A man who was wanted by police for almost a decade, spent six months in prison and was eventually acquitted in court will challenge a former police officer to a mixed martial arts bout in front of a crowd of 20,000.
No, this isn't the plot of a Hollywood movie, but it is the story behind the epic fight between Shem Rock and Jaroslav Pokornyy that took place at Octagon 58 on Saturday night.
The story begins in 2014, when a then 20-year-old man was accused of involvement in a robbery in his hometown of Liverpool. Although he had not committed a crime, the young man decided to leave the UK and travel to South Asia.
read more: Conor McGregor's replacement opponent emerges as Michael Chandler's UFC 303 fight is in doubt
read more: Conor McGregor's partner Dee Devlin shares his fears for his UFC 303 fight with Michael Chandler
It was here that the 10-1 star discovered the sport and his journey began.
“I don't like the word coincidence. I like to believe that everything happens for a reason. This was never my plan.”
“I fell in love with the sport of jiu-jitsu and started travelling a lot, representing Great Britain at the World Championships. After winning everything there was to win in South Asia, I realised: 'I've done all this and I have no money'.”
After a brief foray into the world of reality TV, the fighter quickly stalled out.
“I'd pretty much achieved everything there was to achieve in Southeast Asia. I was the type of jiu-jitsu fighter who'd take my opponents down and submit them quickly, so it made it difficult for me to compete.”
“It was now public knowledge in the field that I was a wanted criminal, so my opportunities were much slimmer. Sponsors no longer wanted to work with me.
“I felt like a really bad kid because Asian people are a lot more reserved than us. I was homesick and I wanted to see my family, so I thought, 'Where is the most similar place to Liverpool that I can go to right now?'
The answer? Dublin.
After another stressful cross-continental journey, Locke arrived in the Irish capital two days later, when the first COVID-19 lockdown was imposed, leaving the talented featherweight boxer stranded in a foreign country with no friends or family to support him.
“I was thinking, 'Maybe I messed up here.'”
“It was tough. I'm glad the Irish are just like us Liverpudlians – they won't turn a blind eye to someone in trouble and will look after them. I ended up meeting some really lovely people and getting help along the way.
“As I said before, I believe everything happens for a reason, and it was destined to happen to get me to where I am today.
“Going through those difficult times makes you stronger as a person, and I think that's what it took to get to where I am today.”
The months he spent in isolation in Dublin came after years without seeing his family, and the Octagon star believes these tough times have helped him become the man and fighter he is today.
“I didn't go home or see my family for 10 years. It was hard, but it was also a necessary experience to become who I am today.”
“I trained hard, three times a day, for 10 years, sustained injuries, broke bones, and just kept working hard.
“It felt like I was in college, but now I've graduated and this is my job now. I'm here, I'm back home, I get to see my family, I get to take care of my loved ones, and I'm finally getting the pay I deserve.”
The journey to Belfast proved to be a disastrous one for the 30-year-old, who was arrested by authorities in 2021. He had gone north once before to fight, but tried his luck too hard and ended up in prison.
Six months later, he was declared a free man by the court.
Subscribe to the Irish Mirror Fighting news service on Whats App
Click this link or scan the QR code to receive the latest League of Ireland news and top stories from the Irish Mirror. If you don't like our community, you can always check us out. If you're interested, you can join our Privacy Notice.
It was then that his fighting career began in earnest. Freed from constraints both physical and psychological, the Liverpudlian counts Paddy Pimblett and Molly McCann as training partners at Liverpool's Next Gen MMA, has won four straight bouts and tomorrow night takes on the biggest challenge of his career against an opponent he certainly does not despise.
The fight has been called off twice – both times by Pokorny – but the second time was last November after Rock kicked Pokorny during a heated argument at the weigh-in.
The match finally takes place on Saturday, and Lock can't wait to take down the veteran Czech slugger over opponents' lines.
“I'd been offered to fight this guy in the past. I'd signed the contract and he'd not, so I took to social media to criticise him for not signing the contract. He then responded to my direct messages with a bit of a personal attack, disparaging my mother and saying mean things.”
“But what do you expect? I don't expect anything less from a police officer.
“I go into enemy territory, and that's the most fun.”
“He probably thinks all the pressure is on me, but I like having my back against the wall and people booing me.
“I've got a little fire in my belly. I want to prove something to all his fans. I want to shut up the crowd. Nothing motivates me more than that.”
Get the latest sports news straight to your email Sign up for free email alerts.
