 Fickett’s
Road: One step at a time
By Jason Probst
Experience is what you get looking for something
else. And in the mind of Drew Fickett, the 35
fights he’s had are just the primer for reinventing
himself with each outing.
With a record of 30-5, Fickett, 27, is one of
the emerging new breed in the sport; he’s
had more fights than birthdays. But despite the
frenetic pace that’s kept him remarkably
active, he’s still learning, taking something
with him from each match.
Facing Keita Nakamura Thursday at UFC Fight Night
in a welterweight bout, the Arizona-based Fickett
is no longer the new guy in the UFC, with six
appearances in the show behind him. But that experience
has come with a price. And given that it’s
only Nakamura’s second UFC fight (following
a hard-fought decision loss to Brock Larson last
December), Fickett’s hoping that the tables
might be turned this time, given the disappointment
of his debut in the UFC against Nick Diaz, in
February 2005 at the Mandalay Bay. He was TKO’d
in the first round of bout where he never really
got untracked.
“I was just like really, really scared.
I was in tears the morning of the fight. I wasn’t
intimidated by Nick, it’s the whole scene,”
Fickett recalled. “In his interview he said
he had a lot more experience. Then I stepped into
the lights and said Holy Cow!”
Fickett didn’t understand what Diaz was
talking about. He had twice as many fights (25
vs. 12) as the Stockton-based battler. It was
only afterward he realized that Diaz’ aforementioned
edge in experience was in the UFC. While Diaz
had a mere dozen bouts, he’d fought three
in the UFC, and had already gotten through the
nerve-wracking experience of getting familiar
with the setting. It’s there that all the
trappings come home to roost. Big John McCarthy
comes in to give you instructions. The walk into
the Octagon. Seeing yourself on the big screen.
10,000 pairs of eyes watching. You can’t
train for it and the adrenaline dump can be paralyzing
before the first blow is even thrown.
MORE
From site UFC.com
More inverview links:
Feb 26 , 2008
Quick Q&A w/ Top Ranked Assassin, Drew Fickett. More here.
LockFlow
Pre UFN 3 fight Spike TV Interview - Jan 14 05
Is
a Kosheck Rematch Important ?
What
were you thinking at the end of the Kosheck fight
?
Do
fans talk to you about Kosheck fight ?
How
does it feel to fight on Spike TV ?
What
do you think about your opponent ?
What's
your favorite move ?
Did
you get into fights growing up ?
Do
you remember first time you were punched ?
UFC.tv
Interview - Pre UFN 3 fight on Spike TV -
Jan 14 05
Interview
With Boxing Insider about upcoming Fight with
Josh Burkman - Jan 4 2006
Mat Chat with Drew Fickett on Lockflow.com
UFN2 Video Inverview
Spike
TV Interview
ADC Combat
Interview
MMA
Weekly Interview
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