England’s Sam Patterson returns to action on Saturday night, March 21, at the O2 Arena in Manchester, United Kingdom. The Team Crossface standout will look to maintain his winning ways against the dangerous Michael ‘Venom’ Page at UFC London, headlined by Lerone Murphy vs.  Movsar Evloev. But there’s more to the story than meets the eye.

Before Sam Patterson puts his winning streak on the line, curiosity has been growing about the ink he has scattered across his body. Tattoos may not often outright express their significance, but for these fighters, there’s a deep and meaningful connection. So, here’s what the tattoos on Patterson’s body mean to him.

What is the meaning of Sam Patterson’s left arm tattoo?

Patterson has a floral tattoo on his left arm. It features a couple of prominent roses alongside some leaves surrounding it. It stretches from his wrist all the way up to his shoulder. However, what makes it special is the Cantonese phrase incorporated in it.

The phrase translates to “deliver honor,” which says a lot about Patterson’s ambitions. This is expressed quite well in his return to form in the UFC. After suffering a first-round knockout loss to Yanal Ashmouz in his UFC debut, instead of giving excuses, he went back to work. 

Since he came back in March 2023, Patterson has secured four back-to-back first-round wins. It shows that Patterson’s tattoo isn’t just for display, but rather it reflects how he leads his life and career. Yet, this isn’t the only tattoo on his body. 

Are there any other tattoos on Sam Patterson’s body?

In short, yes. He has multiple tattoos on his body. One that anyone can recognize from a distance is the red ‘UFC’ tattoo on his right lower biceps. It reads, ‘UFC | Dream to reality | September 27th 2022.’ In an interview with UFC Europe in February, Patterson shed more light on his UFC tattoo. 

“We were out in Vegas, where I actually got my contract,” he said. “And it was a ‘Dream to reality’ for me. So I thought, ‘F*** it,’ and I jumped on it and just got the tattoo.”

The tattoo symbolizes his long and demanding journey to the UFC—one defined by years of hard work, discipline, and patience. To mark the milestone, he chose to immortalize the moment with ink that will stay with him for life.

In addition, he has another tattoo on his right forearm. It appears to be a sleeve featuring a mandala-inspired design composed of intricate geometric patterns, though specific details about it remain unclear.

That being said, Sam Patterson has a long career ahead of him, and his canvas is large. So, perhaps, there will be several more tattoos on it in the future. Which tattoo did you like the most?