LONDON -- After fighting in various forms of MMA competition since 1996, Mark Weir (Pictures) exploded onto the scene in London at UFC 38 when it took him only 10 seconds to knock out Eugene Jackson (Pictures).

Since then Weir has fought all over the world against some of the world's best middleweights. His results have been mixed, with his best performances coming when his fluent, rangy striking left opponents confused and beaten.

This Saturday the 40-year-old fighter from Gloucester steps down in weight to compete for the Cage Rage welterweight world title. At Cage Rage 23, Weir faces the young lion of the U.K. welterweight scene, Paul "Semtex" Daley.

Daley had expressed concern that Weir may not be able to cut to 170 pounds after a career at 185. However, Weir fought as a welterweight against Nick Thompson (Pictures) in August at Bodog Fight. He lost the fight but insists that the cut did not cause any problems.

"None whatsoever," Weir said. "I just cut down. It took me 20 minutes, and it was too much [weight] anyway. It was so easy -- it's just unreal."

Weir spoke with absolute confidence regarding his showdown with Daley. He dismissed concern about his foe's solid wrestling skills, then gave his view on the impending stand-up confrontation: "His strengths lie on the inside. Mine lie on the outside, with my reach and my distance. With him it's about getting inside me and trying to land his short hooks. Because like I say, he's very fast, but I think he could be stronger on the inside than what I am. Obviously, I'm more rangy than him."

Two of Weir's Range Fighting teammates are also on the card.

Having returned from retirement in recent months, Matt "The Hardest" Ewin, a top U.K. middleweight, will take on archrival Alex Reid (Pictures). In only his third professional bout, Reid defeated Ewin in a match marred with controversy. Ewin complained throughout the classic fight that his opponent was greased up. Eventually "The Hardest" became flustered and succumbed to a triangle choke.

Fast-forward six years, and it's clear that Ewin tries his best to be polite about his rival. "I get on with him," he said. "Every time I see him, I talk to him, ask him how he's doing and everything else."

After stopping to think for a moment, however, Ewin continued, "What gets on my nerves with him -- the greasing up -- he stands there and … denies it. Though on the video we've got, it's actually got background [footage], warming up, and they've got him in his dressing room having a massage with baby oil on his legs and back!"

The experienced ground-and-pound specialist said he usually doesn't take fights personally. This bout, though, is different.

"He's made me wait six or seven years for the rematch," Ewin explained. "Hopefully, if everything goes to plan, I'll make him pay for the six years -- six years of him bloody prancing around, getting all these big fights for I don't know why. After what he's done, it just winds me up."

Although Ewin's preparation for the bout was limited to three weeks, he said he would have taken the fight on a day's notice.

"I would have fought him, just to get in there," he said. "I'll do my usual: take him down, pound him and pound him. Grant [Waterman, the referee] is going to have to drag me off."

The youngest of the Range Fighters on the lineup, Che Mills (Pictures) makes his Cage Rage main card debut. At 4-1, Mills, who is Weir's cousin, has a résumé that includes a recent demolition of teak-tough Afnan Saeed and a very impressive knockout of talented kickboxer Marius Zaromskis (Pictures).

Mills played a cautious game against Zaromskis. "He was very strong," Mills said of his experienced foe known for destructive stand-up skills. "I'll give him that. He was a good kickboxer. I was a bit weary at first. I didn't actually throw very many combinations or strikes at first."

Then Mills noticed that Zaromskis liked to throw high kicks. "I was just waiting for him," he said, "and when he threw the high kick, I caught it. I think it was a left hook then followed by a knee [that knocked out Zaromskis]. I didn't expect him to drop really, but he just went out after that."

The young fighter admits that he suffers from pre-fight nerves, but he brushes off the idea that it will have a detrimental effect when he faces massive welterweight Ross "The Boss" Mason.

"He's a good Thai boxer," Mills said, "and that's his main strength really, is the stand-up. He looks quite powerful as well. Whatever he comes with, I'll just counteract him and get him with my own -- impose my will on him."