Kevin Sears has an awfully conspicuous three-year break from competition on his professional record, but it turns out he was actually enduring some of the most important fighting of his life.

During that stretch, the Colorado-based heavyweight was forced to put his MMA dreams on hold in order to secure custody of his child.

“Basically I had a custody battle for my daughter,” Sears said. “I stopped everything for my kid because I want it to be with my kid. That’s something more important than anything in the world.”

Sears’ situation was complicated, and he ended up having to relocate to a rural town well outside of where he previously lived in Denver. While it wasn’t the ideal scenario for him, especially when it came to pursuing a fighting career, he didn’t hesitate to make the move.

“The judge was telling me if I didn’t live down here, I was going to have to give up custody of my kid at the time,” Sears recalled. “I had to move, so that’s what I did. I went and pursued my daughter. I started my own carpet cleaning business, and I put fighting basically on the backburner because family is more important than anything else I’ve got going on.”

Prior to this past April, Sears hadn’t competed since a 2019 loss to Parker Porter, who would sign with the UFC shortly after. It was an eye-opening reality for Sears, who admits he only took the fight because he needed the money to help fund his legal battles.

“I wasn’t training,” Sears said. “I didn’t have nothing going on. I took that fight, and I shouldn’t have because I hadn’t trained or anything, but I needed the money for court, so I was like, you know, ‘I need this certain amount and I’ll take the fight.’ I lost in the second round to a kimura, some bullsh-t. I would have kept going, but I was only there for the money, so I just tapped out, not even thinking what I was doing.”

Sears is happy to report that things have changed dramatically since then. He was able to gain custody of his daughter and actually welcomed a second child into the world, as well. In fact, he received his latest fight offer on the day his second daughter was born.

“I found out about the fight when we were in the hospital having the baby,” Sears said. “I was like, ‘All right, well f-ck it.’”

Things are much different now, though. Sears returned to action in April, scoring a second-round submission victory on the Colorado regional scene. He’s maintained a rigorous training schedule despite a nearly four-hour round-trip commute to Aurora’s A1 Boxing. It’s a grueling schedule, but one he’s happy to keep.

“I watch my daughter in the morning until like 5, when my lady gets off work, and then right after she gets here, I take off to practice,” Sears said. “I’m not home until about 12 o’clock at night.”

Personal life now under control, Sears is ready to begin his chase of professional fighting success once again.

“It’s always been a dream of mine to have a career in the UFC, Bellator or wherever I can get, you know – the top promotions in the world, maybe even ONE Championship,” Sears said. “But it’s always been my goal to be a UFC fighter, so that’s that’s the dream and that’s what we’re working for.”

Sears (9-6) will face undefeated heavyweight prospect Greg Velasco (4-0) in the main event of Saturday’s CFFC 113, which streams live on UFC Fight Pass from Parx Casino in Bensalem, Penn. The promotion’s vacant heavyweight belt will be on the line after former titleholder Jamelle Jones departed the promotion to sign with the PFL.

Sears was blunt in his assessment of Velasco from what he’s seen in his film study.

“I watched his video one time, and that’s all I needed. I was like, ‘This guy is garbage,’” Sears said. “No offense to Greg or anything, but his fighting skills are like – I don’t know if it’s the fighter he was fighting or something, but he looked sloppy. He just looked like an old dude, even though he’s not – an old dude fighting, you know, just praying for the best.”

Sears has endured a rocky path to his current position, but he finally feels primed to chase his dream. Past opponents such as Porter, as well as Justin Frazier, Greg Rebello and Kelvin Tiller have all gone on to have opportunities with the sport’s biggest promotions. Sears wants that chance, as well, and he knows a spectacular performance on Saturday can aid him in that goal.

“Just be on the lookout – I plan to finish this guy quick,” Sears said. “It’s going to be a fast night. Easy work at the office, I promise you that, and if it’s not, then I hope this guy’s trained his ass off like I have because I’m coming full tilt.”

This story first published at CFFC.tv.