Eric Nicksick is aware of he tousled.
Earlier this month, Sean Strickland fell brief in his rematch with Dricus du Plessis at UFC 312, dropping a clear-cut unanimous determination. Afterward, Nicksick, Strickland’s head coach and cornerman, spoke about his fighter’s “uninspired” efficiency and questioned Strickland’s motivations. In response, Strickland gave his ideas on Nicksick’s feedback and stated he’ll “in all probability not” be in his nook shifting ahead.
It was a sudden and surprising fallout for the duo, and on Tuesday, Nicksick addressed the state of affairs on his Verse Us podcast.
“I don’t even take into account it a fallout,” Nicksick stated. “I believe it was simply one thing I wanted. I made a calculated mistake. We’ll speak about that and my thought course of in what went on. However it was one thing I felt I actually wanted as a result of it confirmed me so much about folks. It made me find out about what I must do higher. There was so much, bro. Dude, I got here out of this going, OK, right here’s the place I could be a higher individual, a greater coach, a greater buddy, a greater mentor, all these different issues.’ However it additionally confirmed me who’s in my nook.”
Nicksick’s unique feedback got here shortly after returning house from Sydney, and the Xtreme Couture coach says that was a poor alternative on his half.
“I made a mistake by accepting the invitation to go on on the timing of the place I used to be at,” Nicksick continued. “I believe folks want to know, you’re coming off 25 hours of journey, 19 hour time distinction, I’m on the health club on Tuesday, half awake. I ought to’ve simply stated, ‘Hey man, not a superb time.’ That’s the place I f*cked up. I ought to’ve by no means executed it.
“The rationale why, you win, it’s such as you’re on this parade. I additionally really feel like if you happen to lose, you must face the music, too. Hey man, we misplaced, let’s face it. What threw me for a loop was, about half-hour earlier than happening with Ariel [Helwani], Sean is at follow with us, and Sean tells me all this stuff about how he felt within the weeks main as much as the battle, yada yada yada, his headspace. And it was very disappointing to listen to what his headspace was and what his thought course of was about being a champion, all this stuff. That’s private. I ought to’ve identified higher. I took that vitality and needed to course of that whereas I’m going on Ariel.
“I f*cked up. I f*cked up.”
However although Nicksick admits he didn’t showcase the very best judgment, he nonetheless stands by a lot of what he stated, although not the style during which he expressed it.
“I made a miscalculation in that second in each accepting to go on the present,” Nicksick stated. “Quantity two, my wording was piss-poor. What I stated was correct: the battle was uninspiring. Everyone knows Sean. That’s not how Sean fights. What I stated was correct. Am I to shoulder a few of that blame? A hundred percent. As a workers, it’s on us. I’ve all the time stated that. However his output, his physique language, his demeanor, it didn’t really feel like Sean. And if anyone thinks I ought to have lied to cowl, that’s a Sure Man, and I received’t be that.
“So if anyone is upset that I used to be just a little too harsh on Sean f*cking Strickland, what are we doing right here?
“Now, the place my wording was incorrect was when Ariel stated, ‘Do you need to proceed to teach Sean?’ On the heels of what he informed me prior, my response ought to’ve been ‘championship mindset.’ Not champions. I don’t coach all champions, and I get that. Sean has a championship mindset. He works his ass off, he spars exhausting. I can by no means do what Sean does. However if you inform me that your motives have modified and it’s to not be a champion per se, my solely actual massive incentive is ‘Let’s chase greatness.’ However I f*cking worded it incorrect.”
Nicksick additionally added that although his wording and timing have been incorrect, the underlying level stays: he needed to encourage higher from Strickland shifting ahead, one thing Strickland himself has tried to do similarly.
“What I’ve realized through the years is you must in all probability give folks just a little grace right here and there. I can’t bat a thousand, and I made a mistake; I made a calculated error on that half. However what I used to be making an attempt to do, in a roundabout means, was to problem my fighter to carry out higher the subsequent trip.
“As a result of right here’s a man who has publicly talked shit about Edmen [Shahbazyan], [Marvin] Vettori, different coaches, and the rationale he does that’s as a result of he’s making an attempt to get the very best out of them. … I do know what Sean’s making an attempt to do, and I defended him about what he’s stated and the way he’s stated it as a result of he needs what’s greatest for his guys within the room. …
“So I attempted to do some of what Sean does and provides him a style of his personal drugs and attempt to get a f*cking response out of him going, ‘I’m going to show this motherf*cker incorrect.’ I assure you this: if I’m in his nook or not, do you assume he’s going to battle more durable subsequent time?
“So, did I f*ck up? Did I’m going and name him out or say something that nobody else was saying? I used to be in all probability the very best on him in comparison with Din Thomas, different folks. These guys have been going after him. ‘Oh, you’re piling on!’ No, I’m being open and sincere to the constructive criticism that all of us ought to tackle, myself included.”
Nicksick went on to say that he doesn’t care if Strickland has him again in his nook; he simply needs what’s greatest for his buddy and fighter, and even when this all was a mistake, his intentions have been good, and he doesn’t remorse doing it.
“Since he beat Izzy, I’ve seen a change,” Nicksaid stated. “So I stated what I stated, hoping to get him again. So if that makes me a shitty individual or a foul coach or no matter, I don’t know. However I don’t remorse what I stated. I remorse the timing of it and the wording of it.”
