SWINDON Vale Tudo duo Craig Rawlins and Phil Wells are hoping to return over the Severn Bridge this evening with two wins.

The pair are travelling to the Newport Centre to fight on one of Europe's biggest mixed martial arts promotions – Cage Warriors.

Twenty-four-year-old Rawlins, who is still an amateur and boasts a 4-1 record, is taking on Ellis Thomas, who has suffered one more defeat than the Swindon fighter, over three three-minute rounds at 170lbs.

Rawlins has endured a 10-week training camp to be ready for tonight’s fight and feels in the shape of his life, with the weigh-in taking place in Wales this morning.

“Preparations have gone perfectly,” he said.

“The weight has been coming down well and now it is nearly there.

“I’m just looking forward to it now. I have taken the week quite easy, just stretching out and relaxing, and now I am really excited to get in the octagon.

“I think nerves and excitement come hand-in-hand and it is a fight at the end of the day, so you are always going to have a few nerves at the back of your head.

“Where I have trained hard all camp, I am feeling great and I don’t think there are any issues for myself going into the fight.”

With Rawlins’ opponent being from Swansea, he is anticipating a partisan Welsh support in Newport but, along with Wells, is taking a coach-load with him to try and counteract that.

However, Rawlins has not been paying too much attention to his opponent’s fighting style in the build-up to the bounce, with the Swindon scrapper confident of his own abilities, whatever direction the contest pans out.

Rawlins added: “He has got a decent record and being from Swansea, he will have a decent support there.

“We are lucky though. Between myself and Phil, we have got 83 people going down to support us so it should be a good night.

“Mostly, I have concentrated on my own game. I am comfortable in all formats, whether we are standing or if it goes to the ground, or if it turns into a striking match.

"I feel comfortable whichever way the fight goes. He has got a good ground game – I have looked at that – but in most areas, I feel I'm better.”

Wells will be on the pro undercard as he takes on Toby Hartman over three five-minute rounds, with the main card being shown live on BT Sport.