Towering South African Neil "Goliath" Grove exploded onto the MMA scene on July 14 with a stunning 10-second knockout over Britain's most accomplished heavyweight, James Thompson (Pictures).

"I think I have hit people harder than that in my lifetime!" said Grove with a laugh.

Coming from the former head doorman of some of the U.K.'s rowdiest nightspots, Grove's words aren't hard to believe.

He was a late replacement against Thompson at Cage Rage 22. Showing no sign of nerves, Grove quickly landed a heavy right hand that sent the fighter from Bristol, England, crashing to the floor.

However, the likeable Grove admitted that it had originally seemed a daunting task when he received the call to face a top opponent in only his third professional contest.

"Dave O'Donnell rang me up and said to me, ‘Would you like to fight James Thompson (Pictures) in two days time?'" Grove recalled. "I said, ‘Give me five minutes.' … I put the phone down and had a long and hard think and I took it. After saying yes, I thought, ‘I've made a mistake!' But I just thought this is probably the best way to test my ability."

Looking back on his fast and furious Cage Rage debut, Grove was keen to explain that the short-lived slugfest was slightly more strategic than it appeared.

"On the evening and on the video it looks like I'm just swinging wildly at him, but the idea was to move forward, jab him," Grove said. "If you hit him once, he's not going to like it. He'll move backwards and then just go in and finish him off."

In his second fight for the London promotion, Grove took on the fearsome Croatian kickboxer Domonic Ostich with equally devastating results. He quickly flung Ostich to the mat and hammered his way to victory in only 34 seconds.

"The fact that I suplexed him really happened the minute I had underhooks," Grove said. "I thought to myself, ‘I can.' I just did it there; it was nothing I had planned to do.'

Grove is now looking forward to his next challenge in the Wembley Arena. At Cage Rage 24 he'll take on popular brawler Robert "Buzz" Berry.

After studying footage of Berry, the undefeated Grove doesn't appear to have too many concerns. However, against such a powerful and experienced opponent, "Goliath" was keen to point out that there was no chance of him taking the fight lightly.

"I'm visualizing that he's training with the best trainers in the world, that he's as fit as a fiddle, learning how to stay out of my punches' way," Grove said. "I expect that he's going to be much better than any of his other fights."

Although he is clearly focused on his upcoming encounter, Grove also spoke with genuine enthusiasm on his main ambition in the fight game.

"I was naturalized in September, got my British citizenship," he said. "To me, having the British [Cage Rage heavyweight title] is number one, and we'll see whatever else is on offer. I have been approached by people who said to me they want me in Japan, and I just think I'll do what it takes to take the British title first."

Grove was laughing again before firing a friendly parting shot at the U.K. heavyweight division.

"There's a few dodgy-looking characters in the game, and I'd like to boost it a little bit, give it a bit of flare and make it attractive for the people to come and watch," he said. "I'm not there to score points or anything. I go into the cage to finish my opponents."