Cerilli. 

“It’s very, very important to me because of the first setback in March 2022 and then in August 2022. I am really, really, really wanting to win,” Elliott said.

“The third time’s the charm. I’ve been telling myself this, and I’ve had others say it. I believe that’s a sign.” 

It’s been 13 months since Elliott was last in action, and the Yorkshire titan has drastically adapted his habits in that time.

From changing his surroundings to altering his mindset, the 31-year-old has fully dedicated himself to his craft. He now trains with some of Europe’s most elite heavyweights, like KSW champion Phil De Fries and UFC star Tom Aspinall.

Elliott believes his talents have evolved thanks to this. He’s learned to swim with sharks and insists the blood, sweat, and tears he’s put into his return will allow him to showcase a whole new version of himself. 

“I really wanted to make a statement and felt that I was on the cusp of doing so. I’m out here training to win, and he’s cheating. It really upset me to find out. It tested my mentality, and it made me question my abilities. I started thinking if I should even be in ONE,” Elliott said. 

“I now train with the best fighters in the heavyweight division in Mick Parkin, Joffie Houlton, Phil De Fries, and Tom Aspinall. They’re big boys, and I’m now the smallest one there. It’s improved my game leaps and bounds to work with them. 

“I’m a way better fighter now. I’ve got behemoths on top of me, so I’m a lot more comfortable in uncomfortable positions because of that. I’ve completely levelled up.”