KENT Kauppinen is hoping that his safe hands are primed to deal out some damage when he steps into the cage at Saturday’s Raged UK mixed martial arts event in Swindon.

The 24-year-old, from Chippenham, spends most Saturdays playing in goal for Southern League outfit Chippenham Town but following his team’s clash with Stratford Town this weekend, Kauppinen will be changing into a very different pair of gloves as he prepares to throw down against Jon ‘Chopper’ Stone at MECA.

Kauppinen, who trains at Chippenham’s Spartans Gym and is sponsored by local company Badboy Supplements, is no stranger to combat sport, having previously fought on white collar boxing shows in Swindon, and will be aiming to put on a show for his football team-mates as he bids to get the better of opponent Stone in an eliminator for Raged UK’s heavyweight title.

“All of the football lads will be coming on Saturday after the game to watch, so it’s going to be good to have my mates there supporting me,” said Kauppinen.

“I’ve fought in Swindon plenty of times before. I fought at the Swindon Fightclub show in May last year.

“This is my third time competing on Raged and I’m looking forward to it.

“I’m fighting a guy called John ‘Chopper’ Stone and he’s tough but that’s the way I like it – I always go out there to have hard fights and I want to have wars.

“It’s also important because it’s an eliminator for the heavyweight title, so if I win, I could have a big fight next time.”

Saturday’s show is the third Raged event to be held in Swindon and home fighter Alex Brunnen tops the bill as he takes on Guy Lewis for the promotion’s vacant lightweight title.

Meanwhile, Lewis’ fiancée LJ Adams will be taking on Emma Delaney as Raged UK host the first professional female women’s fight in Swindon.

Tickets for the event on Saturday, February 27, cost £20 or £40 VIP, and are available from all fighters, The Forum, The Khyber, Dream Lounge or www.swindontickets.co.uk.

Tickets can also be purchased by calling the ticket hotline on 07421 101184.