A GROUP of martial ­artists in Glasgow is ­celebrating after one of its own was handed the chance to compete in the world's biggest cagefighting organisation.

The Griphouse gym in ­Possil is home to Scotland's best mixed martial arts (MMA) fighters, including 30-year-old Robert Whiteford.

Whiteford, like most MMA competitors, has dreamt for years of being called up by the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) and tomorrow he will become the first Scot to ever fight for the UFC when he takes on Jimmy Hettes in a featherweight bout at UFC Fight Night 30 at the Phones 4U Arena in Manchester.

The West Lothian fighter represents the Dinky Ninja Fight Team, which is ­headquartered at the Griphouse.

He was offered the fight on a week's notice after Hettes' original opponent got injured.

Guy Ramsay is one of the head coaches at the Griphouse.

He said the atmosphere at the gym is "palpable" in the wake of Whiteford's success.

He added: "When anyone mentions this weekend's UFC, we all have to look at each other to make sure that's actually what's just been said.

"It's almost unbelievable, it's like a dream.

"When we started the Griphouse, there was ­always the hope that one day we'd have someone fighting in the UFC and we're over the moon that it has happened for Rab.

"We always thought it was achievable, but down to pure geography it was ­always going to be more difficult to make the contacts up here in Scotland.

"The UFC is based in America and we're a bit off its radar, so we had to produce fighters who are even above the benchmark standard."

In Whiteford, the team has a fighter who is multi-talented.

And other Griphouse fighters such as Paul McVeigh and Joanne Calderwood are also among the best in the world.

MMA is a skilled fighting system which blends western boxing, Muay Thai, wrestling, judo and Brazilian jiu-jitsu.

The Griphouse offers in classes in most of the individual fighting systems used in MMA and, as well as the fight team, caters to a host of people who just want to keep fit.

Guy said: "There's definitely a boost when one of our fighters has success.

"When Joanne Calderwood got her first fight in America we had a surge in interest in the gym and I ­expect it will be the same with Rab reaching the UFC.

"It's great when new members come along and get to train with or meet people like Rab, Joanne and Paul.

"They get to see that while they are very hard-working and dedicated athletes, they are also nice, sociable people.

"We'll all be keeping our fingers crossed for Rab tomorrow."