American bantamweight Casey Kenney has been among the breakout fighters for the UFC in 2020, showcasing what he brings to the party in particular with an utter devastation of China’s Heili Alateng back on October 4. The MMA world watched on with a mixture of shock, horror and then admiration as Heili (14-8-1) wore a total of 57 direct shots to the head – from fists and from feet – over three rounds and Kenney (15-2-1) carved him up, from head to toe. It had the cage-side commentary team gasping, and then saluting both fighters – one for the obvious promise he showed in victory, and one for the obvious courage shown in defeat. For Kenney it was a statement win, both to the UFC and to the world. “It’s about time us little guys got some respect,” Kenney told SCMP MMA. “This is a tough division and I wouldn’t have it any other way. I’m trying to beat the game on ‘expert’, I’m not trying to beat the game on ‘easy’. “Respect to Heili, he took it hard. After the first round he looked like he’d been through a five-round war. There was one time when I felt my shin against his bare head but he just shook it off. But that fight was stepping stone for me.” Kenney returns to the fray at UFC 254 in Abu Dhabi on Saturday, his catch weight match-up with Englishman Nathaniel Wood (17-4) being the 29-year-old from Portland’s fourth fight of a year that has seen him go from relative unknown to knocking on the door of a talent-stacked bantamweight division that’s led by Russian firebrand Petr “No Mercy” Yan (15-1). “Nathaniel is super well-round but I feel he’s the same fighter every time he steps in there. I have a whole bag of tricks I haven’t shown everybody,” said Kenney. What has helped Kenney in his quest to fight his way into UFC title contention has been the move up from the 125 pounds (56.7kg) limit of flyweight to bantamweight and the “luxury’ of 135 pounds (61.2kg). “I’ve really think I’ve hit my stride and found my home here in bantamweight,” said Kenney. “The last two fights I have walked into the cage about 10 pounds bigger than I did in my first three fights in the UFC. I spent a lot of years sucking down to flyweight and not it’s just been letting my body grow into what it should be and here we are. It’s working. Getting down to flyweight used to steal my soul.”