Mixed martial artists spend more time than most in the company of medical staff making it perhaps not a huge surprise that one of them is considering it for a possible future career.
Stevie Ray doesn’t know exactly what lies ahead for him after tonight’s homecoming at the Hydro - when he returns to the Glasgow stage as co-headliner of a stacked PFL Europe card - but he is keeping all his options open for the time being.
How he fares and how he feels after his contest with Lewis Long will heavily influence whether this serves as his farewell in the ring or not but the veteran is aware that, after a decade-and-a-half at the sharp end of this physically demanding and draining pursuit, the moment is approaching to move forward in another direction.
That will still include MMA in some shape, with the former UFC warrior already coaching the next generation of combatants at the Braveheart gym in his native Kirkcaldy.
Ray, though, wants to also explore other opportunities, especially with four mouths to feed at home and a mortgage to pay like everybody else. Admitting he didn’t give the best account of himself during his school days, the 34-year-old wonders aloud whether a period of study with a view to moving into a medical field might not be the worst idea.
“It’s such a mindf*** this game because training’s never as enjoyable when you HAVE to go,” he says. “But the way I'm feeling this week actually, I'm thinking, ‘you know what, I could do this again’.
“So I'm going to wait and see how the fight goes and how my emotions are afterwards. But I'm getting older and carrying some injuries. My wife hates it as well, me fighting. Not the fact that I'm getting potentially beat up but she doesn't enjoy the life, me training every day and every night, because you have to be all in or all out.
“I could go into full-time coaching, maybe do seminars now and again, that's probably the most realistic. But it's not until I've got older that I’ve realised I’d actually like to do something pretty good with my life.
“I'd like to go and get a doctor's degree at uni. Or do something like physiotherapy or become a chiropractor, something to do with the body and health. I mean, I don't know if that would be possible when you've got commitments like a mortgage and four kids.
“But I quite like the idea of learning. When I was at school I was just a complete rebel, wasn't interested at all. I was there for a laugh with my pals. Now that I'm older, I wish I had stuck in a wee bit more. Because I know I've got a set of brains, even though they've been battered a few times! So maybe I could go and learn something new. That would be good.”
Ray had already entered semi-retirement after last year’s defeat to Clay Collard at PFL 6 in Georgia but the chance to fight again in Glasgow, alongside many of his Higher Level MMA training partners, was something he couldn’t turn down.
“I said to myself and my coach last year that I if I was going to do one more I'd like it to be Scotland,” he reveals. “And as it happened PFL were coming to Glasgow and I knew I had to be involved.
“Just the buzz of even walking out to that atmosphere will be great. I’ve fought in the Hydro twice before, won one and lost one, both by knockout, so I've experienced both sides. I'm just going to try and enjoy it this time.”
This evening will be Ray’s second public appearance in Glasgow in the past six days. Last Sunday the lifelong Celtic supporter was welcomed onto the pitch to help make the half-time draw during their Premier Sports Cup tie against Falkirk. And, unlike Santa Claus last December, Ray mercifully didn’t get booed with the team trailing at the break.
“Nah, I got a few cheers like,” he laughs. “I’ve supported Celtic all my life but never really went to the games until I was an adult. That was my first time on the pitch and my daughter came on with me so that was a pretty cool experience. My boy used to like Celtic too but the wife’s dad is a Hearts supporter so the wee man’s a Jambo now. The traitor! Although I see they’re bottom of the league so maybe he’s not made the best choice there.”
